Stop I Say Stop

Winter weather this year has been crazy. Last weekend it was minus thirty this weekend it was plus seven. A certain amount of temperature seesawing up and down is normal throughout an average six month winter even a difference as extreme as 37 degrees. Chinooks, as these mid winter warm ups and accompanied winds are called, are common on the Prairies and in the BC Peace, where I use to live. What's different is they are happening here in Prince George and once or twice a month rather than once or twice a winter.

The other thing is Prince George always gets a lot of snow, more than any place I‘ve ever lived but this year it's nuts.

There is a good metre of snow on the ground and more is forecast for tomorrow. I shudder because the snow banks around the house are probably almost ten feet in some places from the additional snow falling off the roof as well as the stuff piled on from the driveway. Soon there is going to be nowhere to put it.

I don't mind snow when its light and powdery and I'm skiing in it but when the temperature rises, the same snow becomes wet and heavy, shoveling it off the deck or the walkways beomes an unwelcome workout. Of course all these warm temperatures would be great if it were April but its only the beginning of February.

I can always tell when its warming up because the wind chimes, hung at the front of my house, start clanging wildly. It's actually a comforting sound reminding me of my old home in the BC Peace, where I brought them fifteen years ago.