This winter has not whispered its presence. There is no doubt that records have been broken for subzero temperatures and snowfall, but today teased us with a hint of what will come. I can’t recall the last time I awoke to a mild winter
morning. What a treat is was to walk the dog and hear birds chirping in the
trees this morning. The car windshield did not require defrosting and I wore a
light coat while doing my shopping chores.
The weather this winter has been brutal worldwide and Canadians
have been fortunate that the worst we’ve had are heavy snow falls and ice
storms. I watch the news and worry about people in Great Britain
where flooding has become the norm and, in the southern United States, the
temperature has dipped below freezing where people not used to snow are
unprepared for the cold and dangerous driving conditions. It's normal for the whole of Canada to entertain old man winter, but it boggles my mind that forty-nine of the fifty states in America are blanketed in snow today.
The wild bunnies return night after night for the scraps of
food I leave outside and birds and squirrels feast on bread and nuts in the
backyard. It’s the least I can do.
Sometimes I feel guilty that I am able to come inside and warm
myself by the fireplace, while wildlife is struggling with the cold and lack of
food.
There will be a full moon tonight and, already, the
neighbourhood dogs are yapping through fences to each other. I heard on the news that it takes an extra twenty minutes to fall asleep on a full moon night. I wonder if it's because the sky is brighter and bedrooms aren't as dark as usual.
I pray that spring is right around the corner. For me, the
novelty of snow and ice is over and temperatures above the freezing mark are
welcome to return as soon as possible. We have at least another month and a half before the crocuses and tulips show their petals. More than any other year, I am eager to explore the wonders my garden to see how it has survived another winter.
In the meantime, I’ll bake muffins and warm the kitchen with
the heat from the oven.
