tracks in snow
More photos from the weekend’s snow…you know how I like looking underfoot!
Most are obvious but the last one I leave as a mystery for you to puzzle over, as I did when I first saw it.
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by Marja-Leena by Marja-Leena snow, snow, snow
After a week of subzero temperatures and frozen ground, snow has been coming down steadily, at first lightly all day yesterday, then heavily in the evening and all night. This morning it was still snowing but the forecast said it will turn to rain. Maybe so in some areas but this afternoon it’s coming down very heavily again – beautiful, big puffy flakes that are hypnotic to look at. This is a little unusual for the end of February when spring’s harbingers have been out for several weeks (poor things now buried and cold!). Though we’ve had several short-lived dustings this winter, this is the first major snowfall for us, a last (?) blast to remind us that winter is not over.
But oh, what a transformation – a quiet black and white world! And what irony, after posting about white stones on black backgrounds! I was outside right after breakfast taking many photos around our garden, shaking some of the heavy wet snow off upright yews and shrubs and clearing the front walkways while husband shovelled the driveway. Looks like it will need doing again later this afternoon. We’re hoping that there will be no severe damage to trees and that we do not have power outages like in some past years…. our firewood is ready if needed.
by Marja-Leena reflected
After hours and days of working at the computer and a bit in my home studio, today I just had to take a break and enjoy the sunshine outdoors. My garden has been much neglected since the fall and my green thumb was itching to clean up the dead vegetation and see what was growing beneath. Sure enough, lots of green tips popping up, including many nearly buried snowdrops struggling for light. Three hours flew by with hard but pleasurable work (I’m a little sore now). Lots and lots more to do over the coming weeks but it felt wonderful to make a start. Soon, I must start some seeds….
I forgot to take the camera outdoors today but here’s a photo taken a few days ago indoors.
Update Feb.10th: you may remember the macro shots of last year’s amaryllis, possibly the same bulb
by Marja-Leena Happy Christmas, Hauskaa Joulua
Wishing you all a Happy Christmas, Hauskaa Joulua,
Frohe Weihnachten, Joyeux Noël, God Jul!
Love and light, peace and joy this season and always.
I’m recalling the very white and beautiful Christmas period that we had two years ago which impacted on the travel of some of our family coming home from the UK. This year, as I’m sure most know, flights into and out of Europe have been severely hampered and delayed by snowstorms so it’s a good thing they are not traveling this year. But we will miss them! Safe travels to those enroute!
Meanwhile we will have a green Christmas in southwest BC. For some snow play, there is lots up in the mountains and in the interior. Have a happy holiday!
by Marja-Leena on yesterday’s walk
The sun was shining, the sky a clear blue, the night’s slight frost gone, and we were tempted outdoors for a walk to the park. In this natural woodland park by the sea we spotted some human touches in recognition of the season: a Christmas wreath on a memorial bench which for years has always been kept up with a fresh seasonal display, and a young tree beside the path with shiny Christmas balls put up by some generous soul. Smiles from those touches of seasonal whimsy, smiles from the glorious day, so special in its rarity in our rainy season.
Last night we put up and decorated our own simple Scandinavian Christmas tree. I love the scent and the colours of green, red, straw and the white of the sparkling lights. It is slowly feeling more and more like Christmas.
Related links:
– Looking back: Christmas favourites (sorry, some links are now dead or changed, like the Virtual Finland one).
– If you are interested in a child-like enjoyment of Christmas, I recommend Christmas in Santa’s home in Lapland
by Marja-Leena in winter sun
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In our neighbourhood near sea level, most of Friday night’s snow has melted. Lots of brilliant white snow lies low down on the mountains. It’s cold and a bit windy, hovering around freezing this afternoon as I go about storing some pots and garden supplies into the shed. I was drawn to the all too few spots touched by the low afternoon sun of winter, on the cotoneaster clinging to the cypress and the faded hydrangea flowers by the back fence. In the lawn now in shade I notice a mushroom. My gloved fingers soon feel frozen and I decide to return indoors to pot up the few cuttings I had nipped in my wanderings.
This evening it’s clear with a brilliant full moon lighting up the sea and snowy mountains. They say tonight will be even colder at -7c (19 F).
by Marja-Leena yesterday and today
Sandwiched between some cold and rainy days, yesterday was a brilliant sunny one, such a pleasure when it’s now more rare and cannot be taken for granted. Above is an iconic Vancouver scene that I enjoyed in the morning – note the snow on the mountain tops. Back home in the afternoon, I I went out into my garden with a camera, wondering how much colour I could still find. Here and there are little spots still so I could make the collage below – enjoy!
Today it is raining cold tears, so appropriately for our Remembrance Day. I wear a white poppy in spirit. Can we ever hope for better tomorrows?
by Marja-Leena feels like fall
– cool rainy days alternating with some sunny warm days
– the first long slow oven-roasted chicken
– the first cold night at 8C (46F)
– the first pot of chicken soup simmering on the stove
– floating medallions of parsnips and carrots like last night’s Harvest Moon
– quiet easing into tomorrow’s September equinox, unlike these celebrations
– hoping for an Indian summer like those of my youth
by Marja-Leena labours of love
There’s not been much art busy-ness happening here since I wrote this art and garden busy-ness post last April. I’ve been busy with garden, family, a few little trips away but lots of laziness too, sometimes due to hot weather, often just downright slothfulness on my part.
This is a Labour Day long weekend here in Canada, and the only labour we managed was yesterday’s day of pruning shrubs in the garden, work that should have been done in the spring. I’m back-and-knees sore from hours of picking up the prunings from the plants beneath. The fall gardening season is almost as busy as the spring one for I need to start bringing in many of my non-hardy plants that spend the summer outdoors as well as take cuttings for next summer’s garden. We harvested the last of the cucumbers and composted the plants. We’re still enjoying the tomatoes though now they are ripening more slowly. The peppers are in full abundance right now so last night we brought the pots into the solarium to assure they’d keep reddening in spite of the cool rainy week just started. We’ve had many delicious and healthy Greek salads this summer. Time to use up the basil for pesto too.
As you can see autumnal thoughts are much with me with the changes in the light, the longer shadows and the shorter days, and a few rainy days like today that have us putting on socks and long-sleeved shirts, along with the annual feelings of a new beginning with the traditional back-to-school right after Labour Day.
Years of being a student, a teacher and a parent must have left a permanent imprint on me. Maybe that was what gave me the sudden impetus to sign up again for the fall in the printmaking studio even though I’d originally planned not to go back until January. So now, I’m feeling some anxiety about getting myself back in the art making mode after the lazy summer, as if I were still a student. Tomorrow is my ‘first day’ back!
If you read the above linked post, you’ll know that I had many good intentions to get my small home studio in order over the summer. It did not happen. I’m still looking for used flat files too. Maybe with a more structured routine this fall I’ll get to it. I feel guilty that I have not yet put up my past year’s work on this blog, which requires first scanning the smaller works and taking good photographs of the larger ones.
Oh, and speaking of smaller works, one or more of my prints was accepted into the BIMPE VI exhibition! The opening is on Saturday September 11th, but that’s a subject for the next post.