1/11/04

you always take the weather with you." song by CROWDED HOUSE

It’s been bitterly cold these last few days, but the blessed clouds have come and blanketed the region once again, allowing the earth to warm the atmosphere, and letting loose a light sprinkling of snow flakes.

It’s been a while since I’ve seen a reading of -20 degrees F (-28 C).

I can recall winters in Northern Ontario, when walking to school in -20 to -29 degree F weather might result in nose bleeds resulting from cracked nasal membranes. -30 degrees F or lower meant a school free day, when we’d stay home drinking cocoa, making messes, and playing nicely together until we stopped playing nicely together. Then my mother would make all 6, 7 or 8 of us kids bundle up in winter gear and go outside for a bit. A woman can only take so much, and my mother had more than her fair share of challenges.

It was ungodly cold, but we’d always figure out something to do…..a snow fort was always an inviting option. We made some awesome snow forts, temporary shelters that soon became very home like, with carved out benches and the like. We learned alot of weird bush survival stuff in Boy Scouts and Girl Guides, including how to make lean-to’s, make camp in the snow, and what to do if you get lost in ‘The Bush’ .These, I guess, were necessary survival skills in such a harsh environment. Growing up on northern radar stations and Canadian Forces bases was kind of cool in a strange way….our nomad lifestyle made us keenly aware that there are few constants in life. Learning how to survive in the wilderness just might come in handy some day, we thought.

One of my favourite books in 5th grade or so was " My Side Of The Mountain", a story about a boy who runs away from home and lives in the Catskill region of New York, carving an abode out of an old hollow tree and training a falcon to help him capture game, living in the wilderness for a year or so before hitch hiking his way back home.

That seemed like the epitomy of self reliance at that time in my life. In some ways, it still does. I still get a great thrill out of freak weather occurrences, and the various challenges of life. It’s pleasing, in a way, to be warm during such cold weather.

And the pleasure in the respite from hardship is compounded by the contrast.

Stay warm friends!

PS..my virus protection just notified me of 3 virus attacks that were quarantined while I have been using Open Diary. I hope the administrator of this site is monitoring this sort of activity.