Winter's Icy Grasp

Yesterday's welcome combination of sunshine and mild temperatures (just below zero Celsius) led to a rapid thaw, before the next influx of polar air caused the mercury to plummet sharply again in late afternoon.

The ensuing sequence of sublimation and supercooling created an eerie ice fog that began to roll in around sunset, followed by a spectacular adhesion to surfaces, including weeping willow branches and other dendritic appendages.

One might say it had a "chilling" effect.

Groundhog Day!

The inevitable blast of "real winter" in the Banana Belt kept us hunkered at home instead of attending Superbowl festivities in Windsor. Some records were broken in Detroit as far as accumulation over a short period of time, but the drifting and blowing snow was the real danger.

Our road didn't get plowed all day the following day, and no garbage pickup. Not only buses cancelled but schools closed all over SW Ontario and Michigan.

Not sure how the Groundhog saw anything, unless some kindly neighbour shovelled him out. Luckily we had the good sense to park out at the road when the squalls started......

Where the cars would have been!

Uneven distribution

The new trek to the cars

Sunshine over an undulating blanket of white

Fully Completely

That is how we were rocked at the recent Tragically Hip show at Caesar's Windsor - Fully and Completely. The band visited the casino early in their North American "Fully Completely" tour, celebrating the anniversary of their 1992 studio release.

The show quickly became a "work" outing, as a number of CFIA colleagues also turned out to catch the legendary Canadian band in action.

After starting off with a number of their hits, The Hip played the entire Fully Completely album start to finish, in chronological order, before wrapping up with about six encore songs, including At Transformation, Nautical Disaster, Bobcaygeon and Blow at High Dough.

Gord and the boys were in fine form as always, and played for nearly two solid hours, with only about a sixty second break off stage as some Fully Completely banners unfurled.

One memorable night!

Trip Research

Planning a special European vacation to celebrate our 15th anniversary, taking part in two distinct phases. The first half of the trip involves a luxury river cruise along the romantic Danube, from Romania to Hungary, with lots of structure and pampering.

The second half involves two idiots backpacking their way on trains and buses from Hungary to Austria and the Czech Republic, passing through Vienna, Linz, two days in medieval Cesky Krumlov, and ending with several days in Prague. We connect through Frankfurt, Germany on the way in to Bucharest, Romania....and then leaving Prague we connect again through Munich, Germany on the return flight to Toronto.

What better way to research our upcoming trip through Eastern Europe, than a preliminary "tour" of cultural beverages? Without further ado, and in chronological order....

Romania (white) - Bulgaria (red)

Serbia

Croatia

Hungary (and apparently thirsty!)

Austria

Czech Pilsner and German Festbock

Cesky Krumlov

A Quiet New Year's Eve

We spent a quiet New Year's Eve 2014-2015 at home, after the frenetic travel and festive visits of the week prior. We hunkered down for a Deadwood marathon, watching all three seasons of this most excellent HBO drama set in 1876 amid the Black Hills of South Dakota.

Since the first time we watched the show several years back, we have actually had a chance to visit Deadwood itself, making the second viewing that much more contextual.

We enjoyed a green New Year, though winter finally found us a few days afterwards.

Bring on 2015!

New Year's Eve

January 4th - flurries mark the return of winter!

Out with the old year, and in with the New!

December to Remember

Enjoying a pleasant "winter" in the Banana Belt thus far, though I guess it officially starts today. Also gearing up for festive travels to the north and east, hoping for favourable weather and safe roads! Rollback era oil prices also encourage travel and home heating (when you have an oil furnace).

Jane has been steadily churning out unique artwork with a rustic wooden feel. Stay tuned!

December 17 - the latest round of dandelions

See what happens when we actually turn the furnace on?

(i.e. Jane can feel her fingers)

December 21 - Winter Solstice!

Fellowship of the Fur

Nine there shall be, at feeding time.
Nine for the Felines, in their halls of kibble......