Winter in Vancouver

Canada Place
Originally uploaded by gailontheweb.

This is the closest I've ever felt to winter in Vancouver -- there's been snow on the ground for more than 24 hours! This time, it's been hanging around for 6 days!

It first snowed on the 6th, and that day I was thinking it snowed around the same time last January as well. I would've put a link to the archive, except I was still fixing broken picture links. Turns out the first snow of 2004 was exactly one year ago, on January 6:

Snowstorm in Vancouver! - Jan 6, '04

But 24 hours later, it was gone, after warmer temperatures turned it into rain, typical winter weather in Vancouver. People complain a lot about the rain, especially transplants from the rest of Canada, where a snowy winter is the norm and the skies are often brighter, as well as colder. The way I see it, you don't have to shovel rain... (I'm trying to postpone, if not shorten, my first shovelling season in Pennyslvania.)

I had some errands to run today downtown. While I sat at the bank, waiting for forms to print out, I watched seaplanes land and cargo ships cruise by in Coal Harbour. It was clear skies today, with a chilly wind. Even the seaplanes were wobbling on the descent, but the view from high up was brilliant, certainly.

I happened to have my camera with me, so I headed over to Canada Place to take some shots. View all photos here:

A Fine Day in Coal Harbour

North shore, Coal Harbour
Originally uploaded by gailontheweb.

hardy flowers
Originally uploaded by gailontheweb.

Winter, in the Northern Hemisphere at least, is a hard season to get through. Christmas can make it more bearable to some degree for those who find it meaningful (or at least if you anticipate a Christmas bonus), but come January, Seasonal Depression Disorder (SAD) may set in, or post-holiday blues, or an intense dislike for winter, or any of a number of seasonal depressants that accompany the beginning of the year. I know of people who are trying to get through challenging times right now. You know who you are. Add to that the natural disasters of late, in different parts of the world, and there are plenty of reasons why people wish these times would pass quickly. For the majority of us non-clairvoyant types, 2005 still has 11.5 months of future ahead, so there is plenty of year left for hope and promise.