Yesterday the weather was dreadful. It was warm, a few degrees above zero. It snowed all night the night before, and all day yesterday, a wet sloppy snow, heavy and slippery. We managed to get out for our walks, but is tough slogging on the sidewalks that were not plowed. It was quite a workout to go the usual distance.
This morning I took my shower early in the morning, but not early enough for my hair to dry adequately for an early morning walk. My hair dries very, very slowly, it is very fine, but relatively thick. The -22C wind chill is a force to be reckoned with, and not something to willingly engage with a head of wet hair. I will have to walk sometime later in the day.
My younger sister kindly cut my hair when we were visiting. She does a wonderful job of it, although she is not a professional hairstylist. Only three people cut my hair successfully, my Mom, my younger sister, and Michael the hairdresser who lives and works too far away to visit. Attila does an OK job of it, but it really isn’t his thing, he agrees to do it only because he loves me.
The days are getting shorter, the weather is getting colder, the season for staying snug indoors is here. It is also the season for enjoying the fruits of our labour with the garden, and food preservation. In late November we moved from filling jars for the pantry, to emptying jars for the table. This year was the first year I tried the Red Pepper Relish recipe, and I am so glad I did. It adds a healthy kick to so many dishes. For dinner last night we enjoyed Impossible Turkey Pie, made with a whole wheat and canola oil biscuit mix (homemade). Without adding any salt, this dish is a bit on the dull side. Add a few dollops of Red Pepper Relish on top, and wow, delicious.
Low sodium eating can be pretty dull. It is always a joy to find low-sodium, low-sugar condiments to spice things up. Cowboy Candy is another great condiment, but it is fairly high in sugar, even though I halve the amount called for, so I have to use it sparingly.
Worldly
Weather
-12°C
Date: 8:00 AM EST Thursday 11 December 2025
Condition: Mainly Sunny
Pressure: 100.4 kPa
Tendency: Rising
Temperature: -12.2°C
Dew point: -15.2°C
Humidity: 78%
Wind: W 26 km/h
Wind Chill: -22
Quote
“The art of life is to show your hand. There is no diplomacy like candor. You may lose by it now and then, but it will be a loss well gained if you do. Nothing is so boring as having to keep up a deception.”
E. V. Lucas
1868 – 1938
Fear not, my friend! Sunday night, in less than 48 hours, we *gain* our first minute of daylight in the evening. Because of the angles, we start gaining evening daylight before we’ve finished losing light in the mornings. That all evens out on the 21st and then we will have the days getting longer. (I periodically check timeanddate.com. They measure in seconds for a location, which helps me believe that they’re doing this shortest day thing correctly.)
Stay warm. We now have 2 to 2.5 ft drifts of snow around us, after a few hefty snowsqualls. Fortunately, everyone has been doing a great job so far with keeping the roads clear.
Teri, thanks for the information, very encouraging, and for the link. The light “gain” in the evening is certainly a brightness in this “darkest hour” of year, thanks for sharing that!
When I look at the weather maps I see the lake effect snow and think of you, we have a lot less here, and other parts of southern Ontario have even less. That is great that everyone there is able to keep up with road maintenance, so important for so many reasons.
The change over to gaining minutes in the evening is something I keep track of in the winter. I swear it helps keep me from getting distressed over the long nights.
Teri, I can see how keeping track of gained light would mediate the winter months, a way of looking forward!