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Today the temperature gauge is forecast to hit 38 c. in our neck of the woods...
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Time to get out the ice and snow pictures..
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Five years ago this month,
the Cardinals flew across the world,
on our first visit to Ottawa...
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to meet a special little guy, our second grandson.
Here he lies on the quilt I made for him,
not knowing if he was a boy or girl until he arrived.
Today he is going to French School, and has a little brother.
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We stayed here, in a B&B, about 1km away from the little family in their tiny flat..
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walking each day through a snowy wonderland, the like of which we had never previously experienced.
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Kids can play anywhere - here's an igloo!
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The other grandparents, Grandpapa and Grandmama, took us to Quebec for a few days. This is not a road, this is the frozen Ottawa River, and we drove over it! A vehicular ferry crosses here in the summer.
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Quebec, the Old City, looking up to the funicular which goes up to here:
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The St Lawrence Seaway, frozen except for a channel in the middle..
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We had lunch here - in such cold weather,
you can eat anything and still lose weight.
Temperatures hovered around -20 deg C while we were there.
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The frozen Montmorency Falls..
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Red is a popular colour for houses - the early French settlers used it to find their way home...
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Back near Ottawa, we visited a collection of fishing shacks on a lake.
Yes, they catch fish through a hole in the ice, just like in the cartoons.
I don't think I ever believed this actually happened..
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We walked on the Rideau Canal, even taking the baby down in the stroller.
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We are hoping to go back there this year, in the Spring.
The grand saving plan is underway, and I am raising cash any way I can.
Sold an old Wertheim treadle sewing machine last week:
Bye for now...
I'm off to hide in an air-conditioned Mall for the rest of the day..
Keep cool
XXXX
Ottawa is so pretty with all the snow. I really enjoyed these snow pictures, Patricia. I don't get to see the snow much here unless we go to the mountains, about an hour away. I love the fact that the French settlers had red houses to find their way back home. That would make it easy for them to see in the snow. The frozen Montmorency Falls are beautiful. And I can't believe how charming that old treadle sewing machine is. My mom used to sew, and she made all my clothes growing up. I wish you could have kept that, it's a piece of history.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful post this is, Patricia. A happy week to you.
love, ~Sheri
Hi Sheri, Don't worry, I still have another treadle machine here, for that touch of nostalgia. Those red houses or red-roofed houses really look good, especially out in the countryside where there is heaps and heaps of snow, and the snow plows aren't coming around shifting it. Glad you enjoyed my snowy post. Happy days to you too. xx
DeleteWhat lovely homes they have there. I can't begin to imagine how cold it must have been, hope you get back there soon.
ReplyDeleteThe houses are really pretty, and we were surprised that many were made of wood. Much as we loved the look of it, I doubt we will go again in the middle of winter - it is too hard on our ageing bodies!
DeleteThe red would also be very cheering in the cold. I have to admit I prefer 38C to the cold weather - I remember my childhood years in the UK and hated winter. Humidity is quite another thing - and that is not so easy to tolerate, and I would suppose you have quite high levels at the moment. We do.
ReplyDeleteYou must miss your family - it must be hard when they live so far away. Good luck with the piggy bank saving.
Yes, we certainly have high humidity right now, Sarah Liz. No wonder I was drawn to look over my snow pictures again, especially as I remembered it is five years since we saw this snow. Of course I have been over since then, once in Autumn and once in Spring, two years ago. We do miss them all dreadfully, and going to see them is a major expedition. Thank you for your good wishes!
DeleteOh my goodness! I was totally confused at first when I saw these pictures, and then realised they were from your travels. I was thinking, snow, like, this where you live?? A great idea to post these in January though! It looks like a lovely place, beautiful buildings and interesting things to see, but most importantly wonderful family of course! I hope that you can get your pennies all sorted out and can visit and have another amazing - and perhaps less snowy! - visit! xx
ReplyDeleteAha, caught you out, Amy :) So very hot here today, it was nice to look over my snow photos, and write about our Winter 2010 adventure. Eastern Canada is a very attractive place, but of course daughter and family are our main focus. We have discovered the fun of putting our coin collections into a new ATM which takes coins - your just pour them into a tray. Amazing how the money adds up! xx
Deletewow, beautiful reportage.. some pictures give the idea of the cold temperature... thanks for sharing, very interesting !
ReplyDeleteThank you Massimo, glad you enjoyed it. I saw the international weather report tonight, and Eastern Canada was the coldest temperature they showed on any of the major continents!
DeleteLovely snowy memories for you in your current heatwave. Interesting about the red houses, I never knew that. I bet you can't wait to visit your family this Spring, how lovely. Would love to visit Canada but long haul trips are not my favourites but who knows one day. :))
ReplyDeleteThose red houses had me fascinated, Patricia. They look wonderful, and have an obvious practical purpose. You know, the moment we got home from Italy, I suddenly wanted to plan a trip to Canada - and I don't like the long haul either. But the end is worth it!
DeleteHello Patricia,
ReplyDeleteIt is so extraordinary to see these icy images when you are in the heatwave of summer.
We can imagine how difficult it is to have close relatives so very far away, especially when there are adorable young grandchildren. They grow up so quickly and one does not wish to miss a moment.
The degree of cold in Canada is truly amazing. How incredible that you were able to drive over a frozen river and the frozen waterfall is truly breathtaking. Yes, Spring should be a great time to visit...... Keep squirrelling away the pennies!
Hello Jane and Lance, I think I surprised everybody with the snow pictures! Today has been so hot, it was nice to contemplate those snowy vistas, and think about our Winter Expedition. The little ones do grow so quickly - the baby brother is now over two. Eastern Canada is certainly extremely cold, and yes the frozen river and waterfall are sights we will never forget. They were stunning. I should say, though, that I was terrified as we drove across the ice, hearing it crack beneath the wheels of our vehicle. Fingers crossed we will make it in time for the lilacs and the crabapples. And nice to see you in Blogland again - all the best to you both.
DeleteDid you feel cooler while looking through your icy photos? You have some great shots. Driving across the ice would have scared me too. Hope it all goes as planned and you get to Eastern Canada in the spring.
ReplyDeleteDarla
Well, it cools the brain, at least, Darla! We are in another heatwave, so anything is worth a try...
DeleteDear Patricia - I can imagine just how lovely it must be at a time when you have very hot weather to look at and imagine colder snowy days.
ReplyDeleteI thought that snow was coming here but luckily it past over our heads and carried on up north.
I was really surprised that it was so cold and frozen in Canada that you were able to cross over the Ottawa River in a vehicle.
Enjoy your time in the air conditioned Mall but don't spend too many pennies, you need them for your trip.
Dear Rosemary, Dreaming of cool weather, anyway I can at the moment...Canadians are stoic people, contending with a level of freeze which really is a challenge. The snow bridge is scary, but they are happy to use it. I was good at the Mall and only bought a much needed, heavily discounted iron!
DeleteIt was fun to see the pictures from your winter journey to Canada, Patricia. It must have felt like you had stepped onto another planet! I'm so happy for you that you are going to be able to return this spring. You must miss your grandchildren so much.
ReplyDeleteAnother planet is a good description, Kristie. We arrived at night, so the first morning, looking out the window at that wonderland, was very exciting indeed. We were in the attic floor of the B&B and I spent a lot of time looking out those little windows. It will be fun to return and spend time with the little boys.
DeleteHi, Trish...these snow pictures are really beautiful. And that little grandson is so adorable all tucked in to keep warm. I am not likely to venture a trip into Canada in the winter!
ReplyDeleteHi Linda, thank you, glad you enjoyed the snow pics - and the adorable baby :) That trip was probably our last in the Winter; the cold is very hard on ageing bodies!
DeleteNow that's a snowstorm. I experienced many like it when I lived in northern NY, an hour or so from the Canadian border. I love the photos of the baby, he looks so snuggly in his winter gear! I hope you were able to stay nice and cool today.
ReplyDeleteHi Jennifer, snow can lie that thick for months in Ontario and Quebec. In the inner city area where we stayed, the snow ploughs came every day, and each week huge trucks came in the night to remove the snow to dumps further out. In Quebec we were further out of town, and the snow along by the street could be 6 ft or more high. It was incredible to see, and we had been to the ski field in Australia, but that is quite different. Meantime, the heat is sapping my strength - I feel as weak as the tiny baby :))
DeletePatricia, I haven't been to Canada. It's on my bucket list. Parts of Canada may be too cold for me. However, it's lovely looking!
ReplyDeleteDebra, we went at the coldest time of year. It is absolutely glorious in the Spring or the Fall. Keep it on the bucket list :)
DeleteHello Patricia
ReplyDeleteYour images really depict Canada in winter. The red houses look great in the snow. I am delighted to hear you are returning again this Spring to see the babies.
Have a glorious weekend
Helen xx
Hello Helen, The snowy vistas with the little country cottages had me quite entranced; it is a beautiful country. Wishing you a wonderful weekend too. xx
DeleteOoh, that is hot for down your way, Val. It was 39 here: it is killing me! Glad you like the snow, I'm hoping for a cooling effect on my brain. Happy saving to you, too :)
ReplyDeleteThe snow looks familiar. Also the low temperatures, though in Southern coastal Finland, not common.
ReplyDeleteSo interesting to see what it looks like in Ottawa and Quebec. Very different types of houses. A considerate gesture to stay at the B & B : ).
We call the igloos snow castles here in Finland and yes there are " roads" on the lakes too and the fishing is familiar.
Isn´t it fun in a way to actually save a bit to enable the long trip! How long do you plan to stay in Canada?
I thought of you when I wrote this post, Mette, as you would be familiar with such a climate. Even driving over the ice, it seems!
DeleteThe other grandmother was also staying at the B&B, and it did work out well, giving the new mother time without visitors.
This year's trip will be a simple one, Mette, probably around 3 weeks altogether. At this stage there are no plans to go to another destination .... but you never know :)
Now that is what I call a real winter, Patricia! Here in the UK the temperature only very rarely gets down to -20C and then only overnight. I find it almost as hard to imagine living for weeks at that temperature as I do in your summer heat. :-) But the snow is so pretty and I admire the way life carries on normally in Canada amid the ice and snow instead of grinding to a halt.
ReplyDeleteKeep saving - you have a lot to look forward to. :-)
The Canadians are a tough breed, and amuse us how they simply carry on no matter what. Our daughter has adopted their ways, and pushes the stroller through the snow sometimes to take the little one to day care. It is certainly a very pretty place.
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