Wiarton Willie, Say it Ain't So

We have our own prognosticating albino rodent here in Ontario named Wiarton Willie (no relation to Punxsatawney Phil). Same day, same drill, they take Willie the groundhog out; he either sees his shadow or doesn't; and then based on what Willie sees or not they declare 6 more weeks of winter, or an early spring. Sadly, it's six more weeks of this stuff. And, as you can see from my morning porch photo, it was snowing again this a.m.

It has been so snowy, that Environment Canada in their January weather review said that Southern Ontario has been subjected to "death by a thousand flurries". The only thing that gives me hope, is that one of the senior climatologists did an analysis of the accuracy of Wiarton Willie's pronouncements, and they're no better than a coin toss - 50%. Fingers crossed he's having an off year.

The Town of Oakville appears to have purchased some fancy new snow removal equipment. Notice this nasty dark lumpy formation on my lawn (and I'm afraid garden). Well, it is street snow that is laden with salt and some sanding chemical from the road. Before the sidewalk guy and the street plow would just try to wear the snow out tossing it from one position to the other. Unfortunately it looks like either street man, or sidewalk man now has the power to blow the disgusting stuff right up and onto our properties - sort of half wondering if I can attack it with a shovel, and toss it on the road before it all melts and gets into the garden.

Had a lovely walk in the snow this a.m. The big fluffy flakes stuck to everything.

Need to go back when there's some good light - maybe tomorrow?

Left the fire hydrant (on the left) in so you'd see that this really was a colour photo.