Let it snow...let it...no...STOP!

I am a prairie girl...proud of it, and will never grow tired of proclaiming so either. I used to love when it snowed and snowed...a little blizzard here and there...and then snowed some more. We would have a blast in the stuff. Our backyard would get 6-8 foot snow drifts along the fence. But it would leave a 3 foot space between the snow and the fence so we could walk along side the super tall crest of snow. My Opi would come over and help the three of us dig tunnels through it...making snow forts. I remember getting all geared up in my snowsuit and boots and head out the back door by myself and play in our snow fort for hours and hours. I would carve little nooks in the walls of our fort and make snow knick knacks to place in them. Seriously...it could be -28 outside..but in my snow fort I was always warm. Sometimes I would be hot and take my hood and scarf off! Snow is very thermal and insulating when you are in it...the Inuit people are no fools. I bet you at this very moment an igloo would be warmer than our home...it's freezing cold in this uninsulated wood box! lol But at least I have a roof over my head. Anyhow...the mass amounts of snow in beautiful Manitoba can be a lot of fun. Tobogganing, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating on St. Vital Pond, building igloos with your friend in grade 6 who grew up in the NWT and was taught how to. Tons of cool stuff to do.

As much as I love those memories of fun and laughter in the snowy winter days of Manitoba...I also find myself enjoying the soft winter rain of BC. I hated it when I first moved out West. Soooo incredibly dreary and majorly depressing. 33 days no sun (yes! 33 DAYS NO SUN I once suffered through!)...Calgon can NOT take you away from that deep dark depression. Nor does vodka! ;op But, you learn to live through it and still get out there and enjoy the day. Walk to the beach, do some winter gardening, fill all of your bird feeders...you still get out if you don't mind being a wee bit soggy. So, yeah, I kind of enjoy the rain now that I am a West Coaster. And for the first 6/7 years I lived out in BC, anytime it snowed...you could hear me complaining from miles away. "What the??" "I moved AWAY from the snow!" "If I want to be in snow I should just be able to go up the mountain...why does it still come to me??" Like as if it is all about me. Ha ha ha!!! Maybe I hated it so much because I missed where I was from. I missed my family and friends. I have a ton of friends out here...even some family...all of whom I am so blessed to have met and have in my life. I love my BC peeps. But, you know, family...numero uno. (besides Clint. He of course is my number one...but it doesn't take from my love for my fam.) Anyhow, blah, blah, blah...what am I even talking about here??

Ahhhh. Snow. It snowed a few days ago here. And it looks so pretty. I love it. I won't be sad when it melts...but I am definitely NOT going to complain about it. I was walking through the 707 Park today with my girlfriend Kate. We were both so enamoured by the beauty of our walking scenery. It was gorgeous. Evergreens covered with big, fluffy looking blobs of snow that make the branches hang low. No grass in sight, unless you can get a peek under a heavy bushy/treed little den area...perfect for the deer in this cold death causing weather. (death to weak deer...not us. Well...I suppose if you were stupid wasted and passed out under a tree right now you will for sure catch hypothermia and die. But we won't think about that.) It's just simply beautiful out. I was upset that I did not have my camera on hand. I saw so many amazing shots...but they are forever in my mind. That's just as good. ;o)

When I got home I eventually went in the backyard and snapped a couple pics. It's funny how the trees are already budding, and have been for the last 2 months...yet it is frozen out there. BC is a weird kind of wonderland I tell ya! And I welcome the snow in it. A little taste of home. :o) Now I'll go to sleep and dream of it...the snow may be gone from the rain in the morning.

Hey...I just noticed...it's 1/11/11!! Hee Hee! (too bad it's not 11:11 when I publish this!)