While it seems like every few days this winter our friends down in New England and the midwest were being hammered by yet another snowstorm, up here in Ontario our winter has been exceptionally dry. We had a big storm come through right around Christmas, and then for the last two months there’s been very little, just the odd sprinkling here and there. We got our first big snowfall since Christmas this week, with about 8 inches (20 cm) coming down in a day or so. When I put Raven out that night before bedtime the snow came up to her belly.
These photos were taken from our front porch, late in the day. When I went to bed that night, the lilac bush you see on the left in the bottom photo was completely flopped over, so weighted down by snow was it. And then, overnight, the wind picked up, the trees shook free of their burdens, and by the time I got up the next day the world was back to normal, the magical whiteness gone till the next storm. In my hiking around in the couple of days since, I have seen hardly any damage to the trees.
Our snowplowing service came by this morning to clean out our driveway. The last couple of days have been mild, and the snow was heavy and wet. It packed up at the sides of the driveway in giant snowballs bigger than my car’s tires. I had to go out today to pick up a couple of groceries. The road was wet and deep with slush, I couldn’t travel very quickly without it grabbing the tires and tugging at the car. So I had hardly any momentum when I got back to our driveway, and as a result I got the car stuck halfway up, immobilized on a tiny rise by an inch of slush. I left it there today but have to go up to Ottawa on Tuesday, so Dan and I will be out tomorrow afternoon to push it free. Or rather, Dan will push. I’ll do what women do best and sit in the car and give directions. ;)
seabrookeleckie.com 
Oh, my goodness, it looks as though it’s getting even colder! There’s such a serenity to the monochrome landscape. (I realise that it might be different for those inside the landscape though.)
There is something very peaceful about a snow-covered landscape like this, Snail. Sounds are muffled, and it feels soft and intimate.
Thank you, Snow. Great performance. You can go home, now.
Hee. Yes, Lavenderbay, I’m ready for the winter to be over, too. The small patches of bare ground that offer a hint of things to come are somewhat exciting.