An Hour Of Winter
On March 15, 2018 I awoke to a pristine snowy scene outside my window. Given our warm Winter, it was quite a surprise! The snow only lasted until Noon, so I snapped it up while I could. At the time, I did not have my full camera, so this entry's pictures are taken with my phone. Aside from cropping and minor rotation to straighten my horizons, I did not do any editing of the pictures. It really was this pretty out!
I am no meteorologist, but as I understand it there is typically a polar gyre centred in the Arctic Circle, around which the high-altitude winds of the jet stream flow. In most years these winds bring cold air from continental Canada to Nova Scotia, and we get snow. This year, the gyre has slid toward North America. The jet stream has been more or less paralleling the St. Lawrence River, so Nova Scotia has stayed on the warm side of the air current. Accordingly,most of our precipitation has come in the form of rain. I do not fully understand how New York and Halifax have been snowy, while Antigonish has remained a haven of greenery, but that has been the case. For one morning, though, I had a cosmetic sprinkling of white to admire.
I am fortunate to live in a gorgeous spot, no matter the time of year. The scene on the left is what I see out the window above my kitchen sink. Behind my shed runs a railway line, and beyond that is the lovely Antigonish Harbour. Across the water is Mount Cameron, behind which rises the Antigonish Sugarloaf. The Sugarloaf tops out at about 200m above sea level, and its crest above the calm waters of the estuaryis my favourite sight in the area.
I caught the snowplow thundering past from my bedroom window. Despite the moody, dark sky, it was not too long before the morning commute.
My house is quite small, less than 60 square meters. Perhaps that is why the previous owner put up two sheds in the narrow, longyard.
My sister has been encouraging the family to be more reflective. In fact, she suggested that we undertake 'March Mellow' - A monthlong effort to slow down. Various members have enacted the effort differently. For my part, I have been avoiding reading or watching the news, and have not been on Facebook since February.
It is strange to be out of the loop, but certainly peaceful. I am lead to wonder how fully I will be reintegrating media into my life in April. Perhaps March Mellow will be like this snow, lovely but ephemeral. Perhaps, though, the tranquility was always there, like the trees beneath the snow, and March Mellow has been the thaw.
