February – The Agony and The Ecstacy

I thought January was a pretty incredible month of extremes; in weather and beauty, but February has proven to be a close second! Windstorms, crazy freezing rain, a thaw, another windstorm, snow, you name it.

Having to go out in this twice daily to walk the dog can be either a fantastic experience or one which has me wondering ‘why do I have a dog?’ I’m kidding about that, but wow, some of this extreme weather is trying. What a month. Enjoy!

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January Awe

In a month that saw a blood wolf moon, extreme cold temperatures, wind and snow, one would think Mother Nature was out to get us. But when you see past the grim, cold truth of winter in Toronto, there is beauty everywhere. On those freezing days our walks were limited to 8 or 10 minutes, but we’d still go down to the beach or face the snowstorm or that crazy wind. Through it all, some of the most beautiful things occurred: the sun desperately trying to get through the fast-moving clouds, ducks and swans cuddling up to stay warm in the morning mist, people shielding themselves from the crazy wind/snow getting from A to B, Ashbridges Bay’s ice cathedrals, sunbeams on a lone sightseer and more. Now that the grey, slushy thaw has arrived, I’m thankful we got out in that crazy weather, even if it was unbearable! Enjoy the journey.

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The Haunting and The Haunted

Wow. What a week! We got that incredible full/blood/wolf moon, which we actually drove out to the beach to see at midnight in -30C with our pal and his dogs (it was worth it!),  brutal temps for a few long days (and some sun I should add – finally). Then…the great thaw. What a beautiful mess. Foggy and misty, but mushy and damp. And today, the polar vortex seems to be making its way back into our lives. January, a cruel month.

I love Winter though. I do. Besides the snow, which just makes everything pretty, the skies and lakes and days are just so much more varied/dramatic. Yep, we have to put up with freezing to death at times or mopping the floor every day (you kind of have to when you have a soggy dog) or a plethora of other frustrations like freezing pipes, falling over on the ice and shovelling, but the benefits outweigh that. There are less people out, the parks aren’t crowded with people, loud music and garbage and there’s a wonderful tranquility walking the streets in winter. I have to – at least a few trips out daily with scruffy dog – and I’m thankful for it. She’s made me brave the outdoors and shown me the magnificence of Winter. Enjoy!

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Weather Report

It’s January 13th and there is definitely a winter chill in the air. I love winter, so no complaints here. And having to walk my dog, at least a few times daily, no matter the weather (rain/sleet/wind/heat/snow or hail), I have to find ways to enjoy the journey in these tougher weather days. So far, January has not disappointed! December saw a record number of grey days, and we’ve seen a lot this month too, but around 4:00 pm the sky seems to break and out comes the sun – for however long. Seeing it sets at 4:45-5:00 pm, not ‘too’ long. Lucky for us, that’s our afternoon walk time. Here’s a few suns we’ve seen on our January journeys so far. Enjoy!

**Wordpress decided to update to a whole new ball game ie; format (why can’t they leave well enough alone?) so things may not look quite the same. Not being very ‘tech-minded’, I can’t figure out how to label the photos without block text over each one. Eek. New formats are as scary as new computers to me! Just so you know, all the photos are taken at either Cherry Beach, en route to, or at Ashbridges Bay in east end/Leslieville, Toronto

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