Frozen Water falling from the Sky

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A freezing blast of Winter has hit B.C. with lots of snow and icy winter temperatures.

For a region that usually enjoys temperate rainforest conditions, we are not used to this type of craziness. We don't have to shovel rain!

And rain is what we are used to!

We have outdoor Exercise equipment we can enjoy any season of the year. Usually wet from rain!

Boardwalk on Mill Lake to take walks along. Usually ducks swimming alongside.

A little punch of colour is always nice in a world suddenly white.

Kariton Art Gallery situated right in the middle of the park. You can picnic here even in winter if you want.

Lots of tables to choose from.

Or benches to sit and enjoy.

Rotary Crossing Playground is empty of children playing. I think all the kids are sliding down hills.

Schools close here when snow flies. Kids like that a lot!

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The dock in the main parking area of Mill Lake has the only patch of unfrozen water. The ducks have to swim somewhere!

Cannot imagine floating around in that frigid cold water like these ducks are doing!

I guess the water conditions are not conducive to swimming, being the lake is frozen!

Frozen like this!

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Snow Times



We have had our first big snowfall of the year, snow starting on Sunday night and predicted to snow for the rest of the week. It is a big deal here, everything seems to stop when the snow falls. Most of our weather is temperate rain forest type weather, we don't have to shovel it!

One thing that you can do here when the snow flies is get out the camera and check out the cool photo opportunities. A quick trip to my back yard netted me these shots of rosehips and old hydrangea flowers.

I used a selection of Kim Klassen textures to treaat these photos, but I forgot to write down specifically which ones I used. Me bad!!

I am off work tomorrow again due to the excessive white stuff, so sure to take a few more pictures!

Skywatch Friday

We have had Spring for the past few weeks. All the signs of Spring are everywhere. Daffodils and Tulips are all blooming. Cherry trees are all blossoming. Azaleas are blooming. The temperatures have been warm enough to wear shirt sleeves outside. We did not get the horrible winter that was predicted. So imagine the surprise when we looked out the windows this morning to a blizzard! Winter came for one last show!

It lasted about two hours and when it finished falling there were a couple inches on the ground that promptly started the job of melting.

Here are a few pictures of Snow and Cherry Blossoms and Recovering Skies!

These are the Cherry Blossom Trees at Thunderbird Square outside City Hall.

Full in bloom Azaleas on the other side of fence.

It was super grey and dark when the snow was falling, and after it cleared up for a bit. The clouds did come back after and the rain started.

Some snowy extra blooms for you to see!

To see other photos of Skywatch Friday, pleasse go and visit http://skyley.blogspot.com/

Skywatch Friday

SKYWATCH FRIDAY

Our last cold snap here brought bright blue skies, freezing temperatures and a good load of snow so here are some pictures we took down at Mill Lake in the downtown area.

The lake was half frozen, and the ducks and geese had a place to line up onto out of the water.

You can see the edge of the water and the frozen ice.

A few puffy clouds on the horizon.

A shot of how much snow was around that day.

The walking path around the lake covered with snow.

Blue sky through the bare tree branches.

When cold days such as this start to warm up, the cool air meets the warm air of the Pacific and usually ends up with the snow you see.

To see other photos of Skywatch Friday, please go and visit http://skyley.blogspot.com/

Skywatch Friday

Skywatch Friday

Its been a while since I was able to post. I have had a nasty bout of Vertigo for the past week, and have not felt like doing much of anything except trying to stay balanced.

Today the predicted snow fall happened, so really it was a good day to stay home. It snowed all day today and these pictures were taken from my upstairs bedroom window.

There is a park behind my house with a wooded area to the right of the path. The path goes all the way around the park.

The girls here have plastic garbage bags that they used to slide down the hill.

The bullrushes in the Water Retention Pond is just in front of the back of our house. It looks like its late in the day but these photos were taken at noon. The sky is bleak and cloudy, the snow continuously falling.

One corner of the soccer field. I like the starkness of the bleak sky, the snow falling and the covered trees mixed with the chainlink. It looks almost like a Black and White photo!

To see other photos of Skywatch Friday, please go and visit http://skyley.blogspot.com/

Rain!!! Goodbye Snow!

Rain Rain,
Come and Stay,
Make all the snow
Go away!!!

It is pouring out finally just like the weatherman promised. I've been waiting days for it!! I am so done with this snow and ice it can all go down the drain!!
Just have to pray it does not flood.

Man, I have to get out my camera and dust it off. I miss it!

New Year here.

Why shouldn't the new year start with a fresh white coat of new snow?? Even if the weatherman has not predicted it.
So glad I did not have to drive to work today. So glad I made a mistake about my schedule yesterday and discovered upon going to work that in reality I actually had the day off today. I got to sleep in until 11am. Hard to believe but I think my white knuckle 90 minute drive home on a sheet of black ice took a lot of energy out of me. I am tired of the white stuff. I have not seen the grass in a month and that is very unusual here for the monsoon rain forest (Okay I exaggerate) I live in. This white stuff does not belong here.
I am counting the days until it warms up and starts to rain and rain and rain here again. I promise I won't complain about the rain. I promise!!

Ham and Lentil Soup

Its a cold snowy day outside and I am hunkered in for the day so what better to make than a bowl of soup for supper. We had a ham a couple nights ago for dinner so this is a good use of leftover meat to make a hearty bowl of pure comfort!! The Cast of Ingredients!! Fresh vegetables, cut up ham and stock, canned Lentils, Tomatoes and Beans.

Chop all vegetables into small chunks. I like a lot of texture in my soups and fresh vegetable cut up into small chunks provides that.

Simmer vegetables in dutch oven with 1TBSP of Butter and Olive Oil, until translucent and starting to brown.

The cast of spices I put into this soup. Salt, Pepper, Cumin, Italian Seasoning, Smoked Paprika, Oregano, Red Pepper Flakes.

Add spices and Ham to the sauted Vegetables and mix together. Add two cups of Ham Stock to the pot.

Add Canned Lentils, Chopped Tomatoes and Beans and stir into the soup.

Squeeze the juice of one Lime into the pot and simmer the soup on the stove on Low heat for about an hour.

Its ready to serve and enjoy!! It is a very hearty and nutritious soup and the only thing I would do different is to omit the salt if you are using a salty type meat such as Ham. I thought it was just perfect but some might think it has too much salt.

HAM AND LENTIL SOUP

19 oz. can Lentils

19 oz. can Chopped Tomatoes

14 oz. can Pork and Beans

2 cups Chopped Ham

2 cups Ham Stock

2 diced carrots

1 chopped Celery stalk

1 chopped Red Pepper

5 chopped cloves Garlic

1 TBSP. Butter

1TBSP. Olive Oil

1 Lime

1 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp. Pepper

1/2 tsp. Cumin

1 TBSP. Italian Seasoning

1/2 tsp. Smoked Paprika

1 tsp. Oregano

1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes.

Saute carrots, peppers, garlic, celery and onions in butter and olive oil until browned. Add spices, ham and ham stock to the pot. Add Beans, lentils and Tomatoes to the pot and squeeze the juice of the lime into the pot. Simmer the soup on low heat for about an hour. Its done!!!

Enjoy!!