First Snowfall

Some years we wait impatiently, hoping there will be snow in time for Christmas. This year is far different. The first snowfall in Ontario this week brought varying degrees of comfort. Near Lake Ontario, we awakened to a light sprinkle that brightened our hearts. My friend, who lives an hour south of Ottawa, told me they got two feet of snow. Good thing she loves snow.

On the morning following the first snowfall, the air was cool and the wind calm. Dog walkers were aplenty as Little Bear and I took to the trails. Rabbit tracks were everywhere and I heard the sweet call of a cardinal before I saw him in a tree.

There is just one more month left in the year. If winters would stay this beautiful and silent, no one would complain. Unfortunately, they seem to last much longer than the warm months.

I cannot imagine living in a country without four seasons. There is beauty to behold in each of them.

Autumn Hues

I usually love this time of year, but like Rip Van Winkle, I feel as though I fell asleep and slept through early autumn. The cold came early and leaves changed colour so rapidly they missed a few shades.

And then November grew warm. It was wonderful to walk the dog without wearing heavy winter gear and put the Christmas lights on the house without gloves and a scarf, so why do I feel cheated?

I love autumn. I know I said that already. I heard from friends that even Northern Ontario colours were muted this year. Leaves were mostly yellow. Where were the red and gold shades?

Mother Nature’s palate missed a few hues and cheated us of autumn’s glory.

The wind here has been fierce and  several times I picked up branches and twigs in the backyard. We had an outdoor fire in the chiminea yesterday—the last fire of the season. 

Snow clouds threaten daily and the temperature has dripped. This weekend promises the first snowfall across southern Ontario. It will be welcomed with open arms by children and dogs. Some of us will stay inside by the fireplace and watch through the window as Mother Nature transforms from one season to another.