Saturday Photo: Coming up Soon to a Woods Near YOU

Leaves will be on the trees before you know it! At last!
 

Saturday Photo: More Spring Flowers

 Had snow this week, but the flowers nevertheless persist.  Good to see.

Saturday Photo: Easter Eggs

 Latvian eggs: dyed with onion skins only.  These were done a couple of years ago when Easter was earlier, and there was still snow on the ground.  But I did some this year too, even though our Easter celebrations will be quiet. Third year in a row that Covid 19 has played havoc with having a good time!  This is getting old!

Saturday Photo: Pussy Willows

 Another sign of spring.  Am I right that the French term is saule discolore? What a disappointing name!

Saturday Photo: Fig Leaves?

The fig tree spent the winter in the basement, getting watered when I remembered to do so, but receiving very little light from the small window.  The temperature was chill most of the time, but never dropped below15 C,

Nevertheless, somehow the plant last week sensed that spring was upon us and started sending out green leaves.  Lee carried it upstairs to the second floor landing on Sunday, and now it is growing wonderfully under the skylight.

I find it amazing that minimal cues can prompt plants into new life when spring arrives.  There are a lot of things that we don't know about the world...
 

Saturday Photo: The Thaw Continues...

 Break-up at the Lachine Rapids park. Above freezing but still chilly. 

Many birds though, including red winged blackbirds that seem to be delighted to be back where they nest.

Saturday Photo: The Break-up and the Moon

 

Full moon this week, which coincided with the break up of ice on the St. Lawrence, which in turn meant strong tidal flow.  Half the day the fractured ice flowed with the water down toward the sea, but for the other half it was pushed back by the incoming tide.  

It's easy to forget just how far the tidal influences extend up the St. Lawrence estuary.  I knew tides were felt as far as Quebec City, but I really didn't realize the extent of that flow until this week when we spent a few days there.  One of the day's two high tides came at the end of the afternoon so we spent a lot of time watching the ice run upstream.  Fascinating!  

Once again, I bowled over the wonders of nature.

Saturday Photo:Two from The New Yorker

 I have two indulgences.  One is a good haircut from Wayne McLaughlin at Furisme.  The other is a subscription to The New Yorker.  Must go see Wayne soon, because I'm getting shaggy, but here are two great covers from the magazine.

Saturday Photo: More Bad News on Climate Change, But Winter Is Terrific Here

 March 5 here, and there's still a lot of snow on the ground.  This has been a great winter for skating, playing in the snow, skiing (I guess, I don't) and just enjoying brisk and sunny days.  Often by now the snow is gone, and certainly skating outside is problematic.

As I've been enjoying the weather (much prefer sun and cold to mild and grey) I've been wondering if we all should be storing up a lot of memories of what a good winter is like.  The latest report by the International Panel on Climate Change says that things are going to get worse. 

According to to the background info: “This report is a dire warning about the consequences of inaction,” said Hoesung Lee, Chair of the IPCC. “It shows that climate change is a grave and mounting threat to our wellbeing and a healthy planet. Our actions today will shape how people adapt and nature responds to increasing climate risks.”

Take heed, everyone.  And enjoy what we've got when we can. 

Saturday Photo: Well, Now That Maybe We're Going to Be Able to Get out and about...

  A friend just sent this.  Seems it was made nearly two years ago, but it's still funny today.  Maybe we'll eventually get out of this .....

Saturday Photo: What I Feel Like with Rain and Turkeys demonstrating

Well, actually it's just a snow person who's a little the worse for wear, given the couple of days of above-freezing temps.

But given all the stupidity going around, I'm feeling just as out-of-sorts as he  does.

I've spent far more time on pickets lines and at various demonstrations than I care to remember, but I've never seen such folly as in the last few days.
 

Saturday Photo: The Light Is Different These Days

The days are getting longer, and during the days themselves, the sun is riding higher in the sky.  The result can be glorious, cold days like today after a little snow.  Makes winter worth it.
 

Saturday Photo: Solution for the Housing Crisis?

 Fixer-upper near all conveniences.  Or ready to move in if you've got a good  snowsuit!  This cold January has had some very fun moments for kids in or neighborhood.

Saturday Photo: Fumée de mer, or Freezing Fog

 Awfully cold here.  The St. Lawrence is warmer than the air, and is in effect steaming.  But once the mist rises it freezes leaving ice-encrusted bushes and trees and magical landscapes like this.

Saturday Photo: My Living Room Forest

The hibiscus are taller than I am, and nearly as old as my kids who have been on their own for decades.  I bring them in every fall and cut them back but they still grow and grow.

There's a decorative orange tree too, that spends the winter at the top of the stairs under a sky light.  Until last summer we took it outside too, but it now is really too big to wrestle down the stairs.  Last summer we got it out on a balcony, but I dont know how long that dodge will work.

Nice to have plants that live a long time, particularly when the world seems to be so dangerous these days...
 

Saturday Photo: What to Do on a Sunny But Cold Saturday

 SKATE!

The photo was taken several years ago, but I still like it.  Saw several kids out this morning trying their skates out.

 I hear our youngest grandkid just graduated from two-blade skates to the real thing, and I imagine he's out today despite the cold.

 The only thing to do in the middle of a pandemic, even when it's cold, is go play outside!

Saturday Photo: What I'd Like Everything to Be

 As we start the new year, I've been doing quite a lot of reflection about where we should be going.  At the moment, I'm really not sure. But I think we'll find the proper destination if we keep looking for it. And to do that we need to keep our spirits up.  Hence the mantra "All's Good."  

Remember it, friends, when the way looks obscured ahead.

Saturday Photo: Sunrise on Christmas...

 Over the hump, the days will be getting longer soon..

Best wishes for a wonderful holiday.  Here's the link to our blog:

https://soderstromyule.blogspot.com/

Saturday Photo: Christmas Lights

 Lots of lights around here this year.  I think people are fed up with darkness.  This is my little contribution.

Saturday Photo: Countdown to Christmas Means an Afternoon Making Sil

 This year I didn't have quite as many, but I was finally able to buy salt herring with which to make sil, the Swedish pickled fish delight. 

My hands smell like fish now, but there are four jars in the fridge to be opened when the holiday festivities  begin.