I know I’ve been moaning and groaning about the snow and how hard it is for the tiny hummingbirds and other little creatures who have to try to survive in the snow and cold.
But for those of you who can shut that dilemma out of your head, you may want to make the best of this snowy weather.
If you have access to a ski hill, you can do that (if you’re still young enough to take advantage of this vigorous pastime).
At the top of the chairlift, have a look around and enjoy the crisp air. Take in the vastness of the valley below. Do you feel small?
Forget about birds that want to land on a branch. They are gone from this frozen place, leaving it all to you.
Pure and clean! And now for an exhilarating ride to the bottom of the hill. Swish! … Don’t fall.
Photos by Pat Gerrie
British Columbia
January 6, 2022 at 12:36 am
Atemberaubend schön. Das schaue ich mir lieber nur an. Wintersport ist nichts für mich 😉
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January 6, 2022 at 8:55 am
I’m with you! I don’t need a broken hip at this stage of my life.
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January 6, 2022 at 11:29 am
Absolutely not.
I already had an artificial knee joint at 50…after a domestic accident 😦
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January 6, 2022 at 1:07 am
It is beautiful to look at and fun for skiers.
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January 6, 2022 at 8:54 am
So clean!
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January 6, 2022 at 1:25 am
Winter is beautiful, and also killing for so many creatures, and sometimes for us, humans, too.
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January 6, 2022 at 8:53 am
Yes, good and bad….
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January 6, 2022 at 1:31 am
I’m not a fan of winter but the photos are gorgeous! Thanks for sharing, Anneli.
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January 6, 2022 at 8:51 am
Thanks, Jill. My friend Pat takes some great snow pictures.
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January 6, 2022 at 1:49 am
These are gorgeous photos, Anneli. They look like they could have been taken in the north. Yes, so, so hard for all the little ones – beautiful and cruel.
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January 6, 2022 at 8:51 am
Meanwhile, overnight we got another huge dump of snow on Vancouver Island. I was out before first light, filling birdfeeders.
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January 6, 2022 at 2:36 am
Thanks for showing these great winter pictures. We love snow, actually we need snow, therefore we go far north during the wintertime. We enjoy cross country skiing and isn’t it fun driving on snow? When we were children we were so much looking forward to the first snow. As we lived in Skandinavia we usually were lucky having snow from November to March. That meant skiing, building igloos and snowmen, skating and snowball fights.
We can’t imagine how people can live without the joys of snow.
All the best
The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
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January 6, 2022 at 8:50 am
It is beautiful, but I must admit I enjoyed it more as a child than I do as an adult. Have a great weekend, KB.
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January 6, 2022 at 9:56 am
Fun driving on snow, Klausbernd?
I still remember my life in Bonn, where, as the saying goes, traffic breaks down immediately when there’s just one snowflake on the ground. 😀
But on a more serious note: I still vividly remember skidding on iced-over snow in Oklahoma years ago when Mary and I were extremely lucky not to have been in a serious accident. The road was covered in iced-over snow, and it had a lot of ripples, “Waschbrett-Struktur” I’d call it in German. I was driving our old Ford F-150 at around 30 – 35 mph, just ever so gently, not even touching the brake pedal. Well, in those ripples the truck started to swerve all by itself, mainly because of its rigid rear axle and the fact that there was no noteworthy weight on the bed. I did what I could to gently correct the course and also de-clutched to make sure the wheels could roll freely, but we drifted further and further into the middle of the road – which proved to be good luck because a big 18-wheeler which could not stop nor slow down could pass us on our right-hand side with barely a food to spare. I could not prevent the car from more drifting and spinning. In fact, it turned around a full 180 degrees and ended up on the other side of the road, halfway on the shoulder, facing in the direction we had come from. We were extremely lucky that at that moment no car had come the other way.
It took us quite some time to catch our breath and for our heartbeat to slow down to normal again. The we drove on, ever so careful again, and in the next town went to a DIY-store to get 5 bags of cement to put in the bed of the truck to have some weight on the rear axle to prevent it from “trampling” again. We were happy/lucky that we later arrived safely at Mary’s cousin’s place in Denver.
That much about the “fun” of driving in snow.
Oh, btw, you might have heard about the snowstorm(s) that just a few days ago completely blocked many highways in the northeast and had people stranded for up to a day in their cars, plus caused quite a few deaths?
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January 6, 2022 at 10:36 am
Dear Pit,
when I lived in Finland I exchanged driving lessons on frozen lakes every day for two hours with German lessons for several months. My student was a professional rallye driver who took part for three times in the Rallye Montge Carlo. I had a lover living up North on the Eismeer Rd. and I drove up to the Arctic Ocean from Inari and back once a week.
Later in my thirties I got to know a driver from the Mercedes rallye team and he taught me winter driving on closed roads in the French Alps.
And when I lived in Northern Scotland I once drove down south to Edinburgh to get medicine in a snowstorm in the north and pure ice in the south.
As I wrote I think it’s fun driving on snow and ice. Maybe I am a bit out of practise but I do a driver’s training sometimes. Normal driving is kind of boring as the car does nearly everything nowadays but on ice it is a kind of art or playing with powers. Actually, it’s all pure physics.
Anyway, with icy roads lately I noticed that my Volvo is very reliable but I had to get used to the 4 wheel drive power.
Enjoy the weekend
Klausbernd 🙂
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January 7, 2022 at 12:02 pm
Ok, Klausbernd,
before I have to drive again on ice and snow I’ll hire you as a driver! 😀 But seriously: you had quite a lot of training for those conditions. Great!
Have a great weekend, too,
Pit
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January 7, 2022 at 12:04 pm
P.S.: as such wintry conditions on the roads are very rare here, we decided against a 4×4 drive for our new truck.
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January 8, 2022 at 8:39 am
Well, dear Pit, I lived for years in countries where it was normal to drive on snow and ice. I suppose (and hope) it’s like learning to swim, once you learned it you have this ability lifelong. It would be a honour being your driver 😉
We just came back from Norwich and Dina and I brought many books home. We can’t wait to read them.
All the best
The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
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January 8, 2022 at 1:05 pm
Enjoy the books! 🙂
Have a wonderful weekend,
Pit
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January 9, 2022 at 3:44 am
We have glorious weather, dear Pit, sunshine, just 1 degree and no wind. Such a clear and crisp air 🙂
I started already with the first book Knausgård’s “Morning Star”, his newest novel.
Keep happy and healthy
The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
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January 9, 2022 at 10:14 am
Here, dear Klausbernd, it’s overcast, with some sunny spells.
Have a great Sunday evening,
Pit
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January 6, 2022 at 4:33 am
Gorgeous photos! So strange for B.C. to be getting so much snow while we here in Newfoundland have so little for a change. Hoping for some in the forecast though.
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January 6, 2022 at 8:48 am
We were saying the same thing. The Captain grew up in NFLD and said how unusual it was to have these weather patterns reversed. BTW, Jennifer, I loved both your “Calmer” books!
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January 6, 2022 at 9:36 am
Oh I’m so happy you enjoyed them! Thanks for letting me know. Your book Julia’s Violinist recently came up on my radar via Luanne Castle’s glowing review. I’ve added it to my TBR list and look forward to reading it very soon.
The Captain? I’m new to your blog so may I ask for a little background? 😊
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January 6, 2022 at 9:49 am
My husband was a commercial salmon fisherman for over 40 years. If I use his name in my blog posts, I refer to him as the Captain. I appreciate that you have Julia’s Violinist on your TBR list. I hope you enjoy it.
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January 6, 2022 at 10:07 am
And he’s from NL? That’s awesome!
I’m sure I’ll like your book. Looking forward to it.
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January 6, 2022 at 10:39 am
Born in Corner Brook.
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January 6, 2022 at 1:52 pm
I love that area of the island.
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January 6, 2022 at 7:06 am
Good grief those are gorgeous photos. I won’t say it makes me want to ski, but I continue to appreciate nature through your lens.
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January 6, 2022 at 8:47 am
These photos were taken by a friend who teaches skiing.
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January 6, 2022 at 7:12 am
Wow! Such a beautiful place, Anneli! ❤️🇨🇦
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January 6, 2022 at 9:01 am
Very pure and clean looking
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January 6, 2022 at 9:31 am
Gorgeous!
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January 6, 2022 at 12:37 pm
Thanks, Pit.
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January 6, 2022 at 12:24 pm
Dressing for the weather and getting out there is one way to make winter move along. Wonderful, crisp photos.
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January 6, 2022 at 12:38 pm
I wish I could take credit for them but they were taken by a friend.
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January 6, 2022 at 2:51 pm
I can hardly wait.
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January 6, 2022 at 4:31 pm
So you ARE still on this planet!!! Nice to see you here, Leslie.
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January 6, 2022 at 3:31 pm
I haven’t downhill skied in years but these photos made me take a vicarious trip! Gorgeous photos!
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January 6, 2022 at 4:30 pm
Vicarious is safer!
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January 7, 2022 at 6:15 am
Herrliche Fotos. Ich liebe Schnee.
Liebe Grüße,
Martina
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January 7, 2022 at 9:35 am
Thanks, Martina. It looks so refreshing and pure. Have a great weekend.
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January 7, 2022 at 5:36 pm
My goodness! That was a beautiful, exhilarating ride and gorgeous photos. Thank you, Anneli!
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January 7, 2022 at 5:37 pm
A virtual ski ride with no chance of getting a broken hip. 😉
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January 8, 2022 at 5:15 am
Yes!
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January 8, 2022 at 3:50 am
These great winter pictures are fantastic, Anneli. They show how incredibly wonderful winter can be. I love snow because I was born in deep winter, in January. On my birthday there was sledging or skiing, igloos were built and snowmen were made. And sometimes there were even snowdrops outside. I love winter!
Thank You, Anneli, and I wish you all the best!
Rosie
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January 8, 2022 at 8:59 am
Thanks, Rosie. I’m glad you enjoyed this post. Have a great weekend.
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January 10, 2022 at 3:56 am
Best wishes to you as well. 💕😊
Rosie
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January 8, 2022 at 11:21 pm
If anyone asks you what does it mean to be covered in a magnificent mantle of white, show them any one of the spectacular photos you posted, they’ll never need to wonder what that means again!
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January 8, 2022 at 11:28 pm
It is rather magnificent, isn’t it? I’ll pass it on to my friend who took the photos. Thanks.
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January 9, 2022 at 1:45 pm
Not just “rather” magnificent, more of “entirely” magnificent 🙂
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January 9, 2022 at 1:51 pm
Thank you!
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January 9, 2022 at 11:12 am
What gorgeous photos. I used to ski, but it’s too hard on me now since my talent at skiing includes lots of falling and crashing. We are feeding the birds and squirrels instead. Beautiful post, Anneli.
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January 9, 2022 at 11:43 am
Exactly how I feel about it. The last time I fell down hard while skiing I thought, “What am I doing here? I don’t need a broken hip.”
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January 9, 2022 at 12:33 pm
Same here. I think the last time I went skiing I gave myself a concussion.
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January 9, 2022 at 1:46 pm
Ouch!
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January 9, 2022 at 2:46 pm
Lovely photos, thanks Pat 🙂 The snow laden trees look alien, yet beautiful to me Anneli, I can see why Canada is calling my daughter back with scenery like this!
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January 9, 2022 at 4:43 pm
But very cold weather comes with it!
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January 10, 2022 at 1:56 am
I realise I really don’t know what cold is compared to Canadian cold! I have nothing to complain about 😉
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January 10, 2022 at 9:48 am
We all get used to our own climate in time.
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January 10, 2022 at 1:25 pm
Each has its own challenges and rewards 😀
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January 12, 2022 at 6:07 pm
What glorious photos!!! Wow. Makes me almost miss skiing. Almost, but not quite. I actually accidentally skiied sideways down a hill when I was a teen. I think that was the last time downhill for me. I took up cross country after that.
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January 12, 2022 at 8:40 pm
I remember trying to turn my skis away from a tree that was coming at me, but only my body turned; not the skis. I found out that trees have no give at all, and I ended up with a bruise the size of my hand on my (nearly) backside. It hurt!
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January 13, 2022 at 5:55 pm
Are you kidding me?! You can die that way! Trees do not belong on ski slopes. That is how Sonny Bono died.
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January 13, 2022 at 5:57 pm
I guess I was lucky!
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January 14, 2022 at 9:16 am
So lucky.
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