This past weekend we were hit with a tremendous ice storm in which many in our city and other areas are still without power. Areas southwest of us were affected already on Friday when the freezing rain began, but the worst came to our region overnight on Saturday going into Sunday. Many church services were cancelled. I just stayed home though I’d normally attend. Our neighbour had significant damage to the mature trees on his lot (photo below), that just narrowly missed their truck and car.

Sunday: Members of our family were affected differently. Our son and daughter-in-law with two young children had no electricity, but they have a gas fireplace in their home and were keeping warm in that space, Sunday afternoon they came for awhile and had a hot early supper with us then headed back home. In the evening, their power was back on. Our eldest and her husband were without power too and also in an area with trees down. They went to his parents place and slept over since they didn’t have power yet in the evening and it was getting mighty cold in their home. Our youngest and her husband were remarkably unaffected in their apartment building but called to see if we were okay. And we kept touch with elderly parents in the country and an aunt in the city, making sure they were staying warm and offering what we could to our aunt who lives quite close. Both, fortunately, have gas fireplaces by which they could sit and keep warm.

Monday: Ice on the roads is breaking up after a second night with freezing rain. The roads were like skating rinks on Sunday morning, and all of the trees were coated with ice. Those that weren’t broken looked kind of pretty actually, but we understand that there is still danger from the ice weighing down the branches. It’s like a giant hatchet came down the ripped branch off the sides and tops of trees, ones that looked grand with their leaves last spring and summer.

  photo Sunday morning

Work crews are still busy working on trees that fell across roads and interfered with or hit hydro wires. They have much to do yet.

As I drove out to do errands, safely, today, I see that cleanup has already begu, that branches cut from fallen tree limbs are stacked near the curb or at least laying on lawns out of harm’s way.

When I returned from shopping this afternoon, the sun was out and so I got my camera and took some pictures of the ice.

photo Monday afternoon

And on our next door neighbour’s tree, planted just last year. The ice sparkled in the sun on those skinny branches.

Looking around for more interesting shots, I captured the following plants:

A neighbour’s freeze-dried plant at the side of their driveway

The edges of the lemon thyme along our driveway

See how the ice surrounds the tips of even these evergreen branches?

The cottoneaster peaking out under snow edges along our walkway

Trees along the boulevard.

It’s snowing again and work crews will need a break after working a 16-hour day to go home and get some sleep. Meanwhile we help each other as we can until everyone has heat and light.

Let’s hope that all can get to the warming centres announced on the radio and that everyone can be home for Christmas. It’s likely to be a white Christmas this year! But most important at this moment is to be warm and protected from the elements.