Saying Goodbye to Winter

Wishing for warmer temperature (and more sunshine) is common this time of year. I really enjoy winter, but usually by March I have joined the 'complainers,' wishing away the cold dark days in favour of something else. I have only escaped winter three times in my life. When I was in elementary school my family drove south to Myrtle Beach for March Break. When I was a teenager my family spent a week in Disney World in November. Most recently, when our kids were younger (2012) we spent March Break at a house in the Bahamas with our good friends.

This year marks the fourth time I have abandoned winter, but this time we are leaving it for good, not just for a week. On Thursday we are going to Cuba with some very dear friends of ours. It will be our first trip to a resort ever (maybe our only one ever!) and it marks the beginning of our adventures away from home this year. When we return from Cuba we will only have one day to pack and get organized before we leave on the big road trip, so winter is essentially over for us already.

We did our best to make the most of this winter. We skied downhill and cross country about once each week, even when it was bitterly cold. This weekend we went up to our cottage so we could enjoy a few more peaceful days of winter weather, and were very lucky that we were able to skate on the lake in addition to snowshoeing and skiing. We love winter, and I have to say it is wonderful to be leaving it before we get too tired of wet boots, cold fingers, and icy driveways.


Downhill skiing at Mount St. Louis. Lots of great sunsets this year, even though they were at 5PM. :)


Cross country skiing in -20°C weather at Springwater Park. We were warm when we were moving.


A beautiful - warm! - day in Niagara Falls during our last visit with family. It was Monday and VERY strange not to be at work/school.


Skating at Nathan Phillips Square. We missed the Leafs outdoor practice by an hour or so.


Snowshoeing in the forest. Glorious sunshine and really cool ice formations on the rocks.


Skating on a frozen lake. For me, this remains one of the most magical winter experiences.


We estimate that we had about 5 rinks' worth of ice all to ourselves.


Skiing across the lake.