The way some people describe winter on the Canadian prairies, you’d think it was like looking out of an igloo desperately waiting for spring.
I hear complaining all the time. It’s too cold! I have to shovel too much snow! We only get four months of bad snowmobiling weather!
People fly away to tropical locations in a desperate attempt to flee the cold as if it were some fatal disease. Ironically these are often the same people who are notoriously under dressed for running between their car and a nearby store.
I watch all the fuss with some bemusement. Yes there are some bitterly cold days to give us bragging rights. But you can cut the really cold days in half if you don’t dread the forecasted ones that don’t materialize. Yes there are snow storms. But what fun to drive around after and see huge drifts and a fresh coat of beauty applied to everything.
In my opinion, we had some of the nicest days of the year in the supposed deep freeze of February. On some sunny, calm days I walked through perfect fresh snow, enjoying the sun, shedding clothing layers and marvelling at the pristine wonderland. There weren’t even any mosquitoes!
No season is perfect so it’s nice to cycle through. And it provides wonderfully different scenes to photograph. It’s almost hard to believe that a river that looks like this in summer …
Can provide scenes like this in winter …
Cycling through the seasons appeals to me. That inevitably makes fall my favorite. There is something invigorating about breathing that cool, refreshing air with the potential to find explosions of colour like this …
Still there is something mysterious and magical about the same area in winter as I imagine the beavers wintering in their hut below the snow.
On the prairies, we talk a lot about the weather because we get a lot of it. We also complain … a lot. Me too! Unlike most people, I save my most eloquent complaining for days when its too hot or too windy.
By some calendars, spring has arrived. Given a wind chill of -22C today and regional storm warnings, I think it’s safe to say it hasn’t quite made it here yet. But it will.
Until then, I think I’ll head back to the igloo to avoid the complaining.
Krahnpix 
Thanks for sharingg
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Appreciate you stopping by.
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Yes, yes, yes! Four seasons is the way to go. Lived in southern California for a few years and found a one-season year to be very boring. Without the changes during the year how do we make sense out of time?
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Well said. The seasons do a wonderful job of marking time.
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Awesome post Lyle – I had a really good chuckle at the humour and the pics are fabulous 🙂
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It always makes my day to make someone chuckle. Glad you liked the post.
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All this talk of spring should be depressing me, because it means our winter is coming. But it doesn’t. For a start, we can’t take the kids down to the bush in summer (malaria). But even if we could, winter in the bush is better, because it isn’t marked by cold, but by drought. Which brings all the animals in to the remaining water. Which makes them easier to see.
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It’s always interesting to find out what impact seasons have in other parts of the world. I wouldn’t have guessed the malaria issue. Seeing the animals is a huge bonus.
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Wonderful photos ! And the text in this post is perfect to your photos.
I like our four seasons, but winter is my absolute favourite. // Maria
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I’m glad someone else can see the beauty of winter. There is something appealing of changing our way through the seasons.
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Like you Lyle, I so much enjoy the contrasts of seasons and watching/photographing the shift of one season into the next. In fact, I think that like other times of transition, like sunset, sunrise, storms approaching, etc. they can make for some of the most interesting and captivating of photos, as can contrasting photos of different seasons as you have done so well here. And definitely like you I much prefer hiking, jogging and especially photographing in the cool, or even cold weather to hot, although in photography we always take what we’re given don’t we. A well done and thoughtful post.
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Thanks for those thots. Yes it’s true that we take what we’re given. While I have some tolerance for enduring to get the photo, when it’s a gorgeous day it imprints such wonderful memories as an added bonus as I pursue the contrasts.
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Balance in all things – I think this has been one of the more challenging winters as far as driving conditions, but also one of the most beautiful. I’ve seen some stunning things that I wouldn’t have seen, had I been stuck in my igloo. It is a great lesson to learn the trick of appreciating the beauty of every season of life. And the best part – our winters guarantee a distinct lack of poisonous reptiles dropping on my shoulders as I head out to enjoy nature. 🙂
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Balance is constant search sometimes. If there was a perfect season then I would be less inclined to enjoy the changes. And yes that whole idea of poisonous reptiles definitely has been something I have appreciated for a long time.
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Fall is my favorite season, too. As a native Californian, I’ve never lived where it snows as a regular thing in the winter, so I love your photos and descriptions of the white stuff!
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When I’ve writing about the snow, I keep thinking about the locals and the people far away who don’t get any. They come with completely different perspectives.
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My worst weather complaining comes out when the mosquitoes and humidity show up. Beautiful pictures, especially the reflected fall leaves. You have some great looking seasons! If we had more snow around where I live, winters would be a lot prettier.
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Humidity and mosquitoes are some of my least favourite things! Sitting on the grass looking at the fall leaves photo simply took my breath away.
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I love all seasons, but rather cold than hot. This (Holland) is the furthest south I will ever live! Lovely pictures and well written post as usual! 🙂
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That all makes sense to me. Glad you liked the post.
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I actually love winter, most of the time. I can hike without fear of snakes, I can work hard outside without breaking a sweat, I can sit by a fire – all pretty good options 🙂 Nice set – I love the changing of the seasons.
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I don’t have too worry about snakes around here but that would make me like winter a lot more! Glad you like winter – so many people don’t.
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Loved the photos and your writing on the seasons. Would not want to live where they did not have them. Each one has it’s own things to love or hate and make you appreciate the next one coming along.
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That’s exactly right. It’s the changing that actually makes it appealing.
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Wonderful scenes and sure looks like beautiful country.
It’s funny, we are experiencing an unseasonable cold snap here currently and people are all in a panic because it dropped down to 4C.
Well enjoy your day in the igloo. 😀
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They were some beautiful scenes. Different locations certainly have different trigger points for panic.
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Amazing photos. “I complain, therefore I am”!
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Thanks. I should have talked to you first so I could have incorporated that line!
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Nice essay and photos. No longer living in the northlands, I miss at times the crisp brilliance of snow and the quiet winter sleep, your photos are a happy remembrance. I’ve lived in the strong desert sun too, nowadays my temperate environs feature a halfhearted attempt at both, but no complaints… 🙂
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Thank you. There is no half-hearted anything about our weather. Glad you like where you are.
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Reblogged this on Rites of the Image and commented:
Stunning photos
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Thanks so much.
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We are definitely a bit ahead of you in the signs of spring, as flowers bloom and wildlife reappears. Living in a suburban area, where commuting is always bad, I have come to view snow as mostly a hindrance and an obstacle. Your “views from an igloo” shots of the pristine, snow-covered landscape remind me of the stark beauty of the winter. I am looking forward to your spring photos, which will come long after our spring flowers have faded and the novelty of budding trees has disappeared.
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Thanks Mike. Our winter has involved a lot more snow and is a lot longer than usual so spring will likely also come later than usual. In the past I have registered my motorbike in two weeks but that seems ridiculous now.
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Heh, nice. 🙂 Yes, maybe no season is perfect; but I prefer to think that every season has something wonderful, something really awesome, that makes them different and makes me enjoy all of them.
We’re in a similar situation here in terms of spring. The sun is finally feeling warm, but the wind is freezing. It’s -10C most days, and the ice on the roads is melting during the days, but there’s nothing green on the tree branches.
Nice photos, as always. I like the way you choose your themes for your posts – they’re always new and different.
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I find it interesting that such different parts of the world could be having similar weather. It’s nice hear that someone else enjoys parts of every season.
It’s nice to hear that you like the variety in the themes I post. It has been a challenge to keep coming up with new ones.
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Great shots. Beautiful scenic.
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I appreciate that.
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Beautiful contrasts, Lyle!
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Thanks. There are a lot of contrasts here.
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So well written and so well photographed, you are right about the wrong clothing for the bitterly cold, but out where I am Id be running around naked trying to get cool, oh and that wouldn’t be good.
Anyway stunning images as always
cheers Callie
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Thank you. You’ve hit on the reason why I think the heat is worse than the cold. There are limits to what you can do with clothing when it’s hot but you can always bundle up in the cold.
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