Feeling festive yet?
Winter Wonderland
Tag Archives: Snow
December 1’s Almost Wordless Wednesday
Northern fox.
Winter Ptarmigan
The winter ptarmigan (the “p” is silent) can be very difficult to see, especially in low light.
Apart from the small dark beak and eyes, they are incredibly white. I have at times mistaken them for lumps of snow, especially when they are on the roads; groups of them will land there.
Completely adapted to their environment, they are white in the winter and a mottled brown in the summer. How many ptarmigan do you see in the photo?
Winter in the North
Happy Monday. 🙂
Clear Skies …
… but very cold
Happy Thursday. 🙂
Subarctic Cold
After a very temperate autumn, especially for the north, we have been whacked by a sudden cold front that will deepen as we head into December.
In less than a month, I will be heading to warmer temperatures in the Okanagan Valley for the winter break.
Although this weather produces an extremely clear air quality and beautifully bright daylight, I am already looking forward to more warmth.
It’s Here
It arrived with a bang. Last night there was a sudden drop to -25C, the blowing and falling snow erupted into a fury, and I scrambled my parka out of the closet and the plug-in for the truck out of the storage room.
Brrr. 🥶
A Water Sign
Well, it’s a frozen water sign. Aquarius the water-carrier, to be exact, which is kind of perfect, because this frozen water is carrying cars and trucks.
I know that I’m really stretching this symbol, but I like the idea of the Aquarian water-carrier carrying ice for a safe crossing on an ice road.
This ice road crosses Great Slave Lake between Yellowknife and Dettah. In the summer, you have to go around, and that takes about 20 minutes more.
I hope we all soon experience some sunny and safe shortcuts. After all, most of us have had to do the long way around for the better part of a year.
Happy mid-week. 🙂
Bison and Muskox
There are many woodland bison everywhere here in the north. In the spring and summer, they love to loiter on the roads, and drivers have to be very cautious of them, especially at night. Sometimes, a congregation of them will make the traffic wait. There’s no way you want to try to herd or nudge a bison, as they will charge if annoyed.
Try explaining that to your insurance. “I was just stopped on the road, minding my own business, when a bison came out of nowhere and ran full-tilt at my car …” Yup, okay.
So it makes sense to include one of these iconically northern animals …
… along with a snow sculpture of a muskox. Also notoriously bad-tempered, you do not want to upset them.
The snow sculpture looks much more docile, though, especially as it’s missing its horns. Very tempting for children, I think!
Despite that, the artist did quite a good job, don’t you think?
Happy Monday, happy week. 🦬
Tree Hugger
I love this snow sculpture! Very endearing.
In this area, we have brown and black bears, but you have to go much farther north to the Arctic to see the white polar bears.
Climate change has lead to some of the polar bears mating with grizzly bears and producing a sort of blond hybrid called a grolar.
If you’re interested, here’s more information: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/did-you-know-environment/grolar-bears
Happy Friday; happy weekend. 🙂
In the Net! - Pictures and Stories of Life 