Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.
(George Eliot)
It may be a bit weird to be writing about getting ready for winter when it seems like it's already here. Officially, we're still in autumn, but as average daily temperatures fall well below zero most days, it certainly feels like winter is here already. And with the recent snowfalls, it's definitely a lot colder than any winter we get in Sydney.
There was a lot of preparation leading up to the more wintery weather. As the trees all dropped their leaves and the ground started to look brown with them, things started happening that at first I didn't understand. Now, after only a couple of weeks of snowy conditions, and light ones at that, it all makes sense.
First, there were the shops. Clothes stores started putting their winter woolies, hats, scarves, coats, gloves and mittens, to the front of the shop, with special autumn deals. I even found fleece-lined stockings! Yes, I bought some, even though I can't imagine wearing them in Sydney without wanting to take them off by lunchtime!
There was a lot of preparation leading up to the more wintery weather. As the trees all dropped their leaves and the ground started to look brown with them, things started happening that at first I didn't understand. Now, after only a couple of weeks of snowy conditions, and light ones at that, it all makes sense.
First, there were the shops. Clothes stores started putting their winter woolies, hats, scarves, coats, gloves and mittens, to the front of the shop, with special autumn deals. I even found fleece-lined stockings! Yes, I bought some, even though I can't imagine wearing them in Sydney without wanting to take them off by lunchtime!
Next, changes outside in the streets could also be seen. Fire hydrants suddenly had bars rising up to a metre like they were planning on being beacons in the white snow. Grit was sprinkled on footpaths everywhere in anticipation of the first snowstorm. Roadside trees were lined with planks of wood, to protect them from the snowploughs I guess.
People marked their driveways with reflective poles too, just like we have along roads that flood regularly, only this is for finding their way in the snow. Plants in front gardens were either tied down with ropes or covered with hessian.
Local parks emptied ponds, either until the spring or in preparation for making a nice base for ice skating later in the winter when the cold had settled in well and truly.
Finally, inside, carpets suddenly appeared in foyers and entryways ready for wet, snowy boots, and in my office and probably others, boot trays even came out so that people could swap over wet dirty boots for more appropriate inside footwear.
It really is another world, this northern hemisphere real winter thing. It's fascinating how much people are dictated by the seasons here.
People marked their driveways with reflective poles too, just like we have along roads that flood regularly, only this is for finding their way in the snow. Plants in front gardens were either tied down with ropes or covered with hessian.
Local parks emptied ponds, either until the spring or in preparation for making a nice base for ice skating later in the winter when the cold had settled in well and truly.
Finally, inside, carpets suddenly appeared in foyers and entryways ready for wet, snowy boots, and in my office and probably others, boot trays even came out so that people could swap over wet dirty boots for more appropriate inside footwear.
It really is another world, this northern hemisphere real winter thing. It's fascinating how much people are dictated by the seasons here.