Beauty of Winter

By Wood Mountain

Lonely Rancher's House

Bank Swallow burrows

Pre John Deere.......the prairie workhorse

My favorite...the quickly disappearing prairie sentinal

Clever picture, in the mirror...all these pictures are showing such a pretty side of Saskatchewan! And what a neat old McCormick thingamajig. Here is my winter farm equipment offering:

Nice photos Pam and Rosemary. Pam, what a cool picture in the rearview mirror. Aren't you the clever one. My favourite though, is the one called wood mountain. Classic winter on the prairie scene. Lovely. I also liked the pictures of the two toboggan hills. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for sharing the great pictures Pam. I've only seen some of the country around Pat's place so I didn't realize you had any mountains. Is that your Lonely Rancher's house? It's too bad that the grain elevators are disappearing. That's one of the things I loved when I went to Saskatchewan. I'd never seen them before. I took lots of pictures of them.

lonely but prosperous rancher - obviously has oil leases or gravel deposits on his land LOL

I love your wagon Rosemary......they are heavy solid buggers that you need a horse to move very far. ;) We brought one in from the farm and I don't worry about it disappearing in the night in the least.

Rosemary/Donna I thought it was very fitting too.....DH didn't have it in mind when he took the shot but the shoe certainly fits!! I miss them horribly, so many trips were measured by when the next town's elevator would be sighted. :'(

Sandy our *Mountains* are a bit tongue in cheek but to prairie eyes they suffice. ;)

Lynn I too would love to know what he found on his land!!!!

Thanks folks I'll pass your comments along to DH......I also think he done pretty good! Ü

Lynn is it raining there yet?

This message was edited Jan 18, 2005 12:50 AM

Where did the grain elevators go, are they no longer used? The shape in the picture reminds me of the barns they build in North Carolina to age bright leaf tobacco in. These are fairly small, built on individual farms. I'm sure the grain elevators must be huge.

I love all the pictures, caught a chill just looking at them! *grin* Here it's 40°, windy, 75% humidity and I am sitting here trying to warm my hands by whatever heat the computer gives off......whine, whine, whine.
Pati

in the name of progress most of them have been torn down to build mammoth "inland terminals" which suits the multinational grain companies like cargill but means individual farmers now have to move their crops much further to an elevator (cost of such transport being the farmer's responsibility of course, taken out of grain prices that still are lower than the price received in the sixites)
do i sound cynical and a touch bitter???

Beautiful pictures. Im in Pa. its 0 degrees plus windy as heck.2 hr school delay. This is our first cold snap. I am ready for spring.

We have an interesting landscape today. Yesterday it snowed for most of the day before turning to rain late yesterday afternoon. This morning when DH and I went for our morning walk with the pooch, the effective of the rain on the snow is really weird. It looks almost like a moonscape. Snow is all very smooth, shiny and hard. Looks artificial almost. It's just starting to get light. I'll take the digi out in a couple hours and try and get a good shot. Have a good one everybody!

LOLOL...our weather channel featured two Americans that are stationed at North Bay, Ontario (temp -40F). One is from Lousiana and the other was previously stationed in Hawaii, both said they had no idea what true cold was. They were bundled from head to toe and the weatherman laughed saying that they dressed that way to walk from their vehicle to the building (they both work inside). They both mentioned they are used to wearing shorts in winter and have never had to set aside time to warm up a car before. They truly were a study in abject misery. ;)

Today we share your temps Oriole. It's just above 0F here and it's raining a bit......3 days ago we were at -52F with windchill.
Our average for this time of year is around -18F...... last winter and this one have been killers.

Pati the house swap is still open........ I've got a fireplace and radiator ready for you!

Looking forward to seeing your pictures Donna. :)

This message was edited Jan 18, 2005 11:23 AM

" -52F with windchill"

WHAT?!!!!!!! We had a windchill temp of +52F about an hour ago. Wind blowing from the N at 20 to 30 MPH. I would love to visit you, but only if I can have a seat ON the radiator!

Everybody gets in such a swivet about our hurricanes, but at least if they blow your roof off you don't freeze to death! Being warm is what it's all about to us Floridians. LOL
Pati

Gee Pati, I don't know. Losing your roof vs losing your plumbing when it freezes...

Glenda, we used our "old" farm equipment up until a few years ago. Now we've gone to round bales the horses have an even heavier pull:

Doesn't faze them though; those Percherons are strong! Here is a picture (not winter, sorry!) taken a few years ago that should warm Pati up a bit. And the one on the right was just last year. We also have a sled for winter fun, but no pictures.

Guaranteed you'd have both a seat on the radiator and two cats to cuddle with Pati! They are an accurate forecaster of what it's like outside.....when the temps drop they meld with the rads and their eyes roll back (prob because they are frying their grey matter). I personally would run faster then the wind to get away from your Hurricanes......esp. when they are not too far from shore and are still rated at a category 5!!!!!!! :S Like you and your storms we are prepared for cold weather, don't like it but .....

Good point, Pati and believe it or not, being warm is what it's all about for us Canadians too. We are just not as consistant as you lucky people. Never fear though, Spring is coming. 73 days to the RU, Ladies! Woo Hoo!!!

Rosemary what a sight for sore eyes.....your first pic reminds me of some wonderful sleigh rides. Ü

Great photos Rosemary. Beautiful big fellas you've got there.

Chilko, your Percherons are awesome! My daughter groomed for a warmblood one season, and we both fell in love with all draft horses. The Budweiser Clydsdales in the ads make us cry *grin* We even saw a Shire do dressage in a show one year! She has an American Saddlebred and a Tennessee Walker, but still reads ads for the drafts.

When I was in Vancouver (Yes, I've been to Canada!) we took the horse drawn carriage ride through that magnificent park there. I don't think I appreciated the ride as much as the Belgians butts that were pulling us!!

Lilypon, how many of us could get on a radiator? I have two EXTERMELY cold natured Doxies LOL
Pati

Love all your winter pictures but you can have winter. I don't like snow.

It's melting as I type Jeanne .... frosts coming out of the sidewalks/streets/buildings and we now have huge puddles forming.

In defense of snow....no one else is standing up so I will...

Snow is beautiful. Waking in the morning to that very special stillness and knowing I will see a pristine white landscape, is always a thrill. Trees clothed in snow have a beauty that rivals the first spring green, the sultry greens of summer, and the glowing colours of autumn.

Being outside in winter, toasty warm inside and cheeks glowing, is as envigorating as leaping into a cool pond on a blistering hot day. Vicariously living the lives of animals through their tracks is like unraveling a mystery. Coming across the saucy red of a rosehip peeking out from a gown of snow is a treat. Listening to the birds' softer winter talk is quite different from hearing their more urgent spring cries. Watching my cats and dog cavort in puffy snow drifts is a riot! And I love the horses' winter coats, my big bay turns so red, and they all look a few sizes larger.

Okay, so our houses have to be bigger to accommodate all that bulky winter wear; they have to be insulated and heated. But where one has winter, one also has spring and autumn and each season brings its own pleasures--not possible without the downtime that winter allows.

Mind you, I'm not speaking of the dreary grey stuff that snow becomes in some cities! In Vancouver, the pretty snow isn't pretty for very long.

Okay, I'm off my soap box and back to bitching about this rain we're getting that should NOT be happening.

Here's a picture of me going for a walk with the horses (their idea, not mine)

We had snow on Saturday evening. When I woke up Sunday morning the plows had come by in the night way too fast and look at my poor new fence. We have had 6 cars go through the fence, snow plows ruining it twice. This is probably why I don't like snow.

A few more pictures of snow plow damage

Last picture. This fence was just replaced a little over a year ago.

Snow was gone by Monday morning. It's raining and very green here.

Good Heavens, Brug, that looks dangerous!

Very eloquently put Rosemary. I love the snow when it's falling and I love the way it looks when it's fresh on the trees and bushes. I love taking the dog for a walk on the road in the woods. Unfortunately, it just doesn't stay that way very long around here and of course driving in it is the pits. I love it up on Mt. Washington after a fresh snowfall. I took this picture a few years ago before I got the digital camera. I had to scan it so it might not look great.

I live on a cliff above the ocean on the old Island Highway. My fence is over 300 feet long.You come up a big hill coming into town. The speed limit is 50 km. per hour. Why people keep hitting my fence is because they are usually under the influence of something illegal, ie. stoned or drunk. I get really frustrated as it is all gardens and they get ruined when vehicles run over them. Sometimes I want to move but I have one of the nicest pieces of property in town with a gorgeous view and privacy.

Pictures of the garden behind the broken fence in july.

I personally love snow .....in the -10 to -30 range. When it gets colder than that my love affair with it gets somewhat strained (not the snows fault but you sure can't enjoy it then).......Brugcrazy I would be ticked off as well! Our retaining wall/fence in the back has suffered similar damage from the maintainer that scraps the back alley after a rain.

Oops, sorry Jeanne. Somehow my post ended up in the middle of yours. We were typing at the same time.LOL

I don't blame you for being upset and angry....6 times. That is a gorgeous picture of your garden in summer. Your piece of property is a gem. Unfortunately they just don't sell lots like yours any more. The size of them now.... By the time people put these huge houses on them with their 3 car garages and driveway space for the fifth wheel there's no space left to put in a garden. It seems like most people don't want to garden these days.

Good heavens Jeanne. Will you be getting reimbursed by the city for that damage. I would hope you would, at the very least they should be repairing it since it was their fault. You go after them. I sure would.

Well, you all know my opinion of snow and winter. Have had to bear it for 57 years now. I think I enjoyed it as a child, but as I am sure I've mentioned before, I could live without it. First, you can't grow anything in the snow. I hate that! Driving in it is a nightmare for me and the older I get, the more paranoid I get. It's so messy. On days like today when it's mild and the snow is melting, everthing gets tracked in and I get so tired of cleaning it up after the dog and and the husband. God Bless'im, he's out there right now, shovelling the stuff we got yesterday off of the greenhouse and garage roofs, because they are so heavy now with it melting and raining. Don't know what I'd do if something happened to him, because shovelling and snowblowing is just not my "cuppa tea". I actually do know what I would do If something did happen to him and that would have to mean I'd move to the coast or the Island, where the likelihood of large amounts of everlasting snow is diminished. Of course, I don't like to think of those kinds of things, but I do also know my limits.

But on that pessimistic note, I am comforted in the thought that Spring is officially only 8 weeks away, and the worst of January is behind us. It can only get better from here. I'll just keep thinking of the photo that Jeanne just posted of her graden in summer and dream my way to April.

Jeanne maybe you need a pile of big rocks in front of that fence. Anything to protect that lovely garden.

The mayor tried to talk ICBC ( govt insurance) to put those cement barriers along the sidewalk. They wouldn't but have paid out huge amount of damages in the accidents since they are the insurers for the cars that hit the fence. The last one took 8 panels and 80 feet of mature gardens. That's the frustrating part.

The city will compensate me for the damage. I already had it fixed because I've got dogs.

We already have 43 minutes more daylight - that's a good thing.
you're right Rosemary about all those lovely sentiments about snow. The problem is we not only don't take time to smell the flowers, we don't take time to appreciate the beauty of so many natural things in all our worlds.
I personally lost at least two years of my life this morning driving to the farm in pitch black, on a pitch black slush and ice covered highway, with black ditches and a an overcast black sky with filthy headlights from road slush and the night driving eyes that only other mid to late 50's folk will appreciate
but once there it was a treat to spend the early morning feeding cows and horses, playing with the dogs and cats, ride my girl, see the thick coated healthy coyotes and find weasel tracks close to the granary cleaning up my spills
i wouldn't trade the winter season for anything, but like Pam I would trade away the days it dips below -30 and the wind howls