Winter Necessity

Often in the winter months in western Canada, or in northern areas of Ontario and Quebec, plug-ins are necessary to keep engine blocks from freezing.

Winter has plagued western and eastern Canada in strange bursts of frigid weather combined with snow and freezing rain, followed by warmer weather. One never knows how the week will turn out, or just when that next heavy snowfall warning occurs.








Photo Credit: banff_lake_louise CC=nc-nd-flickr.

Cerise Creek

Cerise Creek is located at Joffre Lakes Provincial Park near Pemberton, British Columbia in the Coast Mountains.

This view is taken from the outhouse.

The Keith Flavelle Hut, built in his memory in 1986 by family and friends after his tragic accident.


Please see Trailpeak.com for more information about access in winter and summer months.

Wikipedia - Joffre Lakes Provincial Park

Joffre Lakes Provincial Park is getting financial funding from British Columbia to upgrade the facilities and trails for campers and hikers.


Photo Credits: mckaysavage CC=flickr [CLICK TO ENLARGE]

It's That Time of Year Again

This is a photo of the Flathead Range in the Crowsnest Pass in south-western Alberta.


Whenever the weather turns bitter cold with blowing snow the locals in Toronto complain initially and then they open up a little more to others in friendly gestures. Often the worst of the cold is over in a week; however, this time its continuing into a second week without much of a break. It warmed a little on Saturday to deliver snow and then the temperature dropped again. We should be counting our blessings and not encourage the deep freeze occurring in western Canada where Regina and Calgary have been experiencing -40C.

My absences from posting is due to personal matters taking a precedence. Two book reviews are nearing completion which should be posted soon.






Photo Credit: tipkodi CC=nc-nd-flickr

This photo is of Black Creek with a nice blanket of snow taken February 8, 2013 with my phone.

 What a winter we've had: mild temperatures, rain, periods of snow and now a storm that left 15cm (6 inches) of snow in my area and much more on the east coast. How is it in your area?


Photo Credit: BEMartin-All Rights Reserved

Winter can be a wonderful time of year for various sporting enthusiasts: ice fishing, skiing, skating, tobogganing, walking in crisp cold air that numbs your nose while the snow crunches and squeaks under your boots. Though sometimes there isn't enough snow for sports. Like today: a bare covering of snow on the ground combined with a windchill. Perhaps kites with toque, two pairs of mitts, down-filled parka, woof scarf and various other wool garments underneath layered with soft cotton (rather than polyester which isn't healthy for you over the longterm). It's not pleasant walking in damp cold with a windchill of -18C (0F). The best thing about coming indoors afterwards is preparing a mug of steaming hot chocolate with a wee bit of cream to top it off.

It has been a very wierd winter so far with snow followed by mild temperatures, rain, then several days of sun and cloud ending in colder temperatures and a wee bit of snow. Yet in places meant to be warmer there has been snow: like in Sypria. Perhaps its the poles shifting every time there's an earthquake--some recent ones, over the last six months, on the west coast have been in the 7 scale. Or some years ago I'd read an article that said the planet was going into a water cycle which would create temperature change. Humans adjust just like nature does. We might complain a little but in the end we just go with the flow. Its much easier to do that in the beginning and avoid the tension.

How's your winter life going?


The photo is one of the waterfalls at the location of Elbow Falls west of Bragg Creek, Alberta.

 Photo Credit: "Elbow Falls" woldy CC=nc-nd-flickr

This photo is of an island in Whitefish Lake near Thunder Bay, Ontario. I imagine if the temperatures have been sub-zero in the -18C/0F range or colder then it would be quite the trek across the ice to the island to see what was there. Though a boat or canoe would do nicely in the summer.

Although February is often cold, snowy and definitely winter in Toronto, we have been having a mixture of freezing cold with blowing snow followed by milder temperatures just above the freezing mark. I have never known a winter quite like this. I expect there are varying temperature fluctuations all around the globe.

Photo Credit: bobcatnorth CC=nc-nd-flickr.

Angry Robot Opens Door Again

Yesterday I received an email from Angry Robot Books informing me about an opportunity for debut novelists (that would be me!!!!) to have another Open Door Month like they had last year. The submissions for 2011 garnered publication for three authors - Cassandra Rose Clarke, Lee Collins and Lee Battersby, and at least six brand new novels for publication with Angry Robot Books in 2012 and 2013.

Angry Robot Books are having another Open Door running from April 16th - April 30th, 2012. This time they require only two types of genre: EPIC FANTASY - with a bit of an edge or the sort of left-field twist the Angry Robot audience has come to expect, and YA -any subject welcome, but must be science fiction or fantasy, and inteded for a Young Adult audience, for potential publication via Angry Robot's new Strange Chemistry imprint.

Further details can be found at http://angryrobotbooks.com/opendoor

Alas, my novel(s)-in-progress are not epic fantasy: no shwash buckling heroes brandishing broad swords fighting to uphold justice in whatever kingdom is prevalent. No lovely heroines to be rescued from some dastardly villan who seeks power and voluptuous maidens imprisoned in a tower or dungeon.

But, surely there's someone out there who has something that needs a quick review and rewrite or edit to polish it off and send it. It's worth a try.

On anorther note, this photo was taken near Sparwood, B.C.

The snow disappeared a few days ago in a heat wave of 7C and rain, and has now reappeared with a light dusting. Its a wonder the trees aren't in a state of shock with the rapid changes in temperature. The forecast called for partial sun and cloud yesterday and it was overcast the whole day. Today I expect much of the same. I love it when the sun comes out as it refreshes my optimism.

I've posted a photo to remind myself that I must get back to my hiking posts. I had one partially done for last year that never made it to the blog. It seems as if the hours in my day have shortened to where nothing I work on gets completed or progresses properly.


Photo Credit: Gord McKenna CC=nc-nd-flickr.

Winter Means Snow

The winter weather has so far astounded me, at least as far as Toronto is concerned. I'm quite familiar with snow, frigid temperatures combined with blustery winds during the northern hemisphere's winters. This year has been a huge exception: almost balmy some days with rain followed by an odd day of colder temperatures with little snow only to change in an day or so to above freezing temperatures combined with rain showers. I wonder how the trees and bushes cope with such modified weather. Even the squirrels are out foraging.

The Mallards that inhabit the nearby creek don't seem to mind as long as they can paddle happily in free moving water. Though they do quite well with walking on ice. It's quite the sight to see them bobbing their heads in the water to cleanse themselves. A little too frigid for me.

The photo is taken near the Flathead Range in the Crowsnest Pass in winter. The Flathead Range makes up part of the Continental Divide between Alberta and British Columbia.

For history buffs courtesy of Peakfinder.com: "The Flathead Range was named in 1924 after a tribe of Indians that lived in northwestern Montana. Some members of the tribe wrapped the soft-boned heads of their infants against a board so as to shape their skulls in a preferred manner."

Photo Credit: tipkodi CC=nc-flickr. Click to enlarge.

This photo is taken in Kananaskis Provincial Park, Alberta.


With the New Year of 2012 upon us, I wish everyone a blessed and glorious time. Personally, I'm looking forward to the change of ages from Pisces to Aquarius in December: a new age which is said to bring peace, harmony and joyous love between people in a new "Golden Age". We will be leaving the Age of Pisces where people were forced to be under the control of others. Now is the time for every person to take control of their lives and see what measures they can assist in implementing to help others less fortunate or to see that proper safety measures are taken in environmental issues.

There are always a variety of avenues to be considered: safe health products, better standards for drinking water...i.e. is chlorine really safe to use? Chlorine is used in a variety of ways: to safeguard tap water, in disposable diapers, in bleach, in swimming pools, etc. The dangers of chlorine and its by-products is that it is linked to various forms of cancer. Are the chemicals used in household products, medical prescriptions, personal care items such as deodorant, soap, perfume, cosmetics, safe? Most are not. It's time for people to take an interest in what products they use and how they affect their lives and the lives of their families. Corporate companies are interested in the financial bottom line, not consumers' safety.

On a less serious note, winter did not really arrive in Toronto. It came for a couple of days after Christmas with a scattering of snow followed by mild temperatures and today it's raining with a temperature of 4C. The weather folks say it'll be a mild winter. Global change or is the planet wobbling lower these days? Ever noticed how the sun is located in a different position than when you were younger. Pay attention to where it sits above the horizon and where it sets. In 2010 in April a friend and I noticed that the sun was at an odd height at 4pm: quite high in the western sky when it should have been lower. Who out there has noticed the ground tremble just a little in the late afternoon or evening? A tremble almost imperceptible, but there. Any tremble more than this and my birds act up. Do you pay attention to what is going on around you, or are you more concerned about what's for dinner, or what movie you're going to, or how many emails you have to slog through at work? Take a few minutes and take a good look around you, feel the quiet in the park or is there something else there you didn't quite see before.

Some food for thought for the coming year. Be alert to new things and just maybe you'll experience something profound and new.

Photo Credit: D'arcy Norman CC=flickr.

Neighbourhood Fauna

Nearby to where I live there is a creek catering to wild ducks and other creatures. Summer or winter there are various groups of wild ducks, mostly mallards, though there have been some unusually coloured ones: various shades of black and white, and brown and white with or without white breasts and white underneath.


[1 –Male Pintail - brown or black body with long black tail feathers]

The only species I could find in my bird book were the Northern Pintail, whom fly south for the winter.




[2 –Female Pintail - has a slightly shorter tail and grayish bill]

There was a late group of young ducks hatched in the summer and I wonder how they are faring the winter. Perhaps they will return this spring so I can get a photo or two of them. There was one in particular that caught my attention whenever I crossed the bridge to do errands.



[3 -Mallard on ice - click to enlarge]




The mallards are braver to withstand the cold and have lingered so far, sometimes the only indication of their being present are the webbed shaped footprints left in the snow on the creek. It was strange to see them paddling in melted water atop ice waiting for the next donation of bread crumbs or slices.





















[4 -Mallard drake and hen - click to enlarge]

Source: A Field Guide to the Birds of North America (2006) by Michael Vanner, p.54-55.

Photo Credits: [1]-Brendan Btally CC=flickr, [2]-Alan_Vernon CC=flickr, [3]-Grant MacDonald CC=nc-flickr, [4]-wolfpix CC=nd-flickr.

New Year 2011 Precedes a New Age

This photo is of the Consolation Lakes in Banff National Park, Alberta.

As 2010 comes to a close, I sit looking toward another year wondering what it will bring. As with most matters it is best to look forward with a clear mind and fortitude for whatever comes forth.

Being an avid astrology buff, the New Year brings with it planetary changes that will benefit all the signs. This is the forerunner to 2012 when the Age of Pisces gives way to the Age of Aquarius in the latter part of December.

2011 will hallmark the path toward a new age brimming with new ideas and a new consciousness, not only for our planet, Earth, but the entire cosmos. It is a time of change from 'self' to a heart-centred consciousness where love is the answer for all things. A caring for others, be they people, flora and fauna, or even intergalatic travellers.

For those who recall 1969 and the music by the Fifth Dimension: The Age of Aquarious





For a peek into your yearly astrological sign Astrologycom.com provides an overview for 2011. An alternative site is Planetary Rhythms.

Photo Credit: whipstar CC=nc-nd-flickr.

Merry Christmas and Seasons Greetings

This is the Flathead Range in the Crowsnest Pass on Highway 22 in British Columbia.

The last several weeks have been fraught with internet connection problems and hopefully once Mercury Retrograde is over things will be easier.

This is the time of year I look forward to, to reflect on the season and the meaning behind the holiday. It's a special time of sharing and giving of oneself for the benefit of others.

Again, I'm having Christmas dinner with friends and am really looking forward to stuffing myself. I hope your holiday is wonderful and fulfilling.

Photo Credit: tipkodi-CC=nc-nd-flickr.

Bench of the Week (33)

This snowy bench is located in Parksville, British Columbia.

RuneE of Visual Norwaybegan an informal meme on benches. Please visit his blog for other participants.

Photo Credit: Alanna Vanisle CC=nc-nd-flickr. Click to enlarge.

Winter

This photo was taken near Mt. Shark Creek in Kananaskis Provincial Park in Alberta.

The past few days have been mild for Toronto, and on Sunday afternoon freezing rain had been forecasted which resulted in me staying indoors.

For me winter is meant to have copious amounts of drifted snow, similar to that depicted in the photo, including frigid temperatures that require bundling up in downfill coats, toques, mittens/gloves, scarves, and boots with good tread on the bottom (preferably with warm woolen socks inside). I like it best at about -5F (-23C), as the snow will crunch underfoot and if the nose is exposed to the air acquires a numb feeling in a matter of minutes. Another feature at this temperature is the telephone and electrical lines hum.

Cold temperatures tend to keep influenza and cold bugs at a minimum, whereas warmer more temperate days produce a multitude of different ailments to afflict humans.



Photo Credit: photofox CC=nc-nd-flickr.

Merry Christmas and Season's Greetings

This photo is in Yoho National Park, British Columbia taken after a snowfall.

For all my blog visitors and friends, may you have a Merry Christmas and enjoyable festivities over the holidays. I'm looking forward to roast turkey with all the trimmings with friends and family tomorrow, and, yes, the leftovers of turkey soup, turkey casserole, turkey pie. Sometimes over indulgence in food leaves one refusing later servings.

One year during my childhood, my mother was hospitalized for minor surgery as she was a teacher and couldn't really take time off during the other part of the year. My father, sensing a deal in cheap cranberries, bought a bushel worth. Taking over my mother's normal duty of Christmas dinner, my father made enough cranberry sauce, jelly and pies to last us six months. One of my brothers cannot eat cranberries today (50 years later).

Another Christmas, when I was in the hospital as a teenager, I ate a large box of Turtles over two days, and it took about 25 years before I could eat another one. Even now I rarely eat them.

Any of you ever have over indulgences at Christmas or holidays?



Photo Credit: Cuppojoe CC=nc-sa-flickr. Click to enlarge.

Emerald Lake in Winter

This photo is of the Emerald Lake Lodge in Yoho National Park, neighbour to Banff National Park. For information about staying at the lodge here is the link.

To see Emerald Lake in the summer and a fisherman's paradise in an earlier post here.

Photo Credit: Cuppojoe CC=nc-sa-flickr. Click to enlarge.

My Town Monday - Marie Curtis Park (Toronto)

[1-Watching the waves from the pier - click to enlarge]



This 62.8 acre park is located on the banks of the Etobicoke Creek where it flows into Lake Ontario. The First Nations people frequently visited the area and named the creek Etobicoke which means “place where the wild alders grow”.



What are these two guys looking at?


[2-Two Drake Mallards on Lake Ontario - click to enlarge]





What all guys like to look at...








[3-Female Mallard with cold feet - click to enlarge]





In 1954 after Hurricane Hazel devastated a number of low-lying properties, the park was created. Further parkland was acquired from nearby municipalities and the governments of Ontario and Canada.



[4 -West side of Etobicoke Creek emptying into Lake Ontario - click to enlarge]




The park is named after Marie Curtis, a reeve of Long Branch, to commemorate her outstanding contributions to municipal government in the village of Long Branch and the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto from 1953 to 1962.


[5 - Public beach in winter - click to enlarge]








Source: City of Toronto

Photo Credits: [1][2][3][4][5]-Grant MacDonald CC=nc-flickr.

Travis Erin from Amarillo, Texas is the founder of My Town Monday. For other locations to visit please visit Travis' site here.

There have been requests as to the location of this park, here is a map taken from Google maps for your ease of reference. Or an aerial map here.

Winter in High Park

[1]



[2- Northern Cardinal - male]




[3- Northern Cardinal - female]


The Northern Cardinal is a common and popular bird living in a variety of habitats including city parks and back yards. It mates for life and will return to the same breeding area each year. Mated pairs communicate with complex songs. Their preferred habitat is forest edges, swamps, hedgerows, suburbs, and anywhere with small trees and shrubs.



[4- Wood beyond the pond - click to enlarge]



In the summer the beavers are busy enlarging their beaver lodge and reinforcing the dam to make the pond larger.


[5 - Southern end of Grenadier Pond]







[6 - Looking west from south end of Grenadier Pond to Ellis Avenue]



At Ellis Avenue and Queensway is the location to catch the Long Branch Streetcar to return to your destination or a cafe for a hot drink.


Source for birds: A Field Guide to the Birds of North America by Michael Vanner, pp.236-237.

Photo Credits: [1][4][5][6]-Grant MacDonald CC=nc-flickr, [2][3]-gmnonic CC=flickr.

Hoarfrost

This interesting photo is taken of a hoarfrost night in Brandon, Manitoba. It is as if the moist frigid air transcends the picture itself. This is the time of year, on the Canadian prairies, the humidity accompanies the cold fronts leaving drivers to bitterly complain when their vehicles' windshield wipers and defrost systems do not completely, if at all, disperse the frost left on the windshields. The outside temperatures will be frigid, often -30C and colder, complete with windchill factors. While walking on snowy streets or sidewalks, boots will squeak at each step.




Photo Credit: dexotaku CC=nc-nd-flickr.

Tuesdays for Travis - Ice Fishing on Spray Lakes

[Ice Fishing on Spray Lakes, Kananaskis - click for larger photo]



A hut or wind tents are necessary to keep out of the wind which gusts through the valley. A power auger is recommended to drill through ice.

I would recommend beginning ice fishing enthusiasts use a guide to learn the basics. An outfitter from the Canmore area, Keith Rae, mentioned in the last source, has important tips like checking the ice thickness before venturing out.


Sources:
http://www.canmorealberta.com/directory/activities/fish_identification_guide.html
http://www1.travelalberta.com/en-us/content.cfm?ContentID=166&ContentTypeID=3

Photo Credit: Sherlock77 (James) CC=nc-nd-flickr.