Second snow fall of the winter

Where's my apple?

If you're going to wake up to a snowy world you might as well do it in the countryside and we managed to time it just right this weekend. We were staying with friends in their house in the woods when the snow came on Saturday night. (our second snowfall this winter - the first was a month ago).

A familiar scene for the next few months.

We were in the Eastern Townships -  cottage country for Montrealers which comprises beautiful rolling countryside, mountains, lakes, forests, you know, lots of well .....Canadian stuff.

So when we woke up on Saturday morning we were looking at your basic winter wonderland - evergreens heavy with snow and beneath them - lots of deer tracks. A walk was in order although conditions were tricky. We all slipped quite a bit on the ice beneath the snow and two of us landed on the ground.  The Canadians just bounce back up again, undaunted.

I learned this weekend that the Eastern Townships actually live in the future. This is because for some strange reason they get some Saturday sections of the Montreal Gazette delivered on a Friday. So when our friend went to buy some wine recommended in the paper and the assistant asked him which newspaper the article was in, he had to say tomorrow's. We had a pleasant Friday reading Saturday's paper - another normal day out here.

A nuthatch eating suet.

Problems in the townships seem to consist of beavers flooding your land, wild boars escaping from the abattoir and avoiding being shot by hunters while out for a walk. Other than that it seems pretty idyllic to me.

One thing I wasn't expecting to see was Highland Cattle but the Down to Earth farm breeds them for beef in Bolton-Ouest. I shouted some Scottish at them and I think I saw a glint of recognition in their eye.

I think I made a connection with this bull.

I'm always impressed at snowy conditions and Canadian drivers. It's just another day to them. My reaction is always, we're going to go out in the car? But it's been snowing. But before you know it they are clearing the snow off the vehicle and behind the wheel. Why wouldn't they be - they've got months of this stuff ahead.
See more pics on the Dear England, Love Canada Facebook page
Read more snowy stuff.