An Unbelievable Beautiful Winter Morning!

An early morning ski!

           This morning was Sunday.  I woke up early and noticed the sun just peaking above the horizon.  Looking at the clock (6 a.m.) I stretched, yawned, and poked my husband. "It's time to get up if you are going fishing," I reminded him. 
           We made our way to the kitchen for that first cup of coffee and made our plan for the day.  He was going fishing and I would be doing course work before we left to visit my brother in "the city."  I finished an "e-tivity" and then looked out the window.  The fresh snow on the lake beckoned to me, and before I knew what was happening, I was dressing in layers, pulling on my ski boots, and sliding down the path to the lake. 
           I put on my skis and adjusted my poles.  Step, slide, pole, step, slide, pole...out I skied to the middle of the lake.  Stopping to capture my trail behind me on the digital camera, I also clicked a pic of our home on the up on the hill.

A winter wonderland!

         The I turned and headed down the lake in the direction of the ATV tracks.  Step slide pole, step slide pole, etc. In 500 metres I had lost my breath and my heart was pounding.  What a feeling!  I stopped to catch my breath and take a few more pictures. 

         
             What was that coming up the lake?  Was it a skid-oo? A fancy ATV? Superman?  I wasn't sure. You see my husband had just bought a new-to-him ATV and I had not seen it in action.  Honestly, as it came closer, I thought it was a snowmobile.  It couldn't have been my husband.  He hadn't been out on the lake long enough to even drill a hole.

           Then I realized that I wasn't wearing my glasses, so I couldn't see who or what it was riding up the lake, that was until it was right beside me...

           To my surprise it was my husband with a tale of woe to tell.  First, his new-to-him toboggan had fallen down the hill,breaking one ski.  He abandoned it at the bottom of the hill and headed out to his favourite fishing spot.  Once there, he got out the motorized auger to open the holes in the ice.  Unfortunately, snow had gotten in to where snow should not be and it would not start.  He had left his hand powered auger with the abandoned toboggan, so he had decided to come back to pick it up.  On the way back he noticed that the motor of the new-to-him ATV was running hot and steam was pouring out.  "Not a good morning," he told me. 
           Not to totally spoil a perfect morning I asked if he could do me a favour and take my picture, just to prove to my readers that yes, I was on the lake at 7 a.m., the temperature was -11 C, and I was wearing a smile.  Thankfully he obliged and this is what he saw:

Yes I do LOVE winter!!!

Until next time,


Bee Rich

Christmas and the Post Office

Our daughter's last visit- Thanksgiving 2011.

          As the Christmas Season arrives, I usually write a long list and, like Santa, gain great satisfaction from checking it twice.  Every year there are cards to write and send, gifts to buy and wrap, a tree to cut and decorate, goodies to bake and store, and dinner to prepare and eat!  I love the season because it usually brings out the best in people. 
          This year is a little bit different.  For the first time in many years, our daughter will not be here to celebrate.  She is a grown up working person.  And she is working in a foreign country.  In early November I visited the local post office to find out the recommended dates to send packages to Europe.  The date was November 28.  As you can probably guess, I was a little bit late in my purchasing and preparing, so when the gifts were finally wrapped and packed and wrapped again, the date on the calendar was December 5.  Oops.  Missed it by a week. 
          We decided to contact the three available couriers for estimates of the cost for a 15 X 12 X 6 inch parcel weighing just under ten pounds.  I was elated to find out that they each would deliver the package within five days.  However, when I was given the cost- oh my- almost $200.00, I thought it might be better to check the post office again. 
          I walked into our local office and the worker greeted me with a huge happy smile.  "So you have your package ready?" she asked excitedly.
          "Yes, it is here, but I'm late," I replied.
          "No, I think you are just in time." 
          Puzzled, I looked on the chart of best times to send parcels.  To send them by Expresspost (which is similar to a courier), my daughter's gifts did not have to be sent until December 6.  Whew!  I had made it. 
           The worker weighed and measured the package, while I held my breath.  She had told me that if it was over two kilograms (around five pounds) the cost would sky rocket.  It weighed 2.54 kilograms.  Long story short, the price for sending the package, which would arrive within ten days, was only $94.81. 
          I left the post office feeling relieved and thankful.  My deserving daughter would have something from home to open on Christmas morning.  CHECK!
          Now it is time to get on with the rest of the preparations.  Christmas cards are next!

Until tomorrow,

Bee Rich

PS  I am happy to report that, as I wrote this entry, the snow gently drifted down, covering the pines with a beautiful white frosting.

Snow for a Day (or two)

Frosty Arrived Today!

          It snowed during the night Tuesday and yesterday we awoke to about five inches of the beautiful white wet stuff.  The children at school were thrilled.  At recess time, despite boots, snow pants, mitts, scarves, hats and warm jackets, they tromped around and rolled the wet snow into huge balls of iciness.  They came back inside with smiles and red cheeks and wet mitts. 
          Today I was home alone.  My brother-in-law had a chemo treatment in Ottawa, and I thought I would surprise him with a fall-to-winter frosty fellow.  "Jack" is seen here wearing my mitts and my husband's toque, which was knitted by my grandmother many years ago.  I love the snow and so does Jack!  Somehow, sadly, I don't believe he will be around much longer.  His arms have already fallen off. I can't wait for the next snowstorm!
        
Until next time,

Bee Rich

Where Has the Week Gone?

          For the first time since Sunday, I am sitting down to write.  I check the day and date and realize that it is already Wednesday, a day that I often referred to as hUMp day when I was working full time. The beginning of the week is over and the rest of the week is yet to come.  The week is 60% over. 
          My excuses for not writing sooner are many:

• I taught all day Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
• It snowed last night and I had to get up early to shovel
• I have been feeling under the weather
• I have gone to bed early every evening
• I have to do the laundry
• I have to finish preparing dinner
• My brother in-law has three appointments in Ottawa this week

          All-in-all, it has been a busy, yet rewarding week, and I am thankful.  Thankful for teaching days. Thankful for the change in seasons. Thankful for good health.  Thankful for a warm bed. Thankful that I have clothes to wear and launder.  Thankful for food to prepare and eat. Thankful that we live in a country where health care is available to all. 
          Oh, by the way, Happy American Thanksgiving!

A Canadian Sunrise!

         
        

Sunny Sunday

Guess what this is?

          Today we were at home, preparing for a busy week ahead.  I am scheduled to teach on Monday and Tuesday.  My brother-in-law has three appointments in Ottawa on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday.  My husband will be the volunteer driver for each of these trips.  That left today, a sunny Sunday, to finish up preparing for the winter snow. 
          Before breakfast we went outside to tackle the first of the day's jobs: drain and store the garden hoses, put the last of the deck furniture away, and clean out the garage so that the Jeep has a warm place to stay at night.
          After a breakfast of pancakes and bacon, we moved the newly constructed ice-fishing hut (did you guess correctly?) out of the workshop and on to the driveway.  Then we unloaded some used lumber from the truck and sawed off any rotten ends.  Finally we stacked the lumber in neat piles in the workshop.  I swept the floor, replaced the tools, and headed in for tea while my husband stored his ATV in the clean workshop and pulled the snow shovels out.  We are now ready!
        Sitting at the dining room table, we watched the red squirrel and several blue jays scavenging sunflower seeds.  Just as we are, these animals are preparing for winter.  So, we await the snow and ice!

Ready for the ice!

          In five days, I will start getting ready for my favourite part of the winter season! Can't wait!

First Christmas decoration of 2011!

Until next time,


Bee Rich