February 13, 2008

he weather is being weird. It is -4C/25F at 7 am... a far cry from the -32C a week or so ago.  For awhile it seemed as if a Chinook was blowing yesterday until the skies turned black and it had a violent snowstorm.  In British Columbia we do not have a true Chinook wind evidently but it is said that Chinook winds can cause a sharp increase in the number of migraine headaches suffered by the locals and are often called "Chinook headaches". I wonder if that is what my problem is, as today is day #5 of a headache.

A popular myth is that Chinook means "snow eater", as a strong Chinook can make snow one foot deep almost vanish in one day. The snow partly melts and partly evaporates in the dry wind. Chinook winds have been observed to raise winter temperature, often from below -20C/4F to as high as 50-68F for a few hours or days, then temperatures plummet to their base levels. I think it would take 3-4 days of a really strong Chinook to melt all this snow.

And my area is supposed to get flurries this morning. I don't think I will see ground anytime before late April. The snows by the barns from the roofs sloughing are now over the top fence rails.

Afternoon Update:

I heard from good authority today, that all of this winter season we have had 8 feet of snow total thus far.  That is alot of snow. Thankfully with the compaction, melting, compaction and melting it is only about 3-4 feet deep currently where the snow has not been disturbed at my place. The driveway is getting insane. 

I was craving something spicy for dinner (probably as I have not felt good for almost a week) and I this morning I was in a hurry to grab something instead of digging down in the chest freezer to look for ground beef, so I made soft and very spicy tacos with ground pork instead. It sure hit the spot. At the zoo, having worked and lived with the Mexicans on the farm for almost 2 years, I really love real Mexican food. The real stuff which you just do not see in restraunts. Espinazo, Puchero Vaquero, Cabra, real Tamale'  .. and whatever that shredded pork dish with the red sauce poured over shredded raw green cabbage was. Granted, some of the stuff was so hot the guys laughed at me.. and told me they had toned it down alot! But it was delicious. I really wish we had a Mexican restraunt somewhere up here.

Little does anyone know I was seriously considering moving to the Yucatan in Mexico or Belize before I moved to Canada. Why? You can garden 365 days a year! I do not regret my choice of immigrating to Canada however, I love the land and the people here.

Ok, dinner is done.. back to work.