Spring

Spring has arrived and we're challenged to find some signs that nature is stretching awake after a long winter. The sap in the maple trees isn't running. Sugar bush season requires night time temperatures below zero Celsius (32 F) and daytime temperatures above zero. The snow banks skulking at the sides of the road are laughing at us as we crane our necks to see oncoming traffic. We're close to breaking the snow record of 444cm (almost 15 feet) and I'm cheering for the record, much to chagrin of my neighbours.

Right now it's 10 degrees below... I'm glad it has warmed up a little.

However, a little bit of spring can be bought at every grocery store and here's mine.

Spring has sprung,
The grass has riz'
I wonder where the birdie is?

As I looked into the sky,
A little birdie pooped in my eye.
'Tis a blessing cows don't fly!

Snow Day

For the first time I can remember, God declared a snow day.

Snow days are the holiday highlight of all children. And, to tell the truth, I still love a snow day. School buses are cancelled because of the dangerous driving conditions; that means that a good 100% of the children beg their parents to keep them home from school for the day. When nature takes it one step further, the schools have to be closed.

If we are lucky enough that the schools are closed, each child suits up in the morning and plays outside in conditions deemed too dangerous for learning.

Curiously, it's strangely peaceful. There is no traffic. Only the shrieks of overjoyed children and the wind howling can be heard as the children tumble and wade through the snow.

Most businesses gear down, since everyone knows that if we aren't taking care of our children, we are having fun lobbing snow balls at our neighbours.

This past week we received over 80 cm of snow (almost three feet). Neighbours pitched in to clear the snow and grind away at the snow plow deposit of grimy ice at the end of the driveways.

It's a great time to slow down and appreciate your family and neighbours - and we have great neighbours.

But for the first time I can ever remember, church services were reduced and/or cancelled. I guess God really did focus us on our priorities.

Grocery Zone

I don't like to complain about my fellow man but sometimes it's the only pleasure I get out of certain situations.

It's cold, snowy and icy here. If you love winter sports, it's paradise. But it is more challenging to do the little errands that keep your life in sync.

Take grocery shopping. Parking spots are more difficult to use because no one can see the lines, it's icy and everyone wants to be close to the door. Really, who can blame them? Grocery cart wheels get bogged down in slush. Often, you can't park the cart in the corral because of the monster snowbank that has crept inside looking for a safe place to hide. Everyone does the best they can.

One evening I parked my car and began walking toward the store. A gentleman from across the laneway and 5 cars down gave his cart a big shove toward the corral... and me. He let it careen down the middle aisle between the rows of parked cars. I stopped, ready to protect my car and myself. It stopped in the middle of the road. He looked, shrugged and then got into his car.

You've got to be kidding.

I couldn't leave the cart there, so I went to move it. Then I got a little surprise - a nice roast was left in the cart among the discarded flyers. My first instinct was to grab it and give it the customer. Which I immediately did.... and just as quickly put down. Then I tapped on his window and let him know he left something in the cart.

Surely, surely he would appreciate this courtesy and park his cart. He backed up the car, fetched his meat and left.

The cart abandoned in the middle of the aisle.

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