Snow on the Tamaracks

After the Sunday snowfall, Sue got us out early on Monday morning to see whether the boughs of the tamarack trees might be holding onto snow. We began to walk there, but we soon opted to drive because the sidewalk was very slippery underfoot. We have grippers for our boots, but we hadn't accessed them yet, and I don't really like fussing with them anyway.

The snow or some snow was, indeed, clinging to the branches, which is of course exactly what we wanted. I stopped at the very first tree close to the park entrance. Its crookedness pleases me, but it, apparently, the opposite of what we expect from tamarack trees.

Tamarack trees (Larix laricina), also known as American larch or eastern larch, are naturally characterized by a straight, upright trunk. This is one of their defining physical characteristics, along with a narrow, conical crown and horizontal branching, which becomes more irregular as the tree ages 

Farther along, there was another tree, of which this is not your first glimpse.

At the farthest end of the pond lay the subject for my final photo — final for the day and quite possibly for this year, but that remains to be completely determined.

It was most satisfying to see and photograph this rather unusual juxtaposition that I hadn’t witnessed previously and quite likely will not see again, After all, the snow doesn’t usually fall in measurable amounts when the tamaracks lie in this colourful state. 

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Lest We Forget

It is Remembrance Day here in the Great White North: a day when very solemn observances are held to remember and honour and those who have died in wars. In Carleton Place, soldiers, veterans and even serving police officers will march the short distance from town hall to Veterans Memorial Park where the Cenotaph* is located. Many wreaths will be laid, and a deafening gun salute will sound.

We have attended these ceremonies more than once, but we stay home now, and this post becomes my observance. However, last week we did visit the new memorial crosswalk leading to the park and cenotaph.

Sue removes a leaf for a photo

We took a few more pictures while we were there: most include the Cenotaph. 

The Ontario and Canadian flags fly at the Cenotaph

*A cenotaph is an empty grave, tomb or a monument erected in honour of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere or have been lost.

The First Walloping

My post yesterday was about the beginning of the Christmas season, but yesterday turned out to be the beginning of winter, or at least the beginning of the snowy season. It was quite a walloping for November the 9th. I don't recall seeing so much snow so early in our previous 20 years.

Our morning walk took us to the park where I wanted to juxtapose the snow with the tamarack trees, but the flakes were light at that time, and there hadn't yet been much accumulation. This was the best I could do.

That early in the day, there was just enough snow to cover the footbridge along the trail.

But it kept falling all day. After dinner, our good neighbours came over to clear the front and garage doors. A bit later, Sue scraped away the new-fallen stuff (next photo). Our plow guy came by overnight to do the driveway to begin to earn the small fortune that we paid him up front.

Quite an accumulation for so early.

While Sue was doing that, I took a quick pic from our garage of the house across the street — quite a difference from the single tree that was there just the day before. Bless their hearts for bringing their exuberant, festive lighting to the neighbourhood.

November snow usually doesn't last, especially when it falls this early, but that was a significant amount, so we shall see.

It Begins

Our neighbour took down is Halloween display this week. Here is what he was doing yesterday. Although he will unpack and add many more ornaments, he wanted to get this up before the first snow, which is supposed to be coming today.

Another neighbour was getting his lights up. In neither case did I get them on the ladder, which is what I would have preferred, but I also preferred not to linger.

Sue has pretty well transformed our interior already. You've seen the cardinal-snowy thing recently, but there are little things here and there. This one piece ↓ has been in three places already, but I think that it is going to stick here, in the downstairs hall, until Christmas. There are many other seasonal objects that I might or might not reveal over time. Some are specific to Christmas, but others are just more general winter decorations that shall be displayed longer. I imagine that the next big change will precede Valentines Day.

Last night, I took a picture from my den. Sue opines that we have the best view on the street. As I wrote earlier, it will get pretty crowded over there before too long, but this simple display is very nice, indeed.

I understand that many of my more southerly friends will think this to be rather early, but it is getting cold already, and unlike you, we don't have an intervening big holiday. Our first storm is about to hit, and it is time to begin lighting our world as the darkness descends.

Losing Track

Yesterday, I made a point of paying cash at the store. It is something that I just don't do. I prefer debit or credit because I figure whatever cash I am carrying should stay in my wallet in case of an emergency.

But it is Remembrance Day next week, so poppies are by checkouts everywhere. I wanted to purchase two poppies, one for me and one for Sue, but I wasn't about to stuff a twenty in the box.

So, I paid cash for my purchase, received the change, and then jammed a fiver through the tiny slot.

Minutes later, I pulled into my driveway, began to exit, and reached for the two poppies that I had placed on the passenger seat.

Except I hadn't. Not that time although I know that I had placed something there recently.

The fact of the matter is that I had left my donation for the poppies but not taken them.

I drove back. It's not far, just around the corner really.

Back at the cash and said to the guy, "You remember me, right?" I didn't want people to think that I was just grabbing poppies without donating.

He did remember me and said that he had wondered why I had donated but not taken any poppies. 

I took my two poppies and skulked off.

This is the kind of thing that I do regularly. I don't mean at stores particularly but just forgetting little things that I had intended to do but then forgotten. For example: I might go downstairs for something and come back upstairs empty-handed.

I would tell you more about some of the things that I forget, but, quite frankly my dears, I forget what they are.

Could Not Resist

As soon as we walked into the pharmacy we were both smitten with this delightful, lighted ornament. We don’t make many snap purchases like this, but it was seniors discount day, so we were rendered helpless. What with winter almost here and Christmas coming soon, it will work as a decoration for both situations, so we splurged. It will be a source of light and bright in the dark, wintry months  

In the evening, I decided to try both a photo and video, just holding the phone freehand in the low light. Whatever editing I did subsequently was on the phone. The photo doesn’t carry the total impact of how strikingly pretty the ornament really is, but it does yield an approximation. The frame is very white in the daylight but yellow like this when the machine is on and when the snow is swirling around the cardinals.. 

I also had a short video, but Blogger is not liking it this morning, so that’s it — short and sweet today. 

Short Night and Tamarack Delight

It’s not 5AM, and Sleepwatch just reported 2h 15m sleep last night. Although I think it missed an hour, it’s getting ridiculous. Having to visit the loo so many times doesn’t help. I am strongly considering recommencing catheterizing before bed. I really don’t want to have to do this, but I might need to. I am scheduled to see the urologist again later this month, but if there is anything to be done, surgically, it will take time to set up, and I don’t know if, indeed, anything can be done. 

Meanwhile . . . We are back with the good ole tamarack trees again today. I think I photograph these ↓ two trees at the far end of the pond every year, but each year is different. I caught very long reflections this time.

That was a telephoto, but this ↓ is a much wider view from, probably, the very same spot.

I photographed Sue, and she photographed me because that is part of what we do together. The one of me is from the previous, duller day, but I brought some light and colour back in edit. The advantage of that photo is also having a cloudy sky. 

Look at my silly mittens dangling.