One of the things I enjoy about the Changing Seasons blogging challenge is having a reason to revisit the photos I’ve taken during the month, looking for the story I might want to tell.
That process is easier in some months as the story seems to want to tell itself, and often the hard part is narrowing down the selection to a half a dozen pictures.
March is particularly challenging because the weather is all over the place. On some days, it may pretend that spring has arrived, with promises of warmer days ahead, and then winter barks at us again – unwilling to let go quite yet.
…. and then of course, the landscape is looking particularly bleak after the months of cold and darkness.
I’m not complaining though. Compared to our US neighbours getting hit with their 4th Nor’easter this month, Mother Nature has been kind to us this year.
We had a big dumping of snow at the beginning of the month, but the afternoon before it started, Gilles and I were able to sit outside around our backyard “camp fire” pretending that spring was near.
It was pretty cold, and yet it was a giggle-fest as Gilles mugged for the camera. It seems we were already deep into our Friday evening libations.
March is notorious for its blustery cold winds, and on gray days, it’s hard to find any colour outside. I know many people find it depressing, but I pretend to find beauty in those days. You know that expression ‘fake it until you make it’? It actually helps.
However, it is absolutely glorious when the sun is shining, and there is a feeling of anticipation in the air. It spurs me on to make ambitious plans for the summer ahead.
If I’m lucky, it will involve a lot more outdoor time and when summer does finally arrive, those long winter days of January and February will be a distant memory.
Changing Seasons is a monthly photo feature hosted this year by Su Leslie in New Zealand. While I am gearing up for summer here in the Northern Hemisphere, she is enjoying the dying days of summer in the Southern Hemisphere. I encourage you to take a look.
Don’t you wish we had some of that weather now?
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Good grief, yes!
I’d been away for the past 3 days in Pennsylvania where temperatures were in the mid-20C, and came home last night to this ice storm.
Our power just came back on a short while ago after being out since about 9:30 last night. What a mess!!
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Luckily the power stayed on here but I was prepared; I bought extra flashlights because most of mine are at the cottage.
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I am almost caught up and so happy to see you and Gilles joking around and bundled up by the fire outside. Hot beverages or cold ones with some “heat” in them certainly help!
I liked the river scenery with ice blocks along the curves and the vision of sunlight twinkling the water, Joanne. (Hope so, since my imagination may have added this part! 😉) Smiles, Robin
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Thanks Robin 🙂
Sadly, winter is reluctant to let go this April and it’s colder now than it was at the beginning of March. It’s getting hard to stay patient.
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Such definite seasons with weather extremes provides a certain kind of beauty and relief, I would imagine. Sydney gets cold in winter and we get a bit of frost some mornings, but nothing too extreme.
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I love all the seasons, but quite frankly our winters are long and the temperatures are too extreme … hot in summer, very cold in winter.
This is what I”ve known my entire life though. I can’t imagine spending my winters in a warm climate like many retirees do.
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Thank you for sharing your March! and for the glimpse of you & Gilles (he is too funny!). Here’s hoping that Spring comes for reals soon.
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Me too, we have our fingers crossed … but temperatures have been forecasted to remain well below normal for the next couple of weeks.
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The photo of Giles made me laugh out loud. Looks like the campfire was a big hit even if a bit chilly. Here it is still snowbank city and more snow falling as I type. We have been lucky to be away quite a bit this winter so certainly I can’t complain…although I want to.
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I’m sorry to hear about your snow situation. Please, please, please don’t feel the need to send any of it our way. It’s all good here.
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Really I’d be happy to share….
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I am overwhelmed by your generosity 😉
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Haha I’d hate to keep all the fun to myself.
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Well winters here on the west coast are not as long and cold as the snowy ones I am used to. They are wetter and greener. But I still love to see all the little signs of spring.
Jude
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The length of winter is the hard part. I think we can all bear with nasty weather if it doesn’t last for months, and months, and months.
There is an end in sight and before we know it, we’ll be complaining about the heat and humidity 😉
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Nice to see you heading to Summer Joanne, albeit slowly. It’s great the way you showcase your neighbourhood and all times of the year. One reason why I’m hanging on to this changing seasons thing. As we slip towards Winter and short days, I’m looking forward to moving to a new home in July. No more farming now I’m 60. Then I’ll think about retiring. Michael
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That’s a big move for you! … not only a change of home, but a change of life. Have you already sold?
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We bought the house 5 years ago with this intention. Things have not been the same here since the fire, however, I will miss the horizons, distant neighbours and being able to get around with not much on with the blinds up. We do not have to sell immediately due to reasons too complicated to explain here, so we could go back if its a disaster. I’m being positive and I think it will work out. Moving twice in a short time could kill us!
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It sounds exciting. I’ve moved so rarely in my life, the thought of moving actually appeals to my love of adventure
My older brother moved from the country to town life a number of years ago when he turned 60. I don’t think he’s regretted a day.
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We’ve been here 20 years so that is a fair stint. Thanks for the positive story about your brother.😊
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I love your way of looking for the beauty in the winter. You’ve captured some lovely photos. We are once again beginning to get covered in a blanket of white. It’s still questionable how much it will dump. My fingers are crossed for very little. 🙂
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…and meanwhile it has skipped us completely. I haven’t enjoyed a March like this one in a long time.
I think everyone in your part of the world is hoping that the last of the snow is behind them.
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This one didn’t dump much. Across the mountains, they had more. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we are moving into “true” spring! 🙂
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that would be nice. I have my fingers crossed too!
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Lovely photograph, Joanne!
Ah March, freezing cold but sunny… Every time I see the tiny crocus flowers, I brace for snow. Seems to be a pattern. Saw some gorgeous ones this week, so bracing for some snow!
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I haven’t seen any buds of anything yet. Sadly, I hear there is snow in the forecast for Easter weekend 😕
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Lovely. I do like what my MIL refers to as the tug-o-war between the seasons. Every year, the sun shines and the temps warm and people here are like, “Finally! Spring!” and I just shake my head. No, it’s not spring. Even when spring is official, it’s still gonna snow. People are funny that way. Same people are so thrilled when it’s 82 in October and I AM NOT.
I like the cool, gray days, and rainy ones. It sets the right mood for me. BUT! I prefer sunny days for photos, cause I’m not good at it and I need all the help I can get! lol
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We can count on at least one good bout of snow at some point in April. Right now we’re getting cooler than normal temperatures, but sunshine, and I’m good with that. So far this has been a great March and I’m not complaining!
We sat outside again last night around our little fire pit, with drinks in hand, and it was wonderful.
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Oh that does sound marvelous! We got snowed in today. As you can imagine, people were shocked to their very core 😉
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I’m looking out my window at the most recent piles of snow to smack into us here in NJ and I’m trying to take your inspiring words to heart and find some beauty in it. I hope I can do as well as you!😊
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I feel so badly for those of you on the east coast. You’ve had a nasty March 😕 I really hope this is the end of the snow for you!
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Me too!!
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Hi Joanne! I Love the coming of spring, but on those blustery days, I find myself thinking, “Just one more fire in the fireplace maybe.” I know that once the weather changes for good I’ll find myself feeling the need to get things done, rather than cuddling in with a good book! BTW, beautiful pics! ~ Lynn
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As the warmer weather approaches, I look at our yard and cringe. I hate yard work and I don’t look forward to that part of summer.
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Well, hubs mowed the lawn yesterday and I dug a few weeds…And today we woke up to SNOW! I’m blaming hubs for this! 😉 ~ Lynn
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Premature mowing … yup, that’s do it.
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Wonderful photos, Joanne. I saw this yesterday on Facebook, but the combination of WordPress and Facebook never let me ‘like’ or comment.
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Oh – that’s interesting. Maybe that accounts for why I have similar issues on your blog. It never occurred to me that it might be caused by a FB to WP combination.
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I think both platforms want to be in control.
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Great pictures as always.
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Thanks Bridget 🙂
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I hope summer comes soon!! I love that first picture of the “stick art”
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I love the stick sculpture too. The question is – how long will it be there? Sadly I don’t live in the neighbourhood to find out 🙂
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Fun to have your own little backyard fire to warm up beside. I love the photo of Morningside Park. I think that river would be beautiful in all seasons of the year. When we lived in Chicago, one of our favorite things to do in icy temperatures was to go to Lake Michigan to see all the ice formations. This post reminded me of those times.
Peta
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March is an odd month that’s for sure. Here in South Africa it alternates between hot and cold – will probably settle into winter proper end May. Though I can feel it’s icy fingers this rainy morning. Happy Spring Joanne! She WILL arrive 🌺
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I love the fire pit, Joanne, and I think anticipation is one of the really enjoyable things about having seasons. However, I’m ready to stop anticipating spring and warmth and experience it instead. 🙂
janet
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Anticipation makes everything more enjoyable! I actually don’t mind winter … I just wish it wasn’t quite so long.
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And it was light longer!
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YES!! I love these longer days again!
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I love that “feeling of anticipation” in the air. I think it’s a March thing, when we’re so starved for sunlight. Wonderful photos, Joanne, even with the dull color of the season.
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Have you noticed that around this time of year when the sun shines, everyone is in a good mood? Yes – I agree. After a long dark winter, we are starved for sunlight!
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Yes, moods improve immensely. Mine does!
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I love the look of your new blog theme ~> SNAZZY + SASSY!
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Awww! – thanks 🙂
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I like your new photo! Very pretty. I grew up in New Jersey but have been down here in Florida for many, many years. It gets in the 40s and we are freezing. In the 30s? We are all gonna die! I don’t do cold anymore.
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The truth is, I don’t like the heat, and I don’t like humidity even more. Florida would kill me … probably bake me actually. So as much as I complain about winter, it’s a bit of a relief after a humid summer.
… but, if only winter wasn’t SO LONG!
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Great post, Thanks for sharing 🙂
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Thanks for visiting 🙂
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And a bench with a view! Not that I would want to linger there long at the moment. But come the summer…
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I know! I see benches now and think of you 🙂
I’m guessing that’s a pretty spot to sit in the summer.
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Beautiful photos as always, Joanne. Since we live in the same part of the world, I find it especially great to see each part of a season through your eyes. You do a great job of showing and sharing the beauty even when the skies are overcast and the temperature is dipping.
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I wish I had discovered the camera a long time ago. I love seeing the world through a camera lens and I think of all the opportunities I’ve missed 😦
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We had a big snow here today, but I don’t mind. It will be melted by the end of the week and I know Spring is just around the corner. I’m one of those who gets a little depressed by the dull colorless winter, so a little snow actually makes things look better. Hope Spring arrives for you soon.
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It’s just a question of time and I’m optimistic it will be a nice spring 🙂
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All lovely pictures, but my favourite has to be the driftwood sculpture by the lake. Great new avatar too.
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Thanks Anabel – I love that photo too. That driftwood sculpture is one of those random finds that may be there one day and gone the next 🙂
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I really like the photo of Morningside Park in Scarborough. Although lovely in winter, you can really see how beautiful it must be in spring and summer (and probably fall too). Love your new profile picture too!
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I’ve been through Morningside Park many times in the summer, but never in the winter until this year. This trail is actually part of the TransCanada trail system that crosses Toronto.
Thanks for the compliment on my profile pic. Trying to get it synchronized across all social media platforms has been a challenge 🙂
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Hi, Joanne – Great post and comments (I read them all and agree with every single one of them). Although Vancouver Island has a relatively mild winter climate (at least by Canadian standards), I too am so ready for Spring.
Bring. It. On!!
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That’s one of the wonders of being Canadian. We LOVE change …. at least until the beginning of fall … 😉
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I hate March but I love your images Joanne 🙂 I’m getting really tired of Nor’easter’s – https://youtu.be/wTZlf64SzqY
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You just sent me down a Vic Dibitetto rabbit hole 🤣
If I was you, I would be pretty unhappy with Mother Nature right now too. She is MAAAAAD at the North-East coast!! … kind of like that Italian grandmother you don’t want to mess with 😳
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Oh so you knew my grandmother 😀 She used to give me the wooden pasta spoon treatment when I did something wrong, LOL. BTW I love the new look of your site.
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Just a pasta spoon? In our house, it was a bamboo rug beater. We all lived in fear of it 😉
Thanks – I figured it was time to give my blog a facelift 🙂
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Kids don’t know how good they have it now. No such thing as CPS when I was growing up 😀
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I love this feature that you do because your photos are great. I agree about March’s fickleness. Although I’d even go so far as to say that March is menopausal.
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Poor March – never gets any respect.
Have you ever noticed that when you look at a paper calendar and all the photos selected for each month, the one assigned to March is ALWAYS lame? ALWAYS.
Even calendar makers know March is a moody bitch.
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😆 You’ve made my day with this! Thank you.
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I enjoyed the splashes of color you were able to add in.
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Thanks Marissa. There’s not much of it, so when it happens, there’s reason to rejoice 🙂
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I am so ready for spring!
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Amen!
In the meantime, I’m not going to complain about this dry and sunny weather!
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I am with you as we prep for summer (mentally and a little bit outside when possible)
and loved this
“The ‘living colour’ of March ….”
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March really is quite spectacular in its blandness 🙂
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yes – and not sure about you – but the word bland just now reminded me that this is usually my palest and most washed out skin month.
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HA!! So true for me too!! … and I have olive skin, so it really doesn’t look good!
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well I think olive skin looks good all the time (but I guess when you have it – well it might feel different)
🙂
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[…] Joanne at My Life Lived Full […]
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I so love seeing your month Joanne; your photos are beautiful and you have a wonderful turn of phrase (“then winter barks at us again”).
Your backyard campfire is pretty stylish. I won’t mention it to the Big T — he’ll only get serious fire-pit envy 🙂
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I think you should surprise Big T with a little gas fire pit for his birthday, or Christmas, or just because 😉
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He’d love that; a chance to get in touch with his inner pyromaniac 🙂
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I come from a long nobel line of pyros 😉
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Haha. Perhaps you and T are related?
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hehehe!!
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March seems to be the bipolar month. One day it’s dull and depressing, and the next day it’s sunny and full of promise. Believe it or not, even down here in Southern California we look forward to the end of winter.
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That’s exactly it!! March is bipolar!
You’d think I’d be more understanding now … but that’s only achievable because it’s sunny and dry right now 🙂
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I like your fire pit and the branches reflected in its trim. It’s a story all on its own! Plus Giles mugging it up for the camera is fun!
I think the river looks beautiful even on a dull gray day, and I love those red reeds along the path in the last image. You found color in Winter!
I love you new icon image. You look so pretty.
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Thanks Deborah. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to find a photo that doesn’t make me cringe … and before long I may have to resort to a stick drawing.
Hey … that’s not such a bad idea …
I realized I had a hodgepodge of different photos across the various social media platforms. It’s been interesting trying to synchronize them all. I’m sure there’s one of them out there that I’ve missed.
Finding colour in winter isn’t easy – unless you count the litter left behind by others. I too loved the red reeds with the stop sign behind it.
… and bare tree branches are always interesting, whether silhouetted against a clear blue sky, or in a reflection 🙂
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I feel sorry for the folks in the northeast…so much snow and so little spring this month. We’ve been lucky in this part of Wisconsin in regard to snow. There hasn’t been much of it and I don’t think we’ve had more than three named storms. Then again, we had our share of bitter cold, so there’s that.
Lovely photos, Joanne, and I love Gilles’ mugging. He looks like he was having a very good time indeed. Spring is just around the corner, we only have to be patient. Very, very patient!
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This past year I’ve come to appreciate that you and I have the same weather – there’s just a few days delay before we get it too. It was a bitter cold winter, but the lack of snow in March hasn’t been a hardship for me.
Your storms get named? We don’t do that here.
We never did get outside for our first day of spring ‘camp fire’, but that’s ok … the one we had at the beginning of the month made up for it 😆
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We’re getting soaked by a Pineapple Express (atmospheric river) but during the breaks the air is soooo fresh.
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I’ve never heard of a Pineapple Express – but it sounds delicious (sorry, I couldn’t resist. Blame Memories of Pina Coladas 😉)
I guess we’ll just have to wait to see what nature has in store for us this summer. In the meantime, I’m enjoying these dry days 🙂
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Lovely photos, Joanne. The Peterborough one almost looks sepia-toned, although I know it is not. I’d better get crack-a-lacking on my own Changing Seasons post…cold, dull March is soon behind us (she says, not without a smidgen of thankfulness. 😉
Deb
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I know what you mean about that Peterborough photo. Doesn’t it just look like so many March days when the sun isn’t shining?
I’m grateful that this March has been a relatively good one. I don’t feel quite as despondent as I normally do. I think the opportunity to get outdoors more has certainly helped!
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loved seeing your month Joanne! (also love your new profile pic!) Yes, I am sitting here watching the snow pile up once again.. hard to believe. Thank you for some welcome sunshine 🙂
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So sorry to hear that you too are getting dumped on by this latest storm 😕 This is not exactly an auspicious start to spring, is it?
It’s still a bit chillier than it should be at this time of year, but it’s dry and I’m not complaining!!
Stay warm!
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