February

Well hello February, my least favorite month of the year.  While everyone is waxing poetic about cozy winter activities this is the reality of February in Canada.  Travel was cancelled, dinner plans cancelled, I worried about my husband driving 10 hours in the snow and I handled all the chores myself on Saturday.  My husband usually lets the horses out in the morning and I help him clean the stalls in the evening and put the horses to bed, collect the eggs and close up the barn for the night but Saturday it was just Murph and I.  Then Sunday came and along with it more snow, ice rain and lots of plowing..digging out the plow...calling neighbors to dig the truck out of the snow.. all in -20 degree weather.  It is the shortest month of the winter and also the longest.  We will have gorgeous sunny days with -26 degree temperatures.  We put towels at the bottom of the doors, dress in layers and scarves inside the house, and have space heaters going in every room even with the furnace going.  Did I mention its also very dry?  Warming up the car is a necessity before going anywhere which means running outside 15 mins before you are ready to leave to jump in a frigid car and hope that it starts again.  Returning from work means clearing of and then getting into a frigid, snow (and sometimes ice) covered car and shivering while it warms up.  And don't forget your gloves...that steering wheel will numb your hands in seconds.  I've almost wiped out on snow and slush a number of times already. So don't mind me if I'm not all aglow with February.  Bring on spring!