Mercoledi Musicale

I only wish that I could join Vanessa Williams in singing this great number from Harold Arlen's House of Flowers.

Though nobody beats Diahann Carroll who first sang the song in her 1954 Broadway debut, the combination of Vanessa Williams and the incredible cello obbligato by Martha Babcock is pretty darn fine.  If that doesn't melt the snow, nothing will.

The view from our living room this morning - yeah, yeah it's lovely.  Just a Winter Wonderland!
Talk to me sometime in late February and we'll compare wonderlands!  Okay?

Sadly I "has seen" snow - last night's "first big dump" of the winter wasn't quite as bad as they were predicting but .....   it's only November for heaven's sake!  If this is what we get in November what will we be getting the remaining  122 days before the official beginning of Spring?

November 27 -  1810: The Berners Street Hoax was perpetrated by Theodore Hook in the City of Westminster, London.
 

Winter Wonderland

Okay we get this straight from the beginning - I do not like winter!  Every year for four, five or, since this is Ottawa, six months I curse the gods that made my family turn left when they hit Montreal rather than right.  I dislike the cold; I detest wearing five layers of clothing; I hate the gravel that the soles of your boots pick up and deposit in entrance ways; I do not enjoy snow shoeing my way through drifts to get to the bus; and while I'm at it I'm not to fond of the bus which smells of damp wool and is awash in melting snow.  I do hope I'm making myself perfectly clear - I DO NOT LIKE WINTER!

However there are times when a falling of new snow on the landscape can have that look of a charming picture postcard and I sigh at the beauty of winter.  Just as long as I don't have to shovel or go out in it fine.  I am more than happy to look at it - marvel at the beauty of what cold can do to droplets of water and move on to the warmth of hearth, home and a glass of wine.

The picture I've used as a header the past few days is a winter scene from Saskatoon.  I'm not sure where in Saskatoon or even where I found it but it is rather lovely in a Bergman-Pushkin way. 

Can't you just imagine walking through this enchanting landscape: the silence; the whiteness; the virgin snow crunching under your feet; a rosy glow infusing your cheeks; a bone-chilling cold cutting through your undershirt, flannel shirt, two sweaters, scarf, goose-down coat, ear-muffs, toque, insulated gloves, two pairs of wool socks and mukluks.   No thanks I'll just sit here and throw another marshmallow on the hot chocolate:  winter really is lovely - in pictures!

03 February -1916: Parliament buildings in Ottawa, Canada burn down.

Winter Storm Warning

At the beginning of the month we were being told it was going to be a green Christmas with no or at least very little snow.  However as someone said on Christmas day, weather forecasting is much like medicine - a very unspecific science.

Fortunately for the drive down to Montreal on the 24th the ice from earlier in the week had melted away, the roads were clear and the sun was shining.  However much to Nicky and Nora's consternation it was hovering at -17c (-25c with the wind chill - anyone remember when we didn't even know there was a wind chill????).  This was not a temperature much to the liking of two hot blooded little Italian HFH and the next day when it was coupled with 10cm of snow it was even less enjoyed.  Needless to say driving in Montreal on Christmas Day was an experience.  But again luckily for us the weather on the 26th was sunny and again the roads were clear for the ride back to Ottawa. 

Our street is looking very romantic at the moment - almost the perfect covering of snow we all wanted for Christmas but were told by the weather people not to count on!

However this morning brought with it a "winter storm warning" red alert which had the good grace to hold off until our guests had made their way home from lunch.  However it is now in full force and the good people at the weather office are predicting 10 to 15 cms of the fluffy white stuff mixed with freezing rain.

In the meantime coat and booted HFH decided that it wasn't that bad after all - Nicky bounded through the snow like the little thoroughbred he is and our Nora plowed her way  around the block in that no-nonsense manner of her's looking for squirrels to devour.   And I decided that while it was still all relatively white, fluffy and virginal I'd do a walk around our block and take a few pictures.

I have to admit the Christmas lights do take on a special glow when covered by a  dusting of snow and filtered through the gently falling flakes.

It all seems so romantic, lovely and Christmas card-like. And I'm telling you right now that I'm posting this so when I struggle into work and back tomorrow and I curse the Canadian winter I will be reminded how romantic I thought it was tonight.


27 dicembre/December - San Giovanni apotolo ed evangelist

Its Snowing!

The chemically enhanced young lady who does the weather on channel 5 had suggested we might see some white stuff overnight but this morning - Nothing!!! Until around 0745 when it started:




It doesn't appear to be staying around which would make for some lovely photos. But even without it staying on the ground traffic has become a mess and the ambulance sirens have been klaxoning a bit more than usual. I can only imagine how dangerous it must be for motorino drivers, especially on those damned romantic cobblestones.

And its just in time for the start of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver!!!!

I'll be posting more photos and videos later of the accumulation - because it is still snowing. Apparently this is the first time in over 30 years that this has happened.


12 febbraio - Sant'Eulalia di Barcellona