Friday 25 February 2022

Snow Howl

 You have heard of wolf howls? Annual events held in August in Algonguin Park? Well, yesterday, Vicki held one for me on Conc 9 West of #10. We were out "birding" on a beautiful calm sunny day with a likeable temperature of -8°C


When Vicki shouted that she had spotted an owl, on the ground, in the snow. I stopped the car, grabbed my camera and set off in search of what Vicki had seen - an owl near a rock beside a driveway.




Beautiful.

Reminds me of the "owl" at Wylie and McNamee. Sense of humour. The tree on which it roosted has fallen over but as of last Autumn the "owl" had not lost its perch.


WOB

Snowy Owl

 We were returning home much the way that a glass of wine is eating grapes. We had seen an owl here a week or so ago . but not in our last visit which followed a rain-and-snow storm that left those two feet on the ground. Still, out of the left rear corner of my eye I spotted her:










WOB

Tuesday 22 February 2022

Diary of a Demented Snow Sniveler

 A couple of days ago we received the proverbial two feet of snow - not 60cm, my European friends:



Okay? We had temperatures well below -20°C . see Europe, metric! And a wind chill to end all wind chills. And today we had rain. Wet water. Near 100% humidity and nasty plus 3°C.



Not nice. So I have decided to present a story from the internet and illustrate  it with some photos I have taken - that might be appropriate? Maybe? Definitely, maybe.

December 8- 6:00 PM
It started to snow. The first snow of the season and
the wife and I took our cocktails and sat for hours by
the window watching the huge soft flakes drift down
from heaven. It looked like a Grandma Moses print. So
romantic we felt like newlyweds again. I love snow!



We woke to a beautiful blanket of crystal white snow
covering every inch of the landscape. What a fantastic
sight! Can there be a more lovely place in the whole
world? Moving here was the best idea I've ever had!       - Cannot tell a lie, it was Vicki's idea.


Shoveled for the first time in years and felt like a
boy again. I did both our driveway and the sidewalks.



This afternoon the snowplow came along and covered
up the sidewalks and closed in the driveway, so I got
to shovel again. What a perfect life!


December 12
The sun has melted all our lovely snow. Such a
disappointment! My neighbor tells me not to worry-
We'll definitely have a white Christmas. No snow on
Christmas would be awful! Bob says we'll have so much
snow by the end of winter, that I'll never want to see
snow again. I don't think that's possible. Bob is such
a nice man, I'm glad he's our neighbor.


December 14
Snow, lovely snow! 8 inches last night. The                             - 20cm
temperature dropped to -20. The cold makes everything
sparkle so. The wind took my breath away, but I warmed
up by shoveling the driveway and sidewalks. This is the
life! The snowplow came back this afternoon and
buried everything again.



I didn't realize I would have to
do quite this much shoveling, but I'll certainly get back in
shape this way. I wish I wouldn't huff and puff so.

December 15
20 inches forecast. Sold my van and bought a 4x4  - that would be 50cm
Blazer. Bought snow tires for the wife's car and 2
extra shovels. Stocked the freezer. The wife wants
a wood stove in case the electricity goes out. I think
that's silly. We aren't in Alaska, after all.

December 16
Ice storm this morning. Fell on my ass on the ice in
the driveway putting down salt. Hurt like hell. The
Wife laughed for an hour, which I think was very
cruel.

December 17
Still way below freezing. Roads are too icy to go
anywhere. Electricity was off for 5 hours. I had to
pile the blankets on to stay warm. Nothing to do but
stare at the wife and try not to irritate her. Guess I
should've bought a wood stove, but won't admit it to
her. God I hate it when she's right. I can't believe
I'm freezing to death in my own living room.



December 20
Electricity is back on, but had another 14 inches of                     - do you need to know it 35cm?
the damn stuff last night. More shoveling! Took all
day. The damn snowplow came by twice.



Tried to find a neighbor kid to shovel, but they said
they're too busy playing hockey. I think they're
lying.





Called the only hardware store around to see about
buying a snow blower and they're out. Might have
another shipment in March. I think they're lying.



Bob says I have to shovel or the city will have it done and bill me. I think he's lying.


(Atherley Road side walk snow clearance, really.)

December 22
Bob was right about a white Christmas because 13 more
inches of the white **** fell today, and it's so cold,
it probably won't melt till August. Took me 45 minutes
to get all dressed up to go out to shovel and then I
had to piss. By the time I got undressed, pissed and
dressed again. I was too tired to shovel. Tried to
hire Bob who has a plow on his truck for the rest of
the winter, but he says he's too busy. I think the
******* is lying.


This is Bob at work:




December 23
Only 2 inches of snow today. And it warmed up to 0.
The wife wanted me to decorate the front of the house
this morning. What is she, nuts?!!
Why didn't she tell me to do that a month ago? She
says she did, but I think she's lying.

December 24
6 inches - Snow packed so hard by snowplow, I broke
the shovel. Thought I was having a heart attack. If I
ever catch the son of a ***** who drives that snow
plow, I'll drag him through the snow by his balls and
beat him to death with my broken shovel. I know he
hides around the corner and waits for me to finish
shoveling and then he comes down the street at a 100
miles an hour and throws snow all over where I've just
been! Tonight the wife wanted me to sing Christmas
Carols with her and open our presents, but I was too
busy watching for the damn snowplow.



December 25
Merry f---ing Christmas! 20 more inches of the damn
slop tonight - Snowed in .
The idea of shoveling makes my blood boil. God, I hate
the snow!
Then the snowplow driver came by asking for a donation
and I hit him over the head with my shovel. The wife
says I have a bad attitude. I think she's a fricking
idiot. If I have to watch "It's A Wonderful Life" one
more time, I'm going to stuff her into the microwave.

December 26
Still snowed in. Why the hell did I ever move here? It
was all HER idea.
She's really getting on my nerves.

December 27
Temperature dropped to -30 and the pipes froze;
plumber came after 14 hours of waiting for him, he
only charged me $1,400 to replace all my pipes.



December 28
Warmed up to above -20. Still snowed in. The ***** is
driving me crazy!!!

December 29
10 more inches. Bob says I have to shovel the roof or
it could cave in. That's the silliest thing I ever heard.
How dumb does he think I am?



December 30
Roof caved in. I beat up the snow plow driver, and now
he is suing me for a million dollars, not only for the
beating I gave him, but also for trying to shove the
broken snow shovel up his ass. The wife went home to
her mother.
Nine more inches predicted.

December 31
I set fire to what's left of the house. No more
shoveling.

January 8
Feel so good. I just love those little white pills
they keep giving me. Why am I tied to the bed? 







Am I glad I live in a condo!


Warm 2m hugs, socially distant from CA-Land to Your-Land.


Wobbily from shovelling !

Out of puff from bailing water

Blue in the cheeks


Monday 21 February 2022

Pro Crastinator!

 This was not what I set out to do several days ago. It was raining on Thursday December 1, 2016, when I visited McGee Creek and noticed water droplets splashing in the creek.



So simple in appearance:





Let your mind wander:





And a reality check!





Wet older brother

Sunday 13 February 2022

Men need hugs too

 There is a song, "Lady in Red" that says it, However, yesterday I saw a man in red.









Happy Monday, everyone - W O B

Monday 7 February 2022

WHO donut?

 The line up of 3.

First one, please:


You are in shadow -  please stand in the light.



Look this way.




Maybe toward the right?


This like pulling teeth - wait - birds don't have teeth, do they?


Number Two - we have witnesses!



Did you cause the power outage?


Number Three - found casing a house



Please look to the right:



And now to the left:




Have the witnesses decided or are they over at Tims  trying to figure who dunit?

Tried by their peers - Wise Ol' Bird