I was speaking with a friend in Virginia yesterday morning, and she regaled taunted me with tales of how everyone down there was wearing T-shirts and, wow, holy geez it's hot, eh? Like about 25 Celcius or so! Unseasonable, can you believe it?!
So I thought I'd take a few pictures out our front step yesterday evening after dinner. You know... for a bit of a comparison.
(click on pics for larger versions)
I decided to haul both boys outside with me after supper to frolic in the snow while I shovelled the day's dump. At least, that was my intent. I had images of innocent youth traipsing and kicking their way through virgin blankets of monochromatic fluff, giggling and chortling with glee.
Yeah, that bit of optimistic idyll lasted for as long as it took the first of them to get snow up his wrists or down his neck, and it sort of spiralled into chaos from there. I did all the shovelling after they both were in bed.
Tea for two, anyone?
No?!
Don't worry, his thumbs don't really bend like that. It's just frikkin' impossible to get his thumbs in the thumb holes of his mitts, so I don't even try.
He insisted on the toque (hat) before he left the house, so Amy jammed it on over top of his snow suit's hood.
This stalwart fella has been guarding our front door for several years now. We never let the poor guy in. There used to be a "Welcome" sign that hung from his bone, but the chains broke, so now, covered in snow, he looks even more forlorn.
Are you sure I can't convince you to take a relaxing mug of tea on the front bistro set?
Proof to myself that I really need a tripod if I want to take any cool night time shots. And that I need to fill the bird-feeder.
The neat thing is that there's still more than a week of Autumn left. Winter doesn't officially start until the 21st or 22nd this year! Cool, huh?!
I love the post title, of course.
Great pics. I remember seeing snow like that a few times in my life. It's fun where I grew up because you know that it won't be around longer than a few days, a week at the most. Except the piles the snowplows mound up in parking lots. I'll bet dirty snow piles are a permanent fixture in your world from now 'til -- when -- April?
Always fun to see kids in snow, even if you know their daddy's plan fell through.
Posted by: Mark | Thursday, 13 December 2007 at 06:21 AM
Mark, dirty snow piles are a fixture in parts of Edmonton until June. Once the serious snow removal business gets under way, there are several major "snow dumps" where the dirty snow plowed off roads gets trucked and piled several storeys high. Given the size of some of the piles, they take until late spring/early summer to melt fully. Then it's just a big ol' pile of sand and gravel.
Posted by: Simon | Thursday, 13 December 2007 at 06:35 AM
I'm actually jealous. We've had cold rain and occasional ice here. Nothing like regions south of here, mind you...but still miserable enough that I'd trade it for a good old fashioned snow any day. It seems we just don't get snow here anymore. We traded in the white stuff for ice and sleet a few years back and I can't help but feel we got screwed on the deal.
They tell me we're supposed to get some snow this weekend...but won't believe it until there's a snowman in our yard.
All the pictures are cute, but the "Winter4" one of Tav is really "aaaahhhh" inspiring.
Posted by: Moksha Gren | Thursday, 13 December 2007 at 08:01 AM
The view out my window looks very similar right now - the boys look adorable all bundled up like that!
Warm hearts, cold nights ... wishing you a sweet sweet holiday season.
Posted by: the Mater | Thursday, 13 December 2007 at 06:26 PM
Looks just like our neck of the woods. In my experience kids don't really start to love playing in the snow until they can manage their own mittens. You never think about that issue til it confronts you, but if you can't keep your mittens on, let alone get them on yourself, well, playing in the snow is kind of a problem, isn't it? Great photos...
Posted by: marian | Friday, 14 December 2007 at 07:22 AM
I love his toque! (my dad used to call them toque's... matter of fact, I have his old Navy one..)
Great shots of the kids Simon!
Posted by: Dave | Friday, 14 December 2007 at 09:33 AM
conversations with a womans Virginia... Who is this woman anyway??? You know talk is a four letter word for intercourse.
I can get his thumbs in the thumb thing OH by the way....
Posted by: Amy | Friday, 14 December 2007 at 09:37 AM
Fun shots through the falling snow.
They're saying it will be a winter for snow, this year. We're supposed to go in Beauce (2 hours away) this Sunday for my grandma's 80th birthday, but they're announcing a snowfall of around 40cm, I think - cr@p. We'll see... we're pretty brave and I can be a fierce cowboy when it comes to snowstorm driving, but with a toddler and a belly and one-day-trip only in the balance, I might end up disappointed.
We call it 'tuque' in French. Odd, eh? Although we often refer to the model without strings, and with or without a pompom.
Posted by: Émilie B | Friday, 14 December 2007 at 06:28 PM