Solidarity with Ukraine ...

 

Spacesuit ...

This winter marks my ninth since moving to the South Shore and without any doubt whatsoever, they have all been far more enjoyable than any I had during my lost years in Southern Ontario.

I find that winter beach wanders are far better than any other time of the year, in particular on days like today, when the sky is blue and completely clear, the sunshine is almost blinding and the wind is light. It is so nice to be wrapped up in my spacesuit (for the uninformed that’s my winter coat) to walk the beach in the freshness of winter.

With this afternoons perfect conditions, I had a great wander on Crescent Beach, then extended it onto Bush Island. While on the beach, I was very surprised to see a Piping Plover running along the shallows. Normally they are only seen on this beach or in fact anywhere locally during late August and September. After which they head south to the Gulf Coast of the US and Mexico, southern Atlantic US coast, and the Caribbean including the Bahamas and Cuba. So, I have no idea what this guy was doing here in February, but he looked just as happy as I was to be on the beach.

Ice and Shadows …

It feels like weeks and perhaps it is, since the last time the temperature rose above the freezing point. Currently ground has a foundation of snow, which is covered with a deep layer of hard ice. 

In recent weeks we have had a couple of snowfalls, but in between those there has been some rain, which within a few hours of falling has flash frozen. Then on top of that there has been two or three occurrences of freezing rain. With overnight temperatures currently the mid -20°C range, the empire and all around it has turned into a frozen wilderness. In my 37 years living in Canada, I don’t think I have experienced such a long period of below zero temperatures. During the daytime, it does however look very nice with the bright sunshine and blue sky.

Over the last couple days, I have been out around the empire taking photos during early morning and late afternoon, to catch the long shadows that are cast on the frozen ground, together with trying to highlight the texture and variances in shape of the ice surface.