Is There an End to This?

….more snow in the forecast for tomorrow

I can’t believe that I was lamenting about having no snow back in early January. Now it just keeps coming. The upside is that when the sun shines you can tell that spring can’t be too far off. The snow starts to melt but overnight it freezes and the next day it’s like an ice rink on the roads and sidewalks.

Yesterday, during one of those sunny periods I got outside and started to chip away at the ice on the driveway. I think I was outside for two hours. I also walked down to the park and took some photos of the lovely ice sculptures made by Mother Nature.IMG-1015
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A Photo a Week Challenge – Depth of Field

…thanks to Nancy Merrill for hosting the Photo a Week Challenge

Nancy describes depth of field like this:

Depth of field in photography (and light in general) is how narrow a strip of what you are looking at is in focus. In photography, the depth of field is controlled by two things: your f-stop (aperture) and the length of your lens (mm). To narrow your depth of field using aperture, use a smaller f-stop number. This will open your shutter wider and let more light in.

 So if you want to shoot something up-close and personal with great bokeh (blurring) in the background, use a smaller f-stop and a longer lens.

Most of my photography is hit and miss, especially with my Panasonic Lumix camera. When I use the iPhone I’ve figured out how to get bokeh or blurring when I want it. The first two shots were with my Panasonic.

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The next two were taken with my iPhone.IMG-9657
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Digging Out

….before the sun came up

Both my husband and my neighbour were outside before 7:00 this morning shovelling out the driveway and the sidewalk. It was garbage day today so they had to shovel a path to roll out the bins and make room for them on the sidewalk. It was also my dough making day today at the Inn so my husband knew that I had to leave the house around 9:00.IMG-0206
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You might be wondering why there are green markings on the snow. This is on the edge of our yard facing our other neighbour to the north of us. Actually it’s right on her driveway but she doesn’t drive her car anymore so only a path has been shovelled on one side to roll out her bins. The green markings were put there by city workers who will be coming back tomorrow. Our plumbing woes continue. More about that tomorrow.

A Blast of Winter

….for the longest time I complained that there was NO snow

Who complains about the lack of snow? Unless you’re a skier or a child dreaming of a ‘snow day’ when all the schools get closed, very few ‘sane’ people, especially seniors, would dare utter those words. Well I guess I’m a little bit crazy because I love watching the snow come down from the warmth of my bedroom or living room and because I’m retired I can just hunker down and enjoy the beauty from my window.IMG-0190
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Christmas Day Two

…..after Christmas Eve the festivities continue

Christmas Day this year was a very relaxed day. We opted to forgo the turkey dinner and order in Chinese food. After a bit of a lie in I convinced my father to go for a walk with me through the neighbourhood and check out the decorations. We donned our Santa hats and off we went.P1070333

Our daughter and daughter-in-law arrived later in the afternoon and we opened more presents. Everybody was on board with Chinese food, especially my father, and we ordered for a pick-up. I don’t know if you’re aware but Chinese food restaurants are very busy on Christmas Day. Eating at home was less hectic than eating out and much cheaper.

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After dinner clean-up was very easy. We packed up the leftovers and gave some to all the parties present. All of us had another meal the next day.

Later the girls and I dressed warmly and took the dogs for a walk and checked out the lights around the neighbourhood.IMG-9951
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A Green Christmas in Toronto

….no White Christmas this year and no snow in site

For some the prospect of no snow this winter would be heavenly but for others like me it would be disappointing. Others just want snow for Christmas and then it can be snowless for the rest of the winter but for many, winter in Canada wouldn’t be winter without a good snowfall or two or three. Those people include skiers, snow boarders, chalet owners and of course children who dream of a snow day when the schools are closed (a rare occurrence in this neck of the woods).

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were both clear and cold with no snow in site. On the upside there was no wind and it was very comfortable for walking. I convinced my father to dress warmly and get outside for a walk through the neighbourhood  on Christmas morning. We donned our Santa hats until my Dad decided his wasn’t warm enough and we took a leisurely walk along Lakeshore Drive and up Ninth Street, which my father fondly calls Santa Alley.

It was fun greeting other walkers with a Merry Christmas and stopping here and there to take a few shots of peoples’ decorations. Here are some of the sites we shared together that morning.P1070324
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Right now it’s 4 degrees Celsius (39 degrees Fahrenheit) and the high on Saturday is going up to 9 degrees Celsius (48 degrees Fahrenheit). As for snow there’s none in sight until January 6 and then it is only snow showers.