dn's Choco-PB Haystack Crunchies

Summer is here and so is the summer heat! 

Even if you've already stocked your freezer with homemade baked treats to last through the summer or have air conditioning, you are probably still going to want at least one yummy treat recipe that doesn't require turning on the oven!

This twist on the classic childhood fave, only requires a few minutes of time watching and stirring a pot on the stove! Then a bit of mixing, dropping the batter on prepared pans and some chilling before you and your family or guests can dig into a delicious treat!

Growing up. I remember my mom making "Haystack Cookies" - the classic, no bake chocolate and quick oats drop cookies. They were easy to make and aside from a few minutes watching and stirring a pot on the stove, they didn't add much more heat to the old farm house during the warm days of summer. I liked these cookies, but they were definitely on the sweet side and never chocolaty enough for me! I've also never been a huge fan of coconut - especially the sweetened kind that was the most readily available in our area when I was young.

I hadn't made Haystacks or even tasted them in years! 

Then, a few months ago, I came across a recipe online that put a slight twist on the original - it called for peanut butter! Hmm, that could be really good! It got me thinking about what other kinds of changes I could make.....

There are many similar recipes online - with varying degrees of sugar and peanut butter. The other ingredients, were pretty much the same as the original.

As usual, I made my own adjustments - reducing the amount of sugar and also adding some crushed peanuts instead of the coconut. It was good, but I knew I could tweak it even more!

A few days ago, I made the recipe again with additional adjustments. I reduced the sugar even more but added some chocolate hazelnut spread (aka Nutella) and some dark chocolate chips. I reduced the oats a bit and added some crispy rice cereal (aka Rice Krispies).

A note on the Chocolate Hazelnut Spread: The most well known version of this is Nutella which is quite good, however my favourite version of this tasty spread is actually President's Choice which is made for, and distributed by, Loblaw's Inc and their numerous affiliates stores (such as Real Canadian Superstore) here in Canada. It is also a fair bit cheaper than the name brand! This is not to be confused with the yellow labeled No Name version (also sold by the chain) which is sweeter, runnier and not as much flavour. Compliment's which is the store brand from Sobey's is also a decent alternative to Nutella. I can't speak to versions offered through stores in the USA or other countries.

The result of all my adjustments to the recipe, is still a little on the sweet side but not as overwhelmingly sweet as the original. Some "Haystack" recipes use as much as 2 CUPS of sugar!! Mine is down to 1 1/3 cups sugar and although there is sugar in the chocolate chips and in the chocolate hazelnut spread, my new version isn't nearly as sweet!!

My newest creation is loaded with chocolaty, peanut butter flavour and the additional nuts and crispy cereal give it that needed crunch!

I gave some samples to a few friends to taste test and they thought it was awesome! I asked them for name suggestions and got some interesting responses but decided to go a bit more traditional!.

So, this isn't your grandmother's ... or even your mother's Haystacks recipe of old .... BUT this is a tasty treat for a summer's day!

dn's Choco-PB Haystack Crunchies

1/2 cup crushed peanuts (I use blanched salted peanuts)

1 cup crispy rice cereal

2 2/3 cups quick cooking oats

1 1/3 cups white sugar
1/3 cup + 1 Tablespoon good quality cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk (I use 1%)
1/4 cup margarine - block kind NOT soft!!
3/4 cup crunchy peanut butter (I use Skippy)

1/4 cup chocolate hazelnut spread (Nutella)

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (I use Foley's or Chipits)

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

- Line 2 cookie sheets with wax paper and set aside.

- Mix the peanuts, crispy rice cereal and quick oats in a bowl and set aside.

- Measure out the peanut butter, Nutella and chocolate chips into a large measuring cup. (DO NOT use disbursement method to measure the peanut butter!!!)
- Mix sugar and cocoa in a large sauce pot (a 2 1/2 - 3 qt/litre pot is required to prevent spillover while mixing). 

- Stir in the milk to thoroughly combine - then add margarine.

- Over medium heat, bring to boil. NOTE: It is tempting to turn up the heat, but this recipe works best on medium heat even though it takes a bit longer. You do need to keep a close watch on this and stir often while heating to the boiling point.

- Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

- Turn off the heat and stir in the peanut butter, chocolate hazelnut spread, chocolate chips and vanilla. Stir till melted and thoroughly combined.

- Remove pot from the stove and set on a heat safe surface. Stir in the peanuts, cereal and oats - mixing to coat all in the chocolate mixture.

- Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets.

- Chill in fridge for a couple of hours. Then transfer to a container, cover and store in fridge till serving. They may crumble a bit, but not nearly as much if you put a strip of wax paper between each layer so that they don't overlap or bump against each other as much. They can also be frozen in the same manner for up to a month.

- Makes about 4 dozen.

Enjoy!

dn

A Sudsy Wash

If past predictions of the future were to have been believed, we'd all be wearing self-cleaning clothes by now. Sadly, laundry is still part of our regular routine - unless of course you can afford a laundry service! For the majority of us, that isn't within our budgets so we eventually have to do the laundry.

I've never actually owned my own washer or dryer. With only a couple of exceptions, every place I've lived has had on site laundry facilities. Those that didn't, had facilities within a couple of blocks so it wasn't a huge issue.

Laundry, has never been one of my favourite chores - it is a necessity more than anything. Growing up on the farm, meant that doing small or even half loads was a waste of water and power. So, I've taken that advice and added that I will always try to wait till I am running low on things (usually underwear) before I lug it all to the laundry room!

I hate having anything that requires hand washing! Regardless of how cautious and thorough I am, it always seemed stiff or still smelling too strong of soap. To this day, I will gladly barter baking for hand washing of delicates! Heck, I'll even barter baking for ironing!

Over the years, I somehow developed allergies to most detergents. The strong scents and chemicals caused me to sneeze and have itchy red skin. For the last 25 years or so, the only detergent I've been able to use is Ivory Snow!

I am also unable to use pretty much all bleach products. The only real exception I've found is Oxi Clean - a powdered product that I have used for over ten years and LOVE! I wrote about it back in 2009 in a post called "Cleaning Up".

Until a couple of years ago, the building where I currently reside, had the old standard top load washers. They were replaced by front load washers and new dryers. 

Despite the new machines that strongly suggest using liquid detergent, I still used powder as it allows me to more accurately see how much I am adding - you just have to add it to the drum rather than the little slot at the top. If you add powder via the slot, it will eventually clog. 

That was all well and good until a couple of months ago when I couldn't find Ivory Snow powder while shopping. I had to buy the liquid!

The most recent reincarnation of the Ivory Snow packaging is mostly white and light pink - including the print. The pink cap that doubles as a measuring cup, has raised pink lines.

I don't know the manufacturer's criteria for testing ease of use or readability of their labeling, but whoever told them this was a user friendly cap or that their labeling was easy to read either had a passion for pink, had perfect vision or was lying! My fully sighted friends even have trouble reading the label or seeing the lines!

With my limited vision, I certainly can't see those lines so would have to touch them to know how much is in there. This wouldn't be a huge issue, except that there is no sink in our laundry room. The cap would be wet, soapy and sticky to put back on the bottle. Not to mention my soapy finger. I'd have to remember to take a wet cloth with me to wipe both the cap and my hands on it and then throw the cloth in the wash before shutting the door and pressing whichever cycle I want to use - which also locks the door. 

Well, the first time I went down, I forgot a wet cloth. Oh well, I could just pour the soap into the machine's soap slot directly. I'd just do it slowly and carefully. I put the clothes in, closed the door, hit colours and started to pour....

What I didn't know was that the soap automatically starts feeding into the machine once you start pouring - thus never really filling the slot unless you pour really quickly. 

Yup, I'd probably poured 1/3 of the bottle in before I realized what I'd done! There was no way to stop the machine at that point.

OH NO!!! What had I done? There was nothing I could do at that point, so I left the laundry room and came back to my apartment to wait the 35 minutes for the machine to finish.

I had visions of walking back into a laundry room full of soap bubbles!

Thankfully the laundry room was empty of soap bubbles and people when I returned.

I cautiously opened the machine door and saw that there were still lots of little soap bubbles among the clothes. I shut the door and repeated the entire cycle - WITHOUT adding soap in hopes of removing the remaining bubbles and overwhelming scent of the soap!

It worked! PHEW!!

I've only done a couple loads since then and have been EXTREMELY careful adding the soap!

I've also managed to track down the Ivory Snow powder. I had a friend pick up two boxes for me. Since I don't do a lot of laundry - maybe 3 large loads/month - nor do I get things overly dirty, those boxes should last me a couple years at least! I'll keep the liquid for emergency purposes only!

Maybe by then, Ivory Snow will come up with a design that people can actually see, read and be more user friendly.

Yeah, I doubt it either. I'll keep buying the powder - at least that way I know how much to use!

Either way - it will (hopefully) all come out in the wash!

dn

Magnifying

When was the last time you couldn't see the print without grabbing your glasses or some kind of a magnifier? Have you ever been out somewhere and realized that the print on a label or a menu is just a bit too small? How many times have you forgotten where your reading glasses are? Worse yet, broken them!

Let's face it, for many of us, we'd have a pretty difficult time without using some kind of magnification to get through our daily lives.

Some people are able to just pick up a pair of cheap reading glasses at a drug store. The prices of which. can vary greatly - as does the quality. Depending on your particular eye issues, over the counter reading glasses won't even work for you.

When it comes to enhancing our eyesight with glasses, there is no such thing as one size fits all.

That is why so many of us use prescription lenses for distance, close up or both.

Sometimes though, we just need a little extra help - something portable - like a magnifying glass. They are about as close to universal use as it gets. With or without wearing prescription lenses, you can hold a magnifier as close or as far from the object as works for you.

When you are looking for magnifiers, you should be aware that there doesn't seem to be a universal standard as to what the various magnifications quoted actually represent. Quality and clarity can vary greatly from glass to glass. I've used a 3X that was about the same strength as another manufacturers 2.5X regardless of the distance or the angle I held it from my eye to the object being viewed. You really do need to personally test each type with varying prints/distances before you buy - or at least make sure you can return the product if it doesn't meet your needs.

As far back as I can remember, we always had a magnifier of some kind around the house. It was generally kept by the phone in the hallway so that we could read the tiny numbers in the phone book but it was invaluable for countless other uses around the house by all of us - regardless of our sight.

My maternal grandmother slowly lost much of her sight in her later years. Besides her glasses, she also used a large magnifying lamp that could be mounted to a table edge or an arm of a chair. With it, she could still read and do some needlework. She left that lamp to me, but I found it too large and awkward to use - both before and after losing so much of my sight. 

I much prefer the portability of a small handheld pocket magnifier.

My maternal grandfather had a small round magnifier that was encased in a brown leather holder. You could slide the magnifier in and out with ease. I loved that little glass and it was one of the things I asked for and received after he passed when I was 12. I used that glass for years! 

Unfortunately, all that use, also involved inadvertent drops resulting in scratches, a cracked frame and the leather casing eventually coming apart and falling off. I still have the remaining glass somewhere.

Since then, I've gone through a number of magnifiers. I've tried to continue using a more modern version of that classic glass - even though the glass lens was now plastic and the leather was imitation. It was the style, the feel, the ease of use and the memory of my grandpa that drew me to it.

Those more modern imitators, never lasted long. Drop them once or twice and the frame holding the glass to its case would crack and the glass would fall out. The casing would come apart after a while and eventually fall off. They just weren't made the way they used to be!

While en route to Arizona back in January, I accidently lost my pocket magnifier somewhere in the Calgary airport. It wasn't in the greatest shape, but it was still usable and much needed until I could find a replacement.

When I got to Mesa, we made a few calls and finally tracked down a vision aid centre that carried a variety of magnifiers. They didn't have exactly what I wanted, but I found some acceptable alternatives at reasonable prices. I bought three so that I'd have a supply for awhile!

One is a 4X fold out style that also came with a drawstring pouch. Due to the smooth, hard plastic shell, it is tricky to open with one hand though and was a bit pricey at $28US. It is also a bit stronger than I need at the moment but may need down the road.

The other two are both the same style - a 3X round magnifier in a rectangular case. At $8.50US, this is a good quality but it requires both hands to open it as you need to touch both the bottom and sides at the same time to trigger the opening. I assume the manufacturer meant this as a safety, but frankly, it is a frustration! On the upside, I've dropped it a couple times and it hasn't broken!

Finding pocket magnifiers here in Winnipeg, isn't easy! You may find some cheap ones at big box stores or the dollar type stores but the magnification quality and accuracy is quite poor. Most opticians don't carry them. Most don't know where a consumer would even look for them! At best, they suggest you try calling other opticians. Even fewer suggest contacting the CNIB.

The CNIB does carry a wide variety of magnifying devices in varying strengths and sizes. Prices can range from a few dollars to a couple of grand depending on how fancy you want to get. Though this is a good source for more specialized needs, the major drawback is that most have to be ordered in from the main distribution centre in Ontario. You can browse and order online through their webstore.

Several weeks ago, I was getting my custom reading glasses adjusted by my friendly neighbourhood optician and was lamenting the lack of magnifying options and my quest to find a replacement while in Arizona. I expressed my frustration at accessing visual aids other than through the CNIB.

Surely I couldn't be the only person looking for pocket magnifiers in the city - could I?

There had to be a simpler way for the average person to find even the most basic of decent quality products! I suggested that since he was very centrally located and already carried an extremely wide variety of frames and other eyewear, that he should bring in at least one pocket magnifier!

A few days later, he gave me a 3X pocket magnifier from Hilco to test. I've used it numerous times over the last three weeks and really like it! It's compact, can be opened with one hand and is durable! I've already inadvertently dropped it twice and not a scratch or crack!!

So, if you want your own handy dandy pocket magnifier - and frankly everyone should have at least one - then go see Ken and the rest of the friendly staff at OsborneSpectacle - 134 Osborne St (NE corner of Osborne at Stradbrook in the heart of the village).

 He brought in a few of the magnifiers and they are only $10 each including the taxes! Also, if you are looking for a stronger magnification or something new and exciting in eyewear, they'd love to help you out! They've been in the eye care business since the early 60's and I've been a customer there for almost 20 years!

And before you ask .... NO, I didn't get paid to write this! Osborne Spectacle really is a great business! Their quality and service can't be beat!

dn

Remembering My Mom

Today, is a day to honour our mothers and I'd like to share some memories of my mom. She passed almost 18 months ago at the age of 86. This is a slightly modified and edited (for family privacy reasons) version of the tribute I wrote for her memorial service. The minister read it to those of us who gathered. 

Mom raised four kids while helping dad run the farm. She cooked, cleaned, laundered, sewed, knit, gardened, nursed, taught, played with and chauffeured us - and still managed to socialize and entertain friends. She was always ready to listen to anyone who needed an ear or lend a helping hand when she could. I have no idea how she managed to do it all and retain her sanity. I know her sense of humour went a LONG way!

Mom wasn't much for swearing or hearing others swear for that matter. So we’d occasionally have to use phrases such as "brown sugar" or "fudge"! If we told her about something that had gone wrong such as something breaking down or an injury of some kind - she’d say “And did you say darn!?!”

I remember one time we were talking about being more polite with our language in public. The conversation actually occurred while we were grocery shopping. As we stopped in the meat department, we decided that referring to chicken breasts as “breasts” was not polite public conversation. We tried to request chicken bosoms but neither of us could pull it off with a straight face! However when it was just us talking we almost always called them chicken bosoms after that!

In the early 1980’s, mom and I started to update the family history for her mother. We then tackled dad’s family history. We spent countless hours researching and trying to write the histories of each branch of the family. We made a few trips to Winnipeg to read old newspapers and other documents that were on microfiche at the Provincial Archives. I can’t begin to tell you how many times I had to remind mom that we weren't there to read the recipes or the store ads of the day! Then there were the times when we’d be trying to write and would box ourselves into a corner with words. If only we’d have had computers back then!

You’d think we’d have stopped after the first two books were done but nope - we went on and did the history of the little country school district that the family farm was a part of. The three books were a lot of work – far more than either of us ever anticipated but I know I wouldn't even have attempted any of them if mom had not been there to work beside me on the projects.

We always enjoyed spending time together. After I moved away from home, we both looked forward to my weekends home or any other visits. One of our favourite weekend things, was to go shopping on Saturday’s. We’d leave for nearby towns in the morning and hit the sales. If we saw a garage sale sign we had to check it out. I got several things for my first apartment that way!

On one of our shopping days, we were in a fairly new Canadian Tire store. I don’t recall what we were looking for, but we ended up in the clock section. Before we left, we set the alarms on at least 4 or 5 wind up clocks to go off at 15 minute intervals over the next hour or so!

If any of the grocery stores were handing out free samples, she’d try and convince me that meant we didn’t have to go anywhere else for lunch! Of course we always ended up heading somewhere for a sit down lunch and a coffee break in the afternoon before heading home.

Food and recipes were a major topic for mom. She was always clipping or writing down recipes. Dad joked that she’d have to live to at least 150 to try all of them! She taught all of us kids to cook. Some of her recipes were a handful of this and a pinch of that - so occasionally I’d have to get her to measure things as we cooked together so I could duplicate the recipe in my own kitchen. Now I make the stuffing the same way she did! When mom made the stuffing, she always said she had to make enough for all the “birds” – one to go in the oven and extra for us kids to each fill a cereal bowl to eat for breakfast or lunch!

Keeping enough milk in the fridge was a real challenge when we were all home – even if only to visit. We all drank a fair bit of milk and mom always wondered if she’d ever get her calves weaned!

When I was young, I’d enter baking in the local fair. I’d do all the baking and mom did all the dishes! Not really fair, but I couldn't have entered or won as many prizes if she hadn’t taught me so well or helped with the clean-up.

In the last few years, we got into a routine of me calling her every Sunday morning at 11AM. We’d talk for an hour about almost anything. Health, weather, family, friends or the wildlife she’d seen around the yard. I’d read her one of my blog posts or some of the humour emails that I’d gotten. Of course we had to talk about food. She always wanted to know if I’d tried any new recipes and what I was planning on making for lunch and supper that day. She loved peanut butter and chocolate almost as much as I do! She also had a real passion for lemon – especially lemon meringue pie!

The last few months, our conversations were much shorter but also more often. We never knew which one might be the last one and we always ended the call by saying we loved each other.

I really miss those calls but I miss her even more.

We have all been very blessed to have such a wonderful mother. She was always there when we needed her without being pushy or judging. She gave us all of her love and understanding. We had the best mother we could ever have asked for and she will be forever loved and deeply missed.

Never far from our thoughts and forever in our hearts.

~*~*~*~

Happy Mother's Day Mom!

dn

A Chance Meeting

Like any true Winnipegger, I love a deal. So, when Safeway advertised a 3 day special on their large bricks of cheese last weekend, I headed over to get one.

Now, these aren't just any bricks - they are all random weight but are all marked at the same price. A savvy shopper will rummage through the whole lot to find the heaviest one for an even better deal. "Supposedly" these are all approx 700-720 grams but many are under that weight. If you are lucky, you will sometimes find ones that are even more - hence the best deal!

I gathered most of the items on my grocery list then headed for the cheese. As I walked up, a blond woman in a red jacket was crouched down, sorting through the aged cheddar. I said: "I assume you are also looking for the largest piece?" She said she was and wished me luck as she walked away.

I set my basket down, laid my white cane across the top of it, pulled out my pocket magnifier and started looking through my preference of medium cheddar. The woman returned a minute or so later and said there was also a display case at the end of the aisle with more of the bricks and she had found a larger one there. I thanked her and continued looking.

As I'd find a heavy package, I'd tentatively set it in my basket then continue the search for a larger one. When I did find larger, I'd switch out the lighter one from my basket.

Now, given my limited vision, it can take me a few minutes to sort through even a couple dozen bricks or so. I'd just found a rather large one - 828g! (WOOT WOOT!) - when a male voice to my left said "excuse me..."

I looked up and realized he was holding a brick of cheese. He said a woman had suggested he could probably find a larger piece than he had. I moved my basket so he could also look and said that there were definitely heavier ones if you looked and what was the point of buying any package without getting the heaviest - especially on sale? He agreed.

Since I was about to return the second largest piece I'd found to the dairy case, I offered it to him. He asked if I was sure I didn't want it. I assured him that no, I'd found one slightly larger so he was welcome to it if he wanted it. He said thanks. I also told him about the additional display case if he wanted to check it out as well.

As I began to restack all the pieces I'd moved in my search, I assumed that he would just keep shopping - but he didn't.

He asked about my vision. I explained that with my monocular, I could see a route number a couple bus lengths away or enough to know when the light across the street was green and it was safe enough to cross. With my pocket magnifier, I could read prices on most shelf labels and I also had reading glasses for other things. I added that I had no depth perception or peripheral vision.

Being asked about my vision isn't that uncommon and I always try to reply in terms that people can relate to.

What surprised me ... no, make that shocked me, about this exchange was what he said next.

I don't recall the exact phrasing, but it was along the lines of: "So with your limited vision and a face like mine, you'd be the perfect woman for me."

Now anyone who knows me, knows that I am rarely at a loss for words, but I was momentarily speechless.

WHOA! Did he just say that? Was he trying to be funny or was he actually flirting with me?

I couldn't be sure.

Even though he was only standing a few feet from me, I couldn't see his face well enough to tell any real characteristics. To the best of my sight and recollection he was white, clean shaven, dark hair and wore no glasses. He wore a dark jacket - either charcoal or black - and dark pants. He was average height and build from what I could tell. I have no idea how old he was, but sensed that he may have been younger than me.

Let me be frank here. Guys do NOT flirt with me! Most barely give me the time of day let alone engage in conversation or make a flirtatious remark. I'm no beauty by any stretch, yet here was this guy... being polite and friendly...

Was he nuts or sincere?

Though it was only a few seconds, my brain - unfortunately - slipped into self protective mode before I could fully process all of this. With a polite chuckle, I said "Oh, I don't know about that!" I think he smiled, then said thanks for the cheese, wished me a good day and walked past me towards the end of the aisle.

Oh crap, why did I say that!?!? Why didn't I say something like, "Well, maybe we should at least get to know each other before you make a final decision?"

I wanted to call out after him, but I couldn't speak. I didn't want to make the guy uncomfortable if he was self conscious about his appearance or embarrass both of us if it had all been a joke...

So, I watched him walk away.

I'd like to believe he was flirting, but I don't know who he was, his name or anything more about him. I have no idea whether we'd have hit it off or not. 

I may never know if it was a joke or if he was sincere.

Where's the time machine when you really need it? I want a do over!

Taking a chance isn't always easy - especially if we don't consider our outer packaging to be that attractive. I've lived it and been hurt by rejection. It isn't fun but sometimes, there are people who are sincere - who really do want to get to know who is on the inside of the so called flawed packaging. They are the true souls worth having in our lives. We have to learn to give those souls room to find us and carefully let them into our world and allow ourselves to be a part of theirs.

I don't know if you will ever read this but, if you were the guy who spoke to me in the cheese section of the Osborne Village Safeway on Friday, April, 19 at about 9:30AM - I'm sorry I wasn't more open. Our conversation was brief - maybe a couple of minutes, but I was intrigued. I sincerely hope that our paths cross again. Since you have the advantage of sight, I hope you'll say hello.

dn 

It Should Be Spring By Now ... Shouldn't it?

Well, I don't know what the weather has been like in your area, but here in Winnipeg, it is still more like Winterpeg despite being April 14! 

The snow was starting to melt - slowly. Then, our beloved Mother Nature decided that things were looking rather drab so dropped fresh covers of white stuff (aka snow) on us. Not once mind you, but this unwelcome addition occurred at several times last weekend. Friday night, Saturday, and on Sunday!

This was my view last Sunday afternoon: 

Over the Easter weekend, I watched part of a Bugs Bunny and Looney Tunes Marathon on Teletoon Retro. Among the cartoons shown, was the 1961 classic "The Abominable Snow Rabbit". In it, Bugs and Daffy are supposedly burrowing their way to warmer weather in Palm Springs and inadvertently make a wrong turn and end up in the chilly Himalaya's! The usual hilariously looney hijink's ensue as they meet up with the Abominable Snowman who has always wanted a pet rabbit....

Anyways, given our unending winter it could well have been chilly Manitoba that Bugs and Daffy landed in! All they wanted - like many of us - was escape to a warmer environment!

But no, it seems we have entered our own version of the winter that never ends!

Unlike the Abominable Snowman chasing after Bugs to a warmer climate, we can't lead Mother Nature's wintery wrath away from us so we can thaw out.

And, despite the date on the calendar, there is a possibility of some more of the unwanted white stuff over the next day or two!

I've tried to be nice about it, but winter has overstayed it's welcome.

Sorry snow lovers but it is time to pack up the winter toys and unite in an effort to thwart the continued efforts of winter to hang around!

This sentiment for our never ending winter was recently posted on the CBC Radio Noon Facebook page: 

A bit extreme, perhaps but the desire to be rid of our wintery trappings is very real!

Despite advances in meteorology, this techie solution doesn't seem to be working either:

So what are we to do?

Too bad we can't set up a giant magnifying glass to melt the stuff! How about a series of blow torches? No, that might cause more problems with unexpected fires. Although there certainly would be lots of snow to melt and put out the fires with.

Okay, so we stick with the normal melting patterns. GRRR!

Oh well, a slow melt is definitely what is best given the risk for flooding.

However, at this point farmers are also starting to get concerned about how much snow is still to melt on their fields. The snow has to melt and the ground be dry enough to actually work before they can begin seeding. Most crops need to be in by late May to ensure a reasonable growing season before temps drop in the fall. That may be over a month from now, but it takes time to melt all that snow and favourable weather conditions to be able to seed. If they don't get a decent growing season then there will be production shortages for both human and livestock consumption. That would result in higher prices overall - which won't make anybody happy!

I know we have to let nature take its course and melt at whatever speed it decides to but the vast majority of us are getting a bit impatient here.

Some are trying to be optimistic by pointing out that at least we don't have mosquito's and that the AC isn't running! True, but we are still running our furnaces thanks to the cool temps! Heck, this past Monday night, we had an overnight low of -20C! Throw in a windchill and it felt more like -27C outside! This is April NOT January!!!!

I heard a solitary Canada Goose honking as it flew over in the pre-dawn hours a little over a week ago. Though I don't pretend to understand the goose language, I strongly suspect that the incessant honking could be interpreted as "What the....? The flock sent me ahead to check out the landscape and all I see is ice and snow! Are you freaking kidding me? Mother Nature is off her meds again!"

More geese have reportedly been spotted in the area since that morning - as well as a few other migratory birds, but they sure aren't happy about what they have come home to!

The slow melt is also wreaking havoc with road conditions. The streets are mostly dry, but any moisture that flows onto streets from curbside snow piles creates mini lakes that thaws in the day and freezes at night. The drainage systems to catch that melting snow also tend to freeze and thaw with the current weather, resulting in ice jams and massive puddles. These are prime sources for creating pot holes. They are expensive to repair and even more expensive should your vehicle hit a pot hole!!

This slow melt thing is also making mobility harder for those of us who don't have the agility of a mountain goat! Whether you use a cane, a walker, a scooter or are visually impaired such as I am, winter mobility is a challenge. We dread having to go out in those first few days after a snowfall. The spring melt means rutted skating rinks on sidewalks and being sprayed by the mini lakes along the curbs that cars seem to love to speed through.

The city does a semi decent job clearing sidewalks - but it really does depend on where you live. Residential sidewalks aren't plowed nearly as often or as well as those on main thoroughfares or designated snow routes. There are many seniors and people with mobility issues who have felt like prisoners in their homes the past few months. The city's web site is still reporting "difficult" conditions for persons with mobility issues.

I reside along a designated snow route, however thanks to the snowbanks on either side of the fairly decently plowed sidewalks, the melting often creates rivers of slush, frozen ruts and/or skating rinks.

Though I own a decent pair of ice grips that can be slipped onto my boots, these are not suitable for indoor use. In other words, I either leave them at home or remove them before entering some businesses so as not to damage their flooring. The grips are a very snug fit to the footwear - so they do not slip off easily. Trying to put them on or remove them while wearing full winter garb can be even more of a challenge.

So you can risk life and limb on ice covered sidewalks or walk on the streets - close to the curb and facing traffic whenever possible. Neither option is much fun but that, unfortunately, is the choice when you live in Winterpeg.

Personally I miss being able to get out and truly enjoy the somewhat milder temperatures - even though they are still several degrees below the seasonal norm of +10C. We won't be seeing temps that high for at least another week!

I know that spring will eventually arrive and all too soon we will most likely be griping about the heat and the mosquito's but at this point, I think most of us would be quite happy with some seasonable temperatures and noticeable decreases in the white stuff on the ground.

SO, Mother Nature, we'd really appreciate some cooperation here. What do you say we call a truce for now and you move the wintery princess routine to the southern hemisphere until, hmm - say late November or early December?

Yeah, yeah, I know you'll handle it your way. I just had to ask though! 

dn

This Past Winter Was NOT My Fault!

We've had a bitterly cold and extremely snowy winter. Yes, we here in Winterpeg and on the Canadian prairies are pretty much used to cold snowy winters, but this year was just a bit colder and snowier than most.

This past winter was also a whole lot colder and snowier than LAST winter which for the most part barely reared its nasty side. Last year, the snow was gone by mid March. The golfers were out on several courses. The restaurant patios were doing a booming business. Daytime highs were hovering around +20C from March 16-18 and reached +23C on March 19! The first day of spring felt nippy at only +13.6C!

Local forecasters have been quick to remind us of last years' highs while broadcasting the frigid details this year, but they usually neglect to add that March 2012 was an anomaly in our weather.

The first day of spring this year, saw an overnight low of -24.3C and a high of -11C. There was also an oh so unwelcome windchill of around -30C or so in the morning and into the afternoon.

The normal for our first day of spring should be about -9C as the low and +2C as the high.

With the exception of skiers and snowboarders, pretty much everyone else has had more than enough of winter and the white stuff! Oh wait, there is that Grandma in Brandon,Manitoba who has been posting videos of her love of winter while wearing a black bathing suit - outdoors!

We, here on the Canadian prairies are not alone in out winter fatigue. Eastern Canada, the Maritimes and many areas of the US Midwest and North East have also had more than their share of winter woes.

Complaints abound. Rather than accept the weather as it comes, many choose to point fingers.

Now, anyone who knows me, knows that I am not a big winter fan. It can be beautiful to look at, but getting around in it can be a royal pain! Spring can be just as challenging and unpredictable but at this point, I want winter gone!

ENOUGH SNOW AND COLD ALREADY!!

If I had my way, winter and it's remnants would be gone by now! But, anyone who has ever lived along a river or in a flood prone area knows that a slow spring melt is needed.

Who knows what Mother Nature will put out of her weather bag of tricks over the coming weeks!

And yes, I do recall and even admit that I have admonished snowbirds for inciting the wrath of Mother Nature by trying to escape her wintery grasp:

" It is very rare that we don't get one last great winter blast/snowfall from Mother Nature in late March or early April! It usually hits right around the time the last of the Snowbirds (travellers) are returning home from their winter getaways. I have always considered this as Mother Nature's revenge, because they tried to escape winter and that those of us who stay (by choice or circumstance) are just innocent victims."  Spring - March 20 2008

Over the last while there have been those who have suggested that "I" may be to blame for this winter weather this year!

Seriously? Has my own winter escape and haranguing of Mother Nature's weather management caused the proliferation of white stuff and wicked windchills?

Let's examine the facts here:

- Yes, I did leave Winterpeg for a week in January. That is well documented - assuming you have read any of my posts over the last couple months. The fam and I began discussing the trip last September before winter even started! Okay, that may have given Mother Nature extra time to plan a wicked winter.

- It was cold and snowy here long before I left! That is what happens in a normal winter!

- I flew out of Winterpeg on the edge of an incoming blizzard! Okay, maybe Mother Nature was trying to stop me from leaving but she DIDN'T STOP ME or countless others from leaving the winter climes for even a short reprieve!

- Numerous people in Mesa asked if I'd brought the cold weather with me. I reminded them that the temps they were experiencing were cooler than normal before I arrived. It stayed cool until the day I left! Granted, the timing of the warm up may be a bit suspicious!

- Winter temps here were about normal when I returned but they did turn to below normal a few days later! That can't possibly be suspicious - can it?

I'll admit that some points may look slightly incriminating but it is all circumstantial - right?! I don't believe - nor will I take the fall for this wicked winter! Heck, I'm far from the only one who gripes about the weather! That is practically a requirement for even living on the prairies!

So, yes I willingly made a brief escape from winter but the trip was a gift and WHO could or would refuse such a generous offer?  I am not responsible for putting the "winter" in our winter this year! In truth, I am a somewhat vocal, yet single being among the grand Snowbird exodus!

Am I splitting hairs here? Possibly, but if I had that much influence or effect on Mother Nature, we wouldn't have had much of a winter at all!

If I am offered another trip to Mesa in the future, I will make another escape - winter be damned!

I am far from the only one being blamed for this winter though. 

Canadian singer Meaghan Smith has a beautiful song called "It Snowed". Apparently, it may be being played a little too often though as she recently tweeted:

I could add a link to the song, but why take the risk? Google it if you must, but don't blame me or Meghan if It Snows in your area!

Punxsutawney Phil is reportedly being sued! The prosecution claims: "Punxsutawney Phil did purposely, and with prior calculation and design, cause the people to believe that Spring would come early." Though the lawsuit is apparently written in jest. the sentiment is real.

It appears he may have already confessed:

Personally, I've never trusted any of those rodent prognosticators!

So, here we are - the end of March. On March 28, we finally cracked 0C to reach (an almost seasonal) high of +2.3C!

The overabundance of snow is slowly starting to melt. The snowbirds are making their way home. The skiers, snowboarders and other winter enthusiasts are lamenting the end to a great season. The golfers. gardeners, farmers and warmer temperature enthusiasts are chomping at the bit to get out and get on with it.

We will never all agree on the ideal weather conditions and that is part of what makes us living beings so wonderful. Despite all the advances in weather science, we still can't always predict what Mother Nature may have up her sleeve. We just have to learn to accept it and deal with it as best we can with what we have been given.

Here's to you Mother Nature, as always, you are a mainstay of our conversations - for better or for worse! You drive us nuts sometimes but you also keep life interesting and keep us on our toes!

Am I sucking up to her just in case? Yup, can't be too careful these days!

Happy Spring! 

dn