A well known line from a popular show I seem to be the only one who isn't watching, is "Winter is coming." This line has been the source of many memes and become rooted in our popular culture. Well here in the north winter has come and now, is going.
This was our second winter in the north and though I enjoyed it, I'm ready for spring. Last year I remember watching a neighbour break up the snow banks on his lawn and then run his snowblower over it to get his lawn out a week or so earlier. I thought he was a little crazy but this year, I get it. I've made a habit of coming home and taking the snow shovel and craving a little off the top of the snow bank and tossing it into the road. I'm looking forward to the lawn being free and the kids playing outside.
One of the highlights of this past winter was spending time a our local community-run ski hill. Last year I took lessons at this hill only to take one bad turn and break my leg in the most epic and graceless way possible. Not ready to jump on the skis again, I went up to see how I could pitch in and and help be a part of the neighbourhood. I ended up working as a lift operator one day and a couple evenings a week. There were nights it was bitterly cold and the shifts seemed long but the relationships I started to make on the hill were worth it. It was so great to see little kids who were there to learn slowly get better as the season went on, to start to recognize the regulars and now not just be strangers when we pass on the street. Overall it was a great way to spend some time this winter and I will seriously consider it again next year.
As good as it was to be at the hill, I was ready to be done. As it the temperature has gone up and the snow piles gone down, I'm anxious to get to other things. The house we bought last year has a shop in the back and as we started on some of the basic stuff we needed to do to the house I remembered how much I loved working with wood and just building stuff. So over the winter, we made plans of what we wanted to do in and around our house and I started accumulating the tools to complete them.
I may start sharing some of my projects here as we go. As we shift into spring and then summer I am planning on getting caught up on my book reviews. I have read some great ones over the past few months I'd love to share with you. All in time however as each season presents different opportunities.