One of the things I really appreciate about Canada is the four distinct seasons. But with our rapidly changing climate our winters are not normal anymore. Most years, a bit of snow. And then we would lose it all to heavy rains. For myself, these erratic winters caused me a great deal of climate anxiety.
When we lost all our snow from heavy rains last December 30th it really felt like Déjà Vu. I was thinking, here we go all over again.
As mentioned in my previous post, these are tough days. At the same time, things are not normal in our world. Demands on Canada from the Trump regime seem to shift by the hour as it seeks to subjugate Canada. In the words of our Prime Minister, “The United States administration is trying to destroy us. Talk of annexation is not to be dismissed as a rude joke.”
Sign that went viral reading “This is Not Normal” held by Democratic congresswoman Melanie Stansbury. Women are claiming pink as a color of protest, as a color of power. They are protesting what is happening in the US right now. A few seconds later, the sign was ripped out of her hands. Image Saul Loeb/Getty Images from a Glamour Magazine article.
When I am full of anxiety, I try to spend time in nature. Canadian climate scientist and board member of The Nature Conservatory, Katharine Hayhoe and mutual Bluesky follow writes in a post on Bluesky “Spending time in nature reduces stress, improves mental health, boosts the immune system, and enhances overall well-being. That’s the scientific version.” So I immerse myself in nature. This winter has been “more normal” in this area of Ontario than it has been in a lot of years. As mentioned in Cottage Life Magazine, this past winter the city of Orillia (which is near the 3 churches I preach at) received a total of 460 centimetres (181 inches) of snow. It did my heart so much good. We got so much snow. More importantly, for two months straight we never had one day above freezing. Which hasn’t happened these past few winters. For the next few minutes, please join me as I share with you my winter wonderland with photos from this past January and February in and around my little village of Hillsdale, Ontario.
I love going into the forest after a fresh, heavy snow. Everything looks so clean and pure.
Really hard to train with the snow this deep.
If you are ever hiking or running in the winter you might notice beech trees that look like this. This is called marcescence. a unique behavior where they retain dry, withered leaves through winter. It offers potential benefits like protection for buds, nutrient recycling & herbivore deterrence.
“I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then covers them up snug, you know with a while quilt; and perhaps it says “Go to sleep darlings. till the summer comes again”. ~Lewis Carroll~
These next few photos are from within my little village of Hillsdale. This is the historic grist mill.
The day after Canada defeating the United States in hockey a neighbour celebrated this way. The Canada maple leaf flag on a hockey stick.
Some vehicles not yet picked up at the service centre.
Highway 93 and Mill Street. There is a stop sign there somewhere.
Speaking of Highway 93, a driver careened across the highway, breaking off the crosswalk button post and bending the Albert St. street sign to a 45 degree angle. Right where I usually stand for crosswalk duty, fortunately it was between crosswalk shifts. 🚸
There were a few days sidewalks were not plowed at all. Upsetting to me seeing the children as young as kindergarten struggle through such deep snow to walk to school. Especially when drivers get all the priority with the roads all clear.
Sidewalk scene taken one morning at 8:00 am in front of my house just as I was about to walk up the street for crosswalk duties.
Love this Little Library in Hillsdale. The owner does an amazing job keeping a path cleared so it is always accessible. There are actually four Little Libraries in Hillsdale. All worth checking out. But this is the only one kept open and accessible throughout the winter months.
Lots of snow shoveling at our house. We are one of the few people in Hillsdale who don’t own a snowblower or hire a snow removal service. Done without a snowblower for the 34 years we’ve lived here. Most winters I could easily shovel the snow, and always have a place to put it. This winter after some major snowfalls we’ve had wonderful neighbours who used their snow blowers to help us. They would just show up. Next door Marion on the west side. Next door Bill on the east side. Randy across the road. And John, next door to Randy. Thank you so much to each of of you. You are all the best.
A few buildings around the area have collapsed from the weight of the heavy snow load on their roof. To prevent that happening to our house, my dear wife and I had a wonderful morning “date” shoveling some of the excess snow weight off of our own roof.
Sometimes the weight of the world can really bear down on us hard to where it feels our lives are going to collapse. My message with this photo posted on Bluesky was “I have conducted a few graveside services at this cemetery. For a few, the deceased endured much pain & suffering their final days. I spent several minutes absorbing this scene. Even though our current world is in turmoil, those buried in this cemetery won’t have to face it. They are at peace.
Have gotten a notice that this beloved maple tree that for 34 years I’ve looked out at and admired from my back deck will be executed or destroyed this month by developers building the subdivision behind us. I am trying to prepare myself emotionally. It is going to be very hard. All the above winter photos (except the one with Lynne and I on our roof) taken with my 16 year old Fuji Finepix camera.
The past few years there has been a lot of area forests very dear to me that have been logged. Have lost the number of times I have entered a logged out forest and wept.
So I decided to write an article on this past winter, as I thought who knows when we will experience a winter like this again. Then again, it might be a new norm. However, we never really experienced any extreme bitter cold days all winter. The coldest it dropped down to was -23 Celsius. Ten years ago we would always get one or two nights at least in the -30’s. Fifty years ago when I was a kid it was a normal winter to get one or two deep freezes with temperatures dropping to -40 (both Celsius and Fahrenheit) during winter.
Ten years ago it was normal for winters to drop down to this temperature. Maybe not quite as normal for most people to go camping in it.
I am happy Canada is uniting together and doing all we can to keep “Our true north strong and free”. We’ve taken the threats from the bully from the south seriously. At the same time we are facing another threat. Our planet is warming. Sadly we are facing some other bullies who are just as or more threatening than what Canada is facing as a nation. Fossil fuel corporations and other major polluters are putting the future of our planet at risk. They are putting profits over our planet.
Graphic by Sophie Gabrielle of Code Red Earth. Jamie Henn is the founder and executive director of Fossil Free Media.
Our planet is warming at an alarming rate. Graphic Source BBC.
Katharine Hayhoe, chief chief scientist for the Nature Conservancy shared in an interview with The Guardian titled “We Cannot Adapt Our Way Out of Climate Crises” saying, “People do not understand the magnitude of what is going on.” She went on to say, “Our infrastructure, worth trillions of dollars, built over decades, was built for a planet that no longer exists. Changing that infrastructure would cost further trillions, so allowing greenhouse gas emissions to continue to grow would mean ever-rising impacts and costs. The whole of modern life is at stake, she added. Human civilization is based on the assumption of a stable climate,” she said. “But we are moving far beyond the stable range.”
Lots of rallying posts for Canada on social media. This is by Canadian MP Charlie Angus on Bluesky with this message, “When Mike Myers wore his “Canada Is Not For Sale” t-shirt on SNL, he mouthed a secret code: “elbows up.” It’s a reference to the great Gordie “Mr. Elbows” Howe who punished those that messed with his team. You heard him Canada: elbows up.” We should also have “elbows up” when it comes against the driving forces of climate change.
Way back in 2008, Barack Obama (the summer before he was elected president) addressed a crowd of 200,000 people in Berlin, saying, “This is the moment when we must come together to save this planet”. That moment, of course, came and went. But there were more speeches, more moments of urgency. Al Gore tried, so did Leonardo DiCaprio. Sir David Attenborough and Greta Thunberg attempted to mobilize the masses. Even the King has had a go. Climate scientists have become so desperate they are gluing themselves to government departments to call for an end to new oil and gas. Releasing reports are just no longer enough. They are taking actions that cannot be ignored. Others are trying to draw attention to the climate crises with their own lives.
Message by then at the time Prince Charles on Climate Change in 2019 before the World Economic Forum.
Graphic by Sophie Gabrielle of Code Red Earth. May Wynn Bruce’s death not be in vain. Sadly, his death got very little coverage in the mainstream press.
On December 12, 2015, 196 parties signed a legal, binding International Treaty on Climate Change at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris, France. It was called The Paris Climate Agreement, and entered into force on November 4, 2016. The agreement was to limit global warming to 1.5°C, greenhouse gas emissions must peak before 2025 at the latest and decline 43% by 2030.
According to the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, 2024 was the warmest year on record dating back to 1850, coming in at 1.6 C above the pre-industrial average (1850-1900). It beat out 2023 as the hottest year on record, which was 1.48 C warmer than the pre-industrial average.
We have surpassed 1.5 degrees Celsius. Graphic by Sophie Gabrielle of Code Red Earth.
Due to Canada’s higher latitudes our temperatures have risen far more that the global average. Graphic by Sophie Gabrielle of Code Red Earth.
A post 1.5C world will mean different things for different countries. Here in Canada the warming Great Lakes could herald a new era of supercharged snowstorms like we experienced this past winter. Will this become the new norm? Then there are more intense wildfires. Wildfire expert Mike Flannigan spoke following the devastation in Jasper saying, “The extreme conditions underlying the wildfire are “consistent with what we expect with climate change.” Jasper is the latest in a growing number of towns, cities and First Nations communities in Canada that have been either fully or partially destroyed by wildfires in recent years. From Agriculture Canada, “The intensity of extreme events from climate change will bring challenges to Canada’s agricultural sector. In most of Canada, springs will be wetter, summers will be hotter and drier, and winters will be wetter and milder.”
Each year I keep an eye on how the ice is forming on the Great Lakes through this National Ice Center website. This screenshot was on March 9th, with 18.87% ice cover. This year the most ice formed was only 22.3% on March 5th. Which means 77.7% of the Great Lakes was still open water. Cold air flowing over open warmer water always has the potential for more snow. This website is updated daily. The link is found here.
The Jasper fire, taken from a little parking lot on the highway. Image Wild Rose Country on Reddit.
With a warming planet, “atmospheric river” storms are becoming more and more the norm. As Katharine Hayhoe quotes, “Our infrastructure, worth trillions of dollars, built over decades, was built for a planet that no longer exists.” Jennifer Gauthier/Reuters photo from article, “Canadian Dairy Farmers Hit Hard by Devastating ‘Atmospheric River’ Floods”
There are standard rainstorms. And then there are atmospheric rivers which can devastate a region. Atmospheric rivers are massive bands of flowing water vapour high up in the sky. They are on average 800 kilometers wide and several hundred kilometers long. Graphic Caroline Nesbitt/Global News on an atmospheric river that devastated British Columbia. Due to climate change, atmospheric rivers are becoming bigger. It is estimated they will likely be about 25 per cent longer and 25 per cent wider, and will transport about 50 per cent more water vapour towards the end of this century.
Graphic provided by the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC). So many catastrophic losses in one year. The Insurance Bureau of Canada highlighted that since 2019, personal property damage claims have risen by 115%, while repair and replacement costs have surged by 485%. The escalating frequency and severity of such disasters are raising alarms about the future affordability and availability of home insurance. Last year there was a record 228,000 insurance claims for insured damage of a record 8.5 billion dollars in Canada. Note these are just for insurance claims. Not the cost of infrastructure damage such as roads and bridges wiped out. That money comes out of our taxes. IBC is calling on all governments to treat Canada’s changing climate as the crisis it is and to collaborate on reducing disaster risk.
Chris Hedges is a Pulitzer Prize–winning American journalist who spent 15 years with the New York Times primarily in war torn parts of the world. He is a distinguished author and since 2014, a Presbyterian minister. Graphic by Sophie Gabrielle of Code Red Earth. Quote from The Dawn of the Apocalypse.
Quote from the 1999 book called The Coming Global Superstorm. The feature film The Day After Tomorrow was based on this book. Graphic by Sophie Gabrielle of Code Red Earth.
We need more people to fight for our planet. Quote by Peter Kalmus, such a deeply caring climate scientist. Graphic by Sophie Gabrielle of Code Red Earth. Elbows Up!
What meaningful things can we individually do for the future of our civilization? The United Nations Environmental Program has an excellent article titled “10 Ways You Can Help Fight the Climate Crises”. It is indeed a fight, so “elbows up”. We live in deeply challenging times. My deepest hope and dream is that there will be a livable planet for my grandchildren.
These past 2 weeks we’ve had mild temperatures. The snow has rapidly been melting. Yesterday I spotted my 1st robin on the driveway. March 15th seems incredibly early for the arrival of the 1st robin. Though there is the odd bare patch, in most places there is still a half a meter of snow on the ground. Who knows what the remainder of 2025 will be like.
My grandchildren in New Zealand playing in the ocean. I really miss them so much.
Thank you for reading. Some of my other articles about our Canadian winters.
Well done Carl again another interesting article. Your pictures were marvelous. Keep up the good work, we really appreciate your interest in so many things it is very educational for us all. We do take so much for granted and we need to open our eyes before it is too late. Keep up the good writing Carl.
You are always so kind to read my articles, Sheila. Thank you very much. And thank you for your kind words. You are such a wonderful encourager. Not that we have lost most of our snow, it has been fun going over my winter photos. I posted just a few of them. 🙏
Yes, I can relate to your anxiety in the face of what are arguably Canada’s two greatest threats. I find nature comforting too. Love your photos! That’s A LOT of snow. There’s lots here in Alberta, but nothing quite like I see in your pictures. Thanks for sharing. Elbows up. 🇨🇦
Hi Lori. Thank you so much for reading and for your kind comment. This last week we have had very mild temperatures as high as +18c. Fortunately only one day accompanied by rain, so it hasn’t been the flooding that I was concerned about. I live in a low lying area, so at the worst the sump pump was cycling just over 2 minutes. Would have been major flooding had it rained all week to melt the snow. I haven’t got on the trails these past few days as it has gotten really icy.
Good to see Canada uniting against the threat south of the border. Yes, Elbows Up. 🇨🇦
That quote by Chris Hedges—especially the part about “sleepwalking into catastrophe”—hits hard. We’re watching ourselves dismantle the planet and our own future, almost in real time. It’s sobering and maddening.
On a lighter note, your photos truly capture the magic of winter—that rare, peaceful kind of snow that makes the world feel untouched and still. After so many erratic winters, having a “proper” one must be a relief. Losing that maple tree after 31 years will be tough. It’s not just a tree; it’s a landmark, a witness to time, almost like an old friend. I hope you can hold onto a piece of it—maybe a small section of wood as a keepsake.
Thanks for sharing both the beauty and the heartbreak of this world we are living in, Carl.
Hi Catrina. Yes, the quote from Chris Hedges hits me hard as well.
I am so happy we had the winter we had. The last 10 days or so it has gotten milder with Wednesday reaching a high of 18c. In the open areas much of the snow has disappeared. In the forests there is still a half a meter of snow.
Thank you for your kind words regarding the maple tree. It is indeed a very dear, old friend. The tree is still standing, but for not sure for how many more days. The developer now has a big sign on the highway announcing the tree removal. There is going to be 45 trees removed in total. All special, but that one tree is close to my heart. That is a great suggestion of keeping a small section of wood as a keepsake.
Thank you for reading and your comment. I hope you have a great week ahead. 🙏
I really enjoyed your wintry photos Carl. There is a peacefulness, albeit a chilly one, to a walk in the deep snow. this is such an uncertain and anxiety provoking time. I too find being outside in nature a calming survival tool.
Such a sweet photo of your grandchildren. I can only imagine how much you miss them. We count our blessings that our four are all nearby.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read, Sue. The snow has all melted except for areas more sheltered in the forests. We just recently experienced a very significant ice storm. Nature is now mending itself.
I am very fortunate for technology. I am able to video chat with my grandchildren in New Zealand one or two times a week. This I am very grateful for. ☺️
It’s quite something having more extreme snowstorms and weather events these days. And not in a good way. ‘Supercharged snowstorms’ sounds like something you don’t want to have coming your way at all. Those are some really lovely photos of the snow and winter in your neighbourhood. We don’t get snowfall like that in Australia, so it’s really fascinating to see everything blanketed in white and life a bit like a slumber, taking care of your surrounds and each other. You and Lynn look like you know what you are doing up on the roof shoveling snow – with your years of experience! It’s scary to think that snow can be so heavy that roofs cave in. Another consequence of extreme weather.
Global warming is a cause for concern yet the world is slow to react. Although I like the heat and warmth, too much of it isn’t sustainable for the future. As you shared in your post, people don’t really understand that magnitude of it all. I wonder what it will take for more consciousness surrounding our planet. Thank you for sharing such an important message so vocally, Carl.
Thank you for sharing such an important comment, Mabel. Current building codes for newer construction require buildings able to sustain a certain weight of snow. Older homes didn’t have those building codes and if the weight of the snow is heavier than what the roof can hold, it will collapse. Even though our house isn’t that old (built in 1984), I didn’t want to take any chances. Lynne and I only shoveled off the roof once in mid winter.
In nature it really is like it is taking a slumber with all the snow. Even though I might not see animals, I will see animal footprints in the snow. Each animal has their own unique footprint. It is fun seeing what animals are active in the winter. There are other animals like bears that hibernate during the winter.
Our weather systems are changing do to climate change. I can’t imagine how unbearably hot those heat waves must be in parts of the world. I’ve heard Australia, particularly in the Outback can get very hot.
Thanks again for reading and your comment, Mabel. Your comments are always so engaging. 🌎
It’s great to hear that your house and roof isn’t that old, but definitely great not to take any chances. You never know the consequences of weather like this. The animals certainly are impacted too, and most probably are after shelter of some sort.
Australia can get very hot in the summer, over 40’C in the Outback and in recently times, in metropolitan areas as well. Always best to look out for each other. A pleasure to read your writing and work, Carl 🙏
Wow 40 degrees is so hot, Mabel. The most I have ever experienced is 35C. Each summer we will get temperatures in the low 30’s, but usually for a short period of time. During those days if I went for a run, I would do it 1st thing in the morning when it was a bit cooler.
That’s wise to go for a run earlier in the day on really warm days. When it’s 40’C here, it can feel hotter than that. The sun can be really hot here. Wishing you a wonderful summer ahead, Carl 🙂
theoldfellowgoesrunning 
Well done Carl again another interesting article. Your pictures were marvelous. Keep up the good work, we really appreciate your interest in so many things it is very educational for us all. We do take so much for granted and we need to open our eyes before it is too late. Keep up the good writing Carl.
Sheila
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You are always so kind to read my articles, Sheila. Thank you very much. And thank you for your kind words. You are such a wonderful encourager. Not that we have lost most of our snow, it has been fun going over my winter photos. I posted just a few of them. 🙏
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Yes, I can relate to your anxiety in the face of what are arguably Canada’s two greatest threats. I find nature comforting too. Love your photos! That’s A LOT of snow. There’s lots here in Alberta, but nothing quite like I see in your pictures. Thanks for sharing. Elbows up. 🇨🇦
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Hi Lori. Thank you so much for reading and for your kind comment. This last week we have had very mild temperatures as high as +18c. Fortunately only one day accompanied by rain, so it hasn’t been the flooding that I was concerned about. I live in a low lying area, so at the worst the sump pump was cycling just over 2 minutes. Would have been major flooding had it rained all week to melt the snow. I haven’t got on the trails these past few days as it has gotten really icy.
Good to see Canada uniting against the threat south of the border. Yes, Elbows Up. 🇨🇦
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That quote by Chris Hedges—especially the part about “sleepwalking into catastrophe”—hits hard. We’re watching ourselves dismantle the planet and our own future, almost in real time. It’s sobering and maddening.
On a lighter note, your photos truly capture the magic of winter—that rare, peaceful kind of snow that makes the world feel untouched and still. After so many erratic winters, having a “proper” one must be a relief. Losing that maple tree after 31 years will be tough. It’s not just a tree; it’s a landmark, a witness to time, almost like an old friend. I hope you can hold onto a piece of it—maybe a small section of wood as a keepsake.
Thanks for sharing both the beauty and the heartbreak of this world we are living in, Carl.
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Hi Catrina. Yes, the quote from Chris Hedges hits me hard as well.
I am so happy we had the winter we had. The last 10 days or so it has gotten milder with Wednesday reaching a high of 18c. In the open areas much of the snow has disappeared. In the forests there is still a half a meter of snow.
Thank you for your kind words regarding the maple tree. It is indeed a very dear, old friend. The tree is still standing, but for not sure for how many more days. The developer now has a big sign on the highway announcing the tree removal. There is going to be 45 trees removed in total. All special, but that one tree is close to my heart. That is a great suggestion of keeping a small section of wood as a keepsake.
Thank you for reading and your comment. I hope you have a great week ahead. 🙏
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I really enjoyed your wintry photos Carl. There is a peacefulness, albeit a chilly one, to a walk in the deep snow. this is such an uncertain and anxiety provoking time. I too find being outside in nature a calming survival tool.
Such a sweet photo of your grandchildren. I can only imagine how much you miss them. We count our blessings that our four are all nearby.
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Thank you so much for taking the time to read, Sue. The snow has all melted except for areas more sheltered in the forests. We just recently experienced a very significant ice storm. Nature is now mending itself.
I am very fortunate for technology. I am able to video chat with my grandchildren in New Zealand one or two times a week. This I am very grateful for. ☺️
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It’s quite something having more extreme snowstorms and weather events these days. And not in a good way. ‘Supercharged snowstorms’ sounds like something you don’t want to have coming your way at all. Those are some really lovely photos of the snow and winter in your neighbourhood. We don’t get snowfall like that in Australia, so it’s really fascinating to see everything blanketed in white and life a bit like a slumber, taking care of your surrounds and each other. You and Lynn look like you know what you are doing up on the roof shoveling snow – with your years of experience! It’s scary to think that snow can be so heavy that roofs cave in. Another consequence of extreme weather.
Global warming is a cause for concern yet the world is slow to react. Although I like the heat and warmth, too much of it isn’t sustainable for the future. As you shared in your post, people don’t really understand that magnitude of it all. I wonder what it will take for more consciousness surrounding our planet. Thank you for sharing such an important message so vocally, Carl.
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Thank you for sharing such an important comment, Mabel. Current building codes for newer construction require buildings able to sustain a certain weight of snow. Older homes didn’t have those building codes and if the weight of the snow is heavier than what the roof can hold, it will collapse. Even though our house isn’t that old (built in 1984), I didn’t want to take any chances. Lynne and I only shoveled off the roof once in mid winter.
In nature it really is like it is taking a slumber with all the snow. Even though I might not see animals, I will see animal footprints in the snow. Each animal has their own unique footprint. It is fun seeing what animals are active in the winter. There are other animals like bears that hibernate during the winter.
Our weather systems are changing do to climate change. I can’t imagine how unbearably hot those heat waves must be in parts of the world. I’ve heard Australia, particularly in the Outback can get very hot.
Thanks again for reading and your comment, Mabel. Your comments are always so engaging. 🌎
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It’s great to hear that your house and roof isn’t that old, but definitely great not to take any chances. You never know the consequences of weather like this. The animals certainly are impacted too, and most probably are after shelter of some sort.
Australia can get very hot in the summer, over 40’C in the Outback and in recently times, in metropolitan areas as well. Always best to look out for each other. A pleasure to read your writing and work, Carl 🙏
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Wow 40 degrees is so hot, Mabel. The most I have ever experienced is 35C. Each summer we will get temperatures in the low 30’s, but usually for a short period of time. During those days if I went for a run, I would do it 1st thing in the morning when it was a bit cooler.
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That’s wise to go for a run earlier in the day on really warm days. When it’s 40’C here, it can feel hotter than that. The sun can be really hot here. Wishing you a wonderful summer ahead, Carl 🙂
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Thank you so much, Mabel. Have a great summer yourself. 😀
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Love your snow photos, but especially the one of you and your wife shovelling snow on your roof!
We’re going into summer soon here in Australia, while you guys will go into winter…hope your roof doesn’t cave in!
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Thank you so much for stopping by and for your wonderful comment. I just happened to check my spam and found it there.
Hoping there won’t be as much snow as last winter. That was so much snow.
Have a great summer in Australia. I have a daughter living in New Zealand. She is also going into summer. ☺️
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