15 cms of Snow Yesterday!

Yesterday we had such a snowstorm!  Looking out the windows at work it was basically a white-out.  You could not see across the street.  At one time we had 7 cms of snow literally dump from the sky in one hour!  We are on par with 2009 at the same time of year!  That's a scary thought because we had sooooooo much snow.  

Unlike Southern Alberta, which benefits from the warming winds of the Chinook, once we receive snow in the fall, it stays until spring.  I recall my mom telling me stories of growing up in Manitoba and how the snow did not melt until spring.  No chinooks there either.  I thought that was horrible, even as a young child!

Well, now the same can be said for Edmonton.  If you love winter, you're in glory here.  If not, if  you just tolerate it or worse complain as soon as it's too cold to wear shorts (yes, there are some out there who do), then Edmonton is a rather weary 7-8 months of misery (in a bad year).  Just so you don't think  it's all incredibly awful, much like the Great White North, last year we had virtually nothing for snow this time of year.  We do enjoy a nice break every couple of years or so.  

Yesterday an additional 15 cms of snow blanketed the city.  Making white and beautiful the snow laden boughs of evergreens and the hoar frost clung to the deciduous trees this afternoon still.  Looking for the beauty in the season and enduring with gritted teeth the cold, that's me.  Take care all.

I Took Down the Let It Snow Sign, So What's With This?

 January 8 looking out the front window during the first snowstorm of 2011.  Even trucks had a hard time making it through the drifts of snow on the road.  I think close to a foot of snow fell within a day.  I took down my little sign that read "Let it Snow" but that didn't stop this.

 Looking out the back.  Yes, the cushions from the lawn furniture are piled up, still waiting for me to put them away.  Not going to happen now.  Sometimes life just happens, or the snow does.

 Here you see just the tops of a lawn chair, to the right of the birch, and the love seat, to the left.  The snow is very deep in the back yard.  (Another reason why I haven't gotten out there to put the cushions away.  Do I need an excuse?)

 Looking to the neighbours' houses, take a look at the rooftops.  If you click to enlarge, you can see about three feet of snow on their houses!

 You'd never know there's a pond in the far left corner.  The three-flowered maple still hasn't lost all its leaves.  So far, the new cedar looks to be adjusting.  Time will tell as winter melts into spring.

 My wrought iron bench is virtually buried.  Check out the obelisk to the right.  It's all rather pretty in its untouched state.

Here, looking near the deck, you see the flakes of snow and the tightly curled leaves of the rhododendron.  The clematis still is clinging despite the blanket of snow.  We are still expecting snow for at least another day and a night.  Who knows just how much.  We currently have a heavy snowfall warning.  I'll be sure to post again in a couple days with new pictures of our winter wonderland.