Tuesday 17 December

This is what it looked like outside in the almost full moonlight last night (picture from inside, of course, as it was -27 by this time, with the minimum by midnight of -28):

A little bit of a sleep-in this morning till 7.45; when we got up it was -18. We had some fruit and then drove through the town to a small cafe called Louis II. We lingered quite a while over breakfast, which was very reasonably price and there was no way I could finish all the food; many cafes have a bottomless coffee, as did this one but that’s like drinking mud.  

Very funny: the sign reads Belly Ice Cream Company!

We had a wander for quite a while through the town, browsing in several stores; for this type of excursion, it’s just warm jackets, hats, gloves, which come off in the car, go back on to get into the or shop and then gradually peel off layers as we get warmed up.

Once we got back to our cottage, we got into all the heavy-duty warm stuff and Steve and I put on showshoes (again, this task takes some time to complete) – a real fun experience walking through the new snow which was quite deep. I was wearing Dianne’s snowshoes, so she only came a little way, sinking way deep in the snow, so she could get some pictures of us. We walked about 200 metres to the river, which was frozen, of course, but it’s so quiet with no-one else around: there’s a real hush, with snow softly falling: picture postcard, incredible beauty.

Back to the cottage, where Dianne had a pot of soup ready, so we had “lunch” and then off for the next adventure. By now we had got as high as -11 and at some stage it warmed up even further to -9!

We were going to Arrowhead Provincial Park. Before we left Kitchener, Dianne had made phone calls to see where would be a good place to give me a cross-country skiing experience. Arrowhead is very close to where we’re staying but, as Dianne was told, it doesn’t open until Friday this week, and that’s only because the snow is so early. A phone call connected with the operator of the park, whose name is Helen. When Dianne explained that they have me with them, that I’m from Oz and that they wanted to give me a cross-country skiing experience, she said “why don’t you just come over and drive through the gate and come on up to the office”.

We drove into the park (you can see the sign says "Park Closed" and down the winding road – picture a louge (think Winter Olympics: bobsled team), with snow banks on each side and snow/ice on the track – that’s what driving on this road is exactly like, only it’s bigger and you’re driving a big, heavy vehicle on big, rubber tyres meant for bitumen. What fun!

Helen was very welcoming and she and the girls were delighted to meet me – I’m sort of getting used to being the current attraction wherever they take me! She skilfully fitted me with all the right stuff, telling us that she’s always wanted to go to Oz but she’s afraid of the snakes!!!!

So out I walked, skis, poles in hand, with very secure, warm boots. Helen told us we could drive to the store further down the track and use the car park for a ski experience. We did that and had quite a good go for maybe 200 metres or so. Again, it was a lot of fun.

After the gear was back in the car, Dianne spotted a clearing and said we had to make snow angels. For the unitiated, this involves falling backwards into the snow – very, very soft, like a puffy doona - and then spreading your arms and legs back and forth, forming the “carving” into the snow.

When you stand up, lo and behold, there’s a snow angel!

Back to the ski store and getting all the gear off. I decided to give Helen my email address, on my little sticky notes with the scripture verse. Turns out she is a pastor, ordained in the Pentecostal church! So we shared a lovely few minutes; then Dianne asked for the bill for the ski hire and use of the park – Helen wouldn’t charge us anything!

Miracle No 1: that we got into the park at all.

Miracle No 2: it didn’t cost anything!

Our God is an awesome God – if you’re praying for me while I’m here, don’t stop! He’s listening!

Very funny: don't look for a drink here - it's all snowed up!

We relaxed this afternoon, catching up on internet “homework” before going out for dinner. Temp at 5.00pm was around -14 and you always add a wind chill factor of 2 or 3 degrees to that. By this time it’s very, very dark. Even though it’s a full moon tonight, we won’t get to see it because it’s very cloudy and snow is expected overnight. However, coming days will continue to warm up. Dinner was at Three Guys and a Stove: great food, enough for a doggy bag for our hot breakfast in the morning.

Monday 16 December

There was so much to put in the car to take on our little excursion, that by the time we got into the car and leaving it was about 10.30am. When we left home it was -14. We stopped in Fergus, about 40 minutes along the road for a coffee at Macca’s and a very good coffee it was too. It was hilarious to see the outdoor tables and seats all covered in snow, looking like toadstools in a fairy garden!

Further along we went into a supplements supply store for Steve and Dianne to stock up; I was able to get some CoQ10 at a really good price, so that was a handy stop! We were there for quite a time and I used it to “do laps” around the aisles – sitting in the car for long stretches is not very good exercise. J

Orangeville:

We were soon off on the final leg to Huntsville. At this stage we moved into new terrain, the Canada Shield. There are boulders everywhere; roads have been cut through them; hills and valleys, rather than the flatter terrain down south.

As you can see, the highway was now iced – again I’m amazed that they can drive on this but it’s just normal traffic on the highway.

Dianne had spoken to the hotel earlier in the day, to hear that last night they got down to -30! The temperature was about -16 when we got here, still in late sunshine at 3.00pm. Not too long after, the sun was well down behind the trees and the light started to fade. We’re at the Tulip Hotel, not in the main units but in a secluded cottage down the end of the driveway.

Outside:

The barbie!!!

View from our loungeroom (the centre light is a reflection from inside but the rest of the light comes from the setting sun - so beautiful!)

This is how you keep warm – in front of the fireplace:

Dianne brought lots of food and we just had dinner, ready to settle down now, watching a Gaither Christmas DVD.

The temperature right now in Kitchener is -19.

The temperature right now here is -26. J Dianne went outside to check it out – steam flew in the door: she lasted less than 5 seconds on the porch.

Sunday 15 December

Heavy snow on all the unploughed roads and sidewalks on the way to Church this morning at River of Life Fellowship; a few of the people who were at the cell group dinner were there this morning, including the pastor, Glen and his wife. Good to have some corporate worship; a nice church, quite small, in a hired school hall.Some of the members have come out of the Mennonite church, so we had one of their customs which is the Advent wreath.

On the way home we drove into the car park at the ski hill and sure enough there were quite a few skiing, including very young kids and families. At that stage the snow was quite light, although it was pretty cold. Before we went into the house, we caught some snowflakes on our gloves - so increditbly beautiful and each one is an individual creation, unique! Since we got home and had lunch, it’s been very heavy at times, but rarely has it stopped completely. The snow drifts are getting deeper and the snow blowers are doing their job, cleaning the paths and driveways. Some nice pics here of the continuing beauty.

The tree and the snow

Birds at the feeder - while it's snowing heavily

The snow accumulates on the eaves

Relaxing and packing this afternoon because tomorrow we head north, about 3.5 hours on the road to Huntsville, where the temp range today is -23 to -11. Tomorrow it will be -24 to -15, then it really warms up to -7 Tuesday and -5 Wednesday. You wouldn’t believe the amount of clothing you have to take on a trip like this just for a couple of days!

Each time you go out, it's outside boots, warm top, scarf, jacket, gloves, then out to the car and brush the snow off the windows roof and lights. Coming into the house, you stamp or bang your shoes to get most of the snow off, then boots off, all the warm gear off again.

Still Saturday 14 December

Last September the St Jacob Amish market was destroyed in a fire. Today they opened a new dome shaped market, so we went after lunch. It’s not as big as before, although they will be adding to the buildings next year, but at least they got up and running before Christmas. The zipper on my travel purse broke on the way over here so I was able to pick up a cheap one to replace it. The snow continued to fall ... cold and windy.

We’ve just returned home from a Yuletide Spectacular tonight by the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony at their Centre in the Square. We had to park a block away and walk to the theatre in the snow – along with many others, of course. You always wear your outside shoes and take your inside shoes for these events, so your good shoes don’t get destroyed by the salt.

The concert was absolutely wonderful – the symphony orchestra, a philharmonic choir, a children’s choir, a ballet school, a female soloist, a drum band. It was similar to a proms type of atmosphere, hilariously funny at times.The stage was lavishly decorated with Christmas. After interval, the conductor gave his baton to a volunteer from the audience to conduct “Sleigh Ride”, while the conductor solved a rubics cube! For an excerpt from Mozart's Toy Symphony, he got three children to volunteer to play instruments – duck whistle, ratchet, nightingale whistle while the viola players played slide whistles – we were in stitches.

The absolute highlight was Craig Courtney’s “The Twelve Days of Christmas”. Have a look at it on uTube – it’s based on a musicological journey through the centuries and is an incredibly clever arrangement while being hilariously funny when you see it performed live: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68DCtn_4Jlc.

Santa turned up but not until right at the end of the last number - lots of traditional carols. I was impressed: Jesus got top bill. Santa almost an afterthought and he didn't even get a big ovation when he did turn up, not like when he arrives at our big carols events. 

The snow continued heavily while we were in the concert, so it was deeper to walk back to the car and lots to brush off before we set off home, via Victoria Park which is decorated with lights.

Saturday 14 December

After breakfast, there was the dressing up session for our sleigh ride: so many layers, including ski over-pants and ridiculously large snowboot clodhoppers! Steve had kindly shovelled the driveway and brushed the car down – there’s a brush kept in the back of the car and each time you go out you need to brush the loose snow off the windows and roof of the car. 

Yes, lots more snow today. The snow plough didn’t clear our street because it’s not a school day (there’s a school at the end of the street). The boughs on the big trees are started to drop lower with their growing weight of snow.

Incidentally, you don’t need a flashy looking car here – every car is covered in snow residue on boots, bonnets, all down the back of the boot, and then all around the wheels and underneath is the dirty grey salt mud that picks up from the road. Imagine a car that’s been off-road in Oz and not washed for six months – just as dirty! Much of the time you can’t even read the car rego plate.

Off we went, about a 25 minute drive to the farm shop where the rides start. The neighbouring farmer who does the sleigh rides drove up with the two horses and hitched them to the sleigh.

(Pictures taken through a window and flyscreen - too cold to go outside until it's time for the ride!)

Blankets were spread on top and Dianne and I climbed up with a family of two adults and two little girls, squealing with delight.

As we trotted off, the bells started to jingle on the harnesses – so Christmassy! We headed downwards and as we went past the cow pen, the cows (looking very cold) all came running down because they were excited by the horses.

Further along the path in the bush, we started singing Jingle Bells and other Christmas songs. It was just lovely being out there but the wind was very cold blowing on our faces. It was a half-hour ride and lots of fun.

Still Friday 13 December

This afternoon Steve put on a DVD about an Amish community in Pennsylvania where two families decided to leave the church: a very moving insight into Amish life and how this decision affected their families.

Tonight Dianne and I went to a Shabat meal at the Return Ministries centre, about 25 minutes away. It was fairly clear when we left; no snow had fallen during the afternoon. We were greeted with “Shabat shalom”, as I was introduced to everyone. There were probably 30 people in total. Natalie, whom I’d met on Thursday evening at the theatre was one of the two on kitchen duty and she joined our table for the meal.

After the introductory words, Dean, the leader of the group welcomed me and asked Dianne and me to light the candles: this is a great honour at a Shabat. 

Return Ministries is a community with a great vision to see Jews introduced to Jesus and freed from exile so they are actively helping Jews return to their homeland. They are in the process of setting up a ministry base in Jerusalem. It was a beautiful night, honouring Jesus; the ceremony of blessing and breaking bread and blessing the wine was explained as it was enacted, followed by the meal, which was very good. The evening finished with Dean praying Proverbs 31 as a blessing over his wife, with others invited to give thanks and to bless those who are significant in their journey, including wives and mothers.

On the way home, the snow was starting to fall again, already carpeting the roads and giving us a delightful show as it was illuminated in the headlights. There's just no way to describe this with words! This is a moving picture because of night exposure:

Again a late night and off to bed because there’s more action planned for tomorrow! We're expecting a big dump in the afternoon too.

Friday 13 December

A relaxed morning, sitting and watching the snow fall as we had breakfast. Dianne and I went to the local ice hockey rink, which has a walking track on an upper level overlooking the rink; Friday it’s open for public skating, so we were able to watch the skaters as we walked around the track: quite cold inside with the ice but that’s how you get exercise when it’s too cold to walk outside! It was lovely watching a couple of the skaters – a teenage girl who was obviously a skater, a tiny boy, maybe 3 or 4(?) in an ice hockey outfit, helmet and stick, learning the game with his mum – falling, getting up, etc.

Afterwards, a drive to Kitchener’s ski hill. It’s a good height for getting a taste of skiing and would certainly be perfect for learning and for families; I guess the professionals would find it too tame, although it’s high enough to have a chair lift. It will be opening tomorrow because of the sudden early snowfalls and so today they were grooming the snow ready for the first use of the season (of course, snowmakers are involved as well). People were already buying their season passes and thanks to the early snow they’ll get quite a few more weeks’ value out of their pass.

Unfortunately, the cafe wasn’t operational today yet but we were invited to go up and look and to go into the restaurant area, overlooking the slopes: so pretty, with all the Christmas trimmings inside and the pristine slopes outside. Then it was back to Williams’ for coffee after checking out the local thrift store - Vinnies, Salvos style but much bigger and huge stock, very well presented and organised. 

Here's our tree in daylight - very pretty! Graham's stocking is in the foreground right.