Frozen with Sun.

It is ridiculously bitterly cold here in Western Canada. Winter has been kind to us, until this week. Snow started on Friday and though we didn't get the predicted 40 cms to 50 cms, we did get the predicted - 40 degrees Celcius to - 50 degrees Celcius. For my American blogging buddies, I have no idea how cold this is, but the Extreme Weather Warnings issued by Environment Canada continues to carry messages about frostbite occurring in under 2 minutes. Yikes! The Big City down the road is opening up the LRT Station (underground/subway) overnight for those who live on the streets. Many won't go to shelters (there are beds available) but they will head for the station to survive the icy night. 

I'm thankful that the Sun has come out and it's helping us to not feel so closed in while we wait out the extreme weather in our warm and cozy home. Other than I've run out of my beloved chocolate milk (I do have a back up with white milk and a powder to mix in), our food supplies are keeping us well fed. Heat is doing well, no concerns with any systems in the house. We do venture out to start the cars about several times through the day. They start just fine but we don't want to take any chances. Truly too risky.

It's dark now but I took these pictures earlier today. If it wasn't so cold, it would be so pretty! I love fresh snow before anyone walks on it. We noticed more footprints from the deer and a bunny or two this afternoon. No prints since Friday but today, movement. Like us, they've probably stayed huddled up in a warm, sheltered spot. In between keeping up our normal works hours, we've been busy continuing our purging. Closets are done, Christmas storage room is done, our master bedroom is done, our master bathroom is done, the guest bedroom is done, so now it's the art studio. I've got a tub of items no longer needed that someone else would love, I'm sure. The tub and maybe a second one, will be off to the charity shop, along with all the bags of extra clothing we no longer need and have sorted. I get so much joy knowing someone who doesn't have a warm coat will soon sport my old but functional and very warm jacket. Someone will find comfort in the fuzzy blankets and the new "but not my color" socks. Someone will enjoy the old books, the art supplies that I had doubles of, and the containers useful for storage. Feels good to give our items to someone who will benefit. No landfill, no garbage bag, no guilty feelings of throwing something out that is still good but we don't wish to keep any longer. Extra space is always good too. Not to fill, just to have no clutter. With purging, everyone wins!

From top to bottom, these pictures show our open back garden, and the snow piling up around my little potting shed. In the foreground is our fire pit, almost buried and our wind spinner, still today without the wind. Pretty sun. Calm trees. My favorite picture today. The second and third photos are the rink just outside our back deck. It's a bit hard to see but it is there. Our final layer of water will be brought out by the water truck on Friday morning. Then we can start skating! When it's warmer of course!! Tomorrow and Thursday we'll have to shovel, bits at a time due to the cold, to get the snow off before the truck arrives. The fourth photo is the side of our house looking towards the fence between our land and our neighbors. Usually so many deer tracks here but it's so pristine right now. I love it like this.

That's my update from the Frozen Tundra today. No school buses tomorrow but we're going to venture in to town anyway. I need my chocolate milk, we need to get the mail, get the grandkidlet to school for at least one day this week (they have Thursday and Friday off), and check in on my staff and crew. Hope your corner of the World is warmer!

~ Chy