Funnily enough humidity drops in the winter. As it gets colder the temperature drives the moisture out of the air and it falls as snow. The dryness makes breathing the outside air almost painful and it doesn't take must to incite a nose bleed. Many families heat a pot of water on the stove or use humidifiers just to add some comfort.
While most days this time of year don't go above freezing, the sun shines intensely in the sky. This give a strange illusion of warmth, and the brightness of the sun reflecting off the snow makes it seem like a summers day.
Water does interesting things at these temperatures. We have had overnight fog lately and it freezes on the trees, coating them in a beautiful white glass. When the sun breaks through in the mid morning the effect shatters and flakes of ice float through the air.
The wind also plays tricks. It blows the snow into mounds and waves. Transforming the landscape into unusual visual playgrounds. Frozen lakes become seas of Antarctic white where a colony of penguins would not be out of place.
For all its cold, it doesn't seem unmanageable. We use the garage as a buffer, loading and unloading, with relative comfort. The houses and stores are all heated, and the windows double glazed. Several places offer drive through including the banks. So with a warm coat, the moments between heat are quite bearable and sometimes even refreshing.
Yesterday was the shortest day of the year, (since America marks its seasons by the solstice), it is now official: Welcome to winter!
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| Frozen Trees |
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| Snow on Ice |
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| Winter Waves |
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