Pinterest-p Icon-instagram-1 Twitter Facebook-f Youtube

April 29, 2010. Anywhere on the Prairies

\"\"

I love snow days in the country. There’s just something about them. The solitude. The weather in all of it\’s fury. In all of it\’s indifference.

\"\"

I may have been a little optimistic in putting the lawn furniture out a few weeks ago.

\"\"

Fortunately, I remembered the umbrella.

\"\"

Even the shelterbelt is a photo-op waiting to be shot.

\"\"

Dogs. They just live for the moment don’t they?

\"\"

It\’s a little bit of glory out there today.

\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"

Others beg to differ.

\"\"

Somewhat oblivious to the knowledge we\’ve been through worse.

\"\"

Remember this. Circa May long weekend, 2007. That was a storm.

\"\"

It took us the better part of summer to clean up the deadfall.

\"\"

Some trees never did recover. The combination of fresh, heavy spring snow on trees already laden with leaves was too great a weight for the branches to bear. I admit, I cried a little over this one. It was our swing tree.

\"\"

Or this storm, early May last year.

\"\"

Brutal. Just before a show weekend.

\"\"

And then there was this. It all began innocently enough on Dec. 4, 2009, and by Dec. 5 morphed into the mother of all winter storms.

\"\"

I haven’t seen drifts like this since 1923.

\"\"

That day this little mare wouldn’t come in, and hunkered down at the far end of the pasture. I ventured out in the freezing winds to retrieve her, but she refused my assistance. I tried for an hour in -65°C temperatures. Or something like that. It was a long time. It was bitter. My fingers and toes were frozen. I was staring out at the world through frost-laden eyelashes. Even the dogs went home. Finally, I gave it up and fought my way back through the snowdrifts. At the paddock gate I wheeled around and there she was. Right behind me. Like, right behind me. She’s a funny one, this mare. I’m hoping she’ll grow up next year.

Her actions have already indicated it’s unlikely.

\"\"

“Und vhat are you lookeen at?”

Sorry, I had to do that. I needed the humor. The power is out, the wind is howling, my laptop is running dangerously low on batteries. There’s an open can of beans on the counter with a fork stuck in it. I could be coming down with cabin fever.

Hope you\’ve enjoyed the look at my day today.

P.S. Send your April 29-30 great spring snowstorm, or those shots of you by the pool, or gardening, or loping in your outside arena – depending on what end of the country you reside in – to [email protected]. Later, we’ll take a poll on where we’d all rather live. Somedays.

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest
Ingrid Schulz

Ingrid Schulz

View All Posts >

9 thoughts on “April 29, 2010. Anywhere on the Prairies”

  1. Jenn Webster

    Ha! I should send you a picture of how beautiful it is in Saskatchewan today!! 🙂 Lol. Just as long as that stuff doesn’t come my way tomorrow…

  3. Debbie Newton

    Ah, now I remember why I moved from Moose Jaw, SK to the “Wet Coast” of the Surrey/Langley area of BC. We may be wet at times but I usually don’t have to shovel the rain, just make drainage plans. The biggest downfall is the land prices here are ridiculous.

  4. Karin Apfel

    Awesome pics. I am so grateful that Mane Event was last weekend!!! Whew!

  5. Sandy

    The great photos tell the story. Thank you for sharing. Very nice to read inside while warm and cozy!

  6. Teresa van Bryce

    Just had to respond since that last paragraph sounded so much like my day yesterday — the no power, the dying laptop and the cold food. My husband had cereal for breakfast and lunch! Thanks for the smile Ingrid.

  7. Lillian Dalton

    All the Chinook Penners were grateful that the storm didn’t blow in last weekend when we all hauled to Claresholm…it’s happened many times in the past.

    A 30 foot pine tree broke off and landed on my paddock fence .. no horse near thank goodness!

    No power from 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. – spent a lovely day holed up in the family room with a roaring fire, playing board games with the family, eating off paper plates. Yaaay – got to throw the dishes in the fire!

  8. Connie Tsang

    Beautiful pictures. The snow was so deep here my little miniature couldn’t make it to the barn. We had to get the snow blower out to make him a path. Very cute and of coures I forgot the camera at the house. Later in the day my husband was plowing the driveway with the tractor and kept being hit on the head with ice falling from the trees. I suggested he wear my riding helmut. Now that would have been a picture!

  9. Susan K

    Wow, Ingrid! I didn’t know you were such a gifted photographer! You have some GORGEOUS shots there…Can I get some prints to frame? I particularly love the two just above and below where you say, “Brutal. Just before a show weekend”. Perhaps I shouldn’t tell you that it’s going to be in the 80s here this weekend (Redding, CA — so you all will have to forgive me for the Fahrenheit!), and that we’re thinking of getting into the pool!

Comments are closed.

Shopping Cart