Awakening Spring

March has arrived, but spring is hiding beneath mounds of snow and dreary clouds. We must give thanks that we have survived the cold and ice and prepare for warmer weather.

Nothing shouts spring more than a vase of daffodils. This hearty flower has been celebrated in art and literature for centuries. Wordsworth wrote his famous poem after them and Van Gogh painted their golden beauty.

There is much we can do to prepare for spring. Remove the winter décor and replace the Christmas wreath on the front door with a garland of pussy willows. Pack the heavy throws and comforters in a chest and invest in throw cushions and coverlets with spring motifs. Replace full tablecloths with runners and de-clutter rooms by removing everything for a good cleaning and bring back only your favourite pieces of furniture and decorations. A sparse setting with paler colours is more in keeping with warmer weather.

Begin spring cleaning early by sorting through closets and drawers and donating unused items and clothing. Wash windows to let the sun inside and open them wide to air stale rooms. Place pretty bowls of potpourri with scents of lilacs or lily of the valley throughout the house. Buy gardening magazines and plan your outdoor retreat. Sow seeds indoors and watch them grow day by day.  

If you notice that your winter clothing has been concealing a few extra pounds, it’s time to cleanse your body. Detox in a bath of Epsom salts, take long walks and begin a diet of lighter fare. Go through your makeup drawer and toss out anything you don’t use. Buy paler shades of lipstick and foundation. Visit a department store and have your makeup done for free at a cosmetic counter. Buy a mellow perfume or scented body cream.

Share your enthusiasm with friends by sending invitations to a high tea. If money is tight, suggest a pot luck lunch with sandwiches, scones and jam and desserts. Buy good loose tea and a strainer and serve everything on your best china.

Practice the Law of Attraction by thinking only positive thoughts and, before you know it, spring will be here with all of her magnificent glory.

A Valentine's Day Gift

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.

Winter Wonderland

The recent ice storm in Southern Ontario reminded me of the winter of ’68 when I was a girl. I recall how the city of Toronto virtually froze in its tracks. It was wonderful for the children, with school cancelled, we played outside, skating and tobogganing. I don’t recall if our home in Scarborough had a blackout, but we would have bundled up and drank hot chocolate and played cards. Television wasn’t as important as it is today and personal computers were unheard of.

The December 21^st ice storm is considered to be one of the worst. Four days later, much of Toronto is still without power and the temperature has dropped well below zero. We lost power on Sunday morning for six hours. The house became quite cool and Tom was ready to uninstall the electric insert so we could burn wood in the basement fireplace. No need for such drastic measures. The power came on at noon and we were glad of the hot coffee and raisin bread toast to warm our bodies. I spent my time reading Stuart McLean's book, The Vinyl Cafe Story Exchange. The personal stories reminded me of something from my childhood and I will write down the memory and send it to them. Perhaps they will read it aloud on their radio show or publish it in the next Vinyl Cafe Collection.

The scent of wood smoke filled the crisp air outside while I cleared the fallen branches in the backyard.Throughout the day we heard from neighbours and friends, all of whom had lost power and branches or tree limbs. We had planned to visit friends in Whitby, but cancelled, opting to remain home. That evening neighbours from across the street, who live six months of the year in Florida, called to ask how we were. One of their trees lost three large limbs.

It's odd to get an ice storm this early in the season. They are more common in March when the weather warms and freezes quickly. I hope the people stranded at airports find their way to family and friends safely. It doesn't seem so long ago that we were outside in our shorts and tee-shirts, gardening and barbecuing hamburgers. Winter seems to last much longer than summer, but every month has something beautiful to offer.

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.