Messy April

This month has been all about the weather – all the ugly, gray, snowy, wet, bleak hell of it. It seemed we just couldn’t catch a break from winter’s grasp.

Even when it wasn’t snowing, or raining, or battering us with ice pellets, the winds were howling.  In fact, the winds have been so strong, it ripped a section of shingles off our roof.

Thankfully the winds eventually ceased their temper tantrum, and while I was gathering pieces of shingles from the neighbour’s yard, Gilles was up on the roof in the early morning hours to repair the missing tiles before the next round of freezing rain started.

Gilles arrived home at midnight from a business trip and was on the roof by 6:30 am the following morning to repair the roof.  More heavy rain started 2 hours later.

In spite of the weather, I continued on, continuing on.  I’m a hardy Canadian with a bad case of cabin fever.  It was going to take a lot more than gray, bleak, snow-rain days to keep me indoors.

Ok – maybe the wind could.  I don’t much care for wind … especially when it tries to rip my roof off.  Not cool, Mother Nature, not cool.

It was a month that involved a lot of outdoor stuff, in all kinds of weather.

On one frigid Saturday morning, Deb from The Widow Badass and I trudged around in wet snow looking for the Blair Sheave Tower.  We found it well off the road hidden in the trees. If it had been summer, I suspect we might never have found it.

I misjudged the weather that day and was not dressed properly for this outing.  I half-froze in the wet snow.

Described as a ‘rare relic of pioneer Ontario’* this restored 4-storey wooden sheave tower is reported to be the only one of its kind left in Ontario

I’ve also been walking through the trails of a local park for a few months now and watching the progress on a bridge reconstruction.  On an early April morning that turned from overcast, to blinding snow, to freezing rain in one short hour, these guys continued to work on – and had been through one of the coldest winters I can remember.

I was shocked to find half of this 4-lane road simply gone.

I know I’m not the only one fascinated by construction sites

Even as we approach the end of April, isolated patches of snow can still be found in shady areas.

Little ‘icebergs’ like sentinels dot the road at regular intervals.  

… and as is common in areas around lakes and rivers, the melt has caused flooding.

Hey kids, want to go for a swim to the swings today?

By mid-month I finally managed to make it outside on my bike – once.  Even on a seasonably warm sunny day, there was evidence of winter remaining – from snow patches to downed trees.

Lower Highland Creek Park

The cleanup has barely begun.

One of the biggest things I’ve noticed this month is the transition from quiet to noisy.  The birds are back, chirping loudly as they greet each other after their winter vacations in the south, and the frogs have woken up in a frenzy, looking for action.

As the month comes to a close with the weather continuing to zig-zag all over the thermometer, I look forward with eager anticipation to May.  The countdown to son #1’s wedding in early June officially begins!

Changing Seasons is a monthly photo feature hosted this year by Su Leslie @ Zimmerbitch.  It is autumn in New Zealand so check out what’s new in the Southern Hemisphere.

************************************************************************************** Source – Top 150 Unusual Things To See In Ontario by Ron Brown