Oh, is it over already? The shortest month of the year is fast and surprising. As an entrepreneur, the beginning of a year is always a busy time. Time to start new projects, time to wrap up the old ones. I have been working a lot. Except when I have been shovelling snow.
Powder And Sleet
“Mum, I can’t open the door!” my son was yelling. He was in a hurry, the school bus would leave soon, and he has to walk one kilometre to the bus stop. I came to the hall and pushed the door (in Finland doors open outwards). It was heavy, but I managed to open it.
The storm of last night had piled 20 cm snow next to the door. We couldn’t even see the stairs under the snow. My son left wading towards the bus stop. After half an hour I heard the tractor arrive. Because we live in the middle of a forest, and not by a public road, we have to take care of the snow work ourselves. We have an agreement with a farmer from the close by village. He comes to clean the road and our yard when it’s needed. And in February, that is quite often.
In the Finnish language we have different words for snow depending on the temperature when it snows and of the size of the snowflakes. Also, the snow on the ground has many words and the snow on trees. There is a good variety of words for the snowing itself. With just one word you can tell how much it snows, what size of flakes, in which temperature and is there also wind involved. And in February we can use most of these words.
Barbeque Season
The month started with some freezing nights of -40℃. But then the weather changed, and we got warm winds. One morning the snow blanket was covered with pine needles and small branches. All the snow had fallen down from the trees, and the air smelled like spring.
We have this saying: when the forest sows needles on snow, it’s nine weeks for sowing time. Or in some areas, it predicts the time when ice melts from the river. Anyhow, based on this knowledge, at the end of April we should have less snow!
This February was surprisingly warm. On the second last week of the month, the temperature rose 30 degrees in just 24 hours. All of a sudden it was +4℃ and the sun was shining. What can you do? Seize the moment, dig the grill under the snow and start the BBQ season!
