Greeting Card Kids #3 and a bit of Winnipeg thoughts.

Hi everyone. I hope you're having a wonderful day. I sure am!

You know, yesterday I saw the first yellow leaves falling down our tree in the backyard. It was cloudy and rainy and I really had a hard embracing the thought of fall. I know Summer doesn't last forever in Canada. We have 4 seasons. Just the transition from Summer to fall, I find hard. We lived in Winnipeg for 7 beautiful years. Fall/Autumn in Manitoba (from my humble point of view) only lasted maybe 2 1/2 weeks. Within 2 1/2 weeks, the leaves went from green to yellow, to laying on the floor and then to be snowed upon. That quick transition from the heat to the cold, was each year a shock to me. There was like no time to try to locate all the kids winter stuff.. Their summer clothes would be still in the laundry, while I was packing them up in warm jackets and scarfs and winter boots to go outside.

I think that I am still recovering from our time in Winnipeg. It could get so cold in Winnipeg. Days with -45 Celsius outside, that would make the inside of my nose freeze.... I didn't even know that was possible. On days like that dogs could only be outside for 10 minutes and so could we. + I wasn't able to recognize anyone outside, because everyone was wrapped into puffy jackets hiding from the cold. Many times I thought to myself.. oh My.. we all look like sleeping bags walking around, pretending we are still in our warm and cozy beds..

I so dislike a world with no color, no smell, no sounds .. just white snow everywhere, the birds and their sweet songs were mostly gone, because it's to darn cold. I had to dress up my kids with so many layers, that they couldn't even move around anymore. Or skating.. on most of those winter days.. My feet would fall off.

You have to understand that this is all from a Pauline dutch point of view. I am not representing my hubby or anyone else here.

I don't think I ever embraced the winter there to the fullest. It was just to long for me. From October to the far end of April. I was used to maybe a couple of days of snow in Holland. Not the regular -30 Celsius.

I know many dear friends who I so love and admire.. do embrace the winter there. They love the blue skies, they go for walks, ICE Fishing.. winter camping.. My hubby did that once.. Building an igloo and sleeping in it. I am still impressed with him..

I did enjoy some days of winter, when it would go up to - 15.. I can handle that one. No problemos. But I am thankful to live in Calgary. We have Chinooks, warmer days and so many birds that are not scared to stay here.. My kids even walk sometimes outside without their jackets in the winter, because it is + something Celsius.. :)

I hope I am not offending anyone with my thoughts here. Winnipeg is a great city, love so many of my dear friends there. Love the Winnipeg Centre Vineyard Church we were a part of and I miss that community of people so much. I worked there at the Mainstreet Project. What a place. So many good people there that have their hearts in the right place to care for those that live on the streets... yes even in those cold winters.

So yeah.. Winnipeg, falling leaves, winter, friends.. and this card.. I like it.. But no winter for me yet.. Please ....

Pss.. On another note. Here is our son showing one of the Garder snakes he catched a week ago in Fairmont.. Don't worry, he let them go again, to the big surprise of his Grandma.. She was not to happy.. 6 snakes were let go in her yard.. Yip.. Not to good. Today it's his first day of school. 1st Grader.. It is a bit to quiet in my home. I think I am off for a walk.. in the SUN.. yes, there is sun today. Love it!