Temperature Rising

This year has been a year of surprises in as far as the weather . Heavy rains, cold nights earlier, high winds and now very hot weather. The forecast is for a number of days over 32 which would make it a heat wave lets us think that this year is rather unusual. We can expect more of the same as global warming and climate change is  here to stay.

People should not be fooled into thinking that this weather pattern will not stay  with us for years to come as all the evidence pointed to the fact that these changes caught us off guard. All the talk for the past 25 years from the experts show us that we should prepare for the changes.

100 year flood plains are been flooded, areas settled when good science said we should not build there are under water and the sun belt is becoming a desert. The northern area of Canada specially the Peace River district will become a valuable resource and the tree line will move further north.

It takes Mother Nature to show us the way and we better believe it. Prepare for the future or we could face terrible consequences.

Wet Ride

Theresa and I planned a visit to  the Valley to visit friends. We have not been to this favourite place for two years so we planned on several days to make the trip  worth while.We left Oakville with the sun shinning but minutes after we started to experience torrential rains. Visibility was zero so we switched on our emergency flashers and moved in line with the transport trucks.. at tines the road was covered by several inches of water and I feared hydro planing.

Our drive took six hours plus and normally it would be around five hours. We stayed with our good friends Joan and John and ate wonderful food, played several games of hand and foot which is a fun card game and shared gossip. A special visit to my sister and an old friend and working partner made our stay specially friendly.

One of the reasons for the trip was the installation of the Pembroke police force into the OPP. This was a formal and beautiful service complete with formal uniforms, bagpipes and short speeches. About three hundred attended the invitation service and while there we met many old friends and work related folks. There were ten or more of the officers who were former students of mine at PSPS and as each one shook hands I was filled with pride to see these men taking a major career move to help the City of Pembroke keep the town folk safe.

Moving down the Ottawa River we stopped in at our brother in laws home and had a catch up visit as Margie was working. Kevin filled us in at all the latest with the family. Our next stop and a very important one was to see Doug and Patty.

Doug recently had surgery and was out of the hospital for a week but seemed to be doing great after such a short time after the surgery. Being two years since we had a visit we had much to talk about. The first item was the forest around their house.Doug loves trees and even knows the names of most of them and he too was amazed at their growth. We stayed for a little too long as Doug was getting a little tired but we managed to satisfy our need to be together again and we hope it will not be as long again before we will be playing golf and having a drink on his veranda.

We decided to travel half way home and stay with the idea of a golf game in the morning. However Mother Nature decided to send more life giving rain our way. We headed home and again experienced huge rainy weather and a radio announcement that we would be unable to pass through Toronto because of flooding. We took the 407 bypass and toll road and made it to Oakville. These were the worst floods since Hurricane Hazel in 1954. Home we came in over seven hours and scary driving but the visits we experienced were worth the effort. Seeing friends makes up for any difficulty we might experience.

Perfect Day

Temperature around 20C with clear skies makes for a perfect day to get the final garden planted. With little chance for a late frost we in southern Ontario take advantage of days like this to complete our planting. On a drive in the countryside to reach our landfill site we saw numerous farmers working their fields. Dust flew up from the machinery as the planting was completed on dry land. Theresa and I were making our semi annual visit to receive free compost for our yard work. We are able to receive seven bags or containers of perfect compost.

The land was waiting for that precious rain to begin the growing and we are not expecting any soon. While some years the wet weather holds the farmers from working the soil this year everything was perfect and Mother Nature should help with a good long rain .In our small garden the strawberries are the best I have seen  but we are able to water. I am sure that our tap water is not as good as the rain but it will do in a pinch.

The satisfaction we get from having our hands meet soil is difficult to understand but anyone who grows up working and depending on the earth has an inner need to stay close even if it is only a pot garden. In our neighbourhood every person works hard to have that perfect lawn and trimmed shrubs. In the future perhaps we will become less conscientious of the green grass and become more in tune with the natural order. Water will become an issue in many places as it is today in the sun belt and we will realize that green grass may become a symbol of poor water management.

In Florida we are rationed for water and are only permitted to water twice a week at certain hours. The native grasses and trees have a built in safeguard and during the dry season they turn brown only to rebound at the first rain of the wet season. If everyone thought this way brown would be beautiful during the dry season.

People are becoming more aware of the fragile balance of nature and I see a real strength with the younger generation who have a clearer regard for the need of Green living. If everyone did a little it would make a tremendous impact on our renewable resources.

Winter Wonderland

After a winter of summer like weather we arrive in February with a little change. Last night we were blessed with a snow to the tune of about 10 cms. This morning everyone on our street were out pushing the light snow from our driveways and sidewalks. What a difference in attitude when we finally felt we were in a Canadian winter.

The temperature this morning was above zero and by noon 8 degrees above freezing. Our snow will last for a few hours but for a short time we were happy. I never saw too many small animals this last while but with the snow we saw many tracks and the rabbits and other little animals are on the move. We in Oakville are in a very active area for coyotes. There have been contacts with the animals during the past few months. These animals are one of the most adaptable  in Canada and here they are mixed up with the wolves and are slightly larger. They are normally a social animal and do not impact our lives but we are taking over so much of their habitat that contact is inevitable.

In my spring garden I observed my garlic growing at a fast rate and now covered with snow it may survive.I shall be going to Florida in a few weeks but I am so happy to have the opportunity of seeing some of the white stuff before I get used to the sun and warm weather.

This week I received news that one of our old friends from the Ottawa Valley has left the hospital after surgery and I know he will love to see the white landscape in one of Canada's most beautiful areas to help him get well . Get well quickly European Les.

Feels Like Fall

This morning when I retrieved my Toronto Star paper I felt a hint of coolness in the air. Yesterday I dug my ten hills of potatoes and picked the apples off the young tree as the birds were interested in taking bites from them. It seemed early but it was time. We have already made our spaghetti sauce for the next year and although we do not get as ambitious as we used to we have effectively completed these little tasks before September.

This makes it possible to enjoy the beautiful fall weather and get some serious biking and outdoor activities going. We prefer this season for golf as well because when school begins the courses are not crowded and the price drops a little.Ontario has such a variety of deciduous hardwoods that the colours make our countryside some of the most beautiful found anywhere.

I prefer to prepare my garden beds early in the fall and do a double tilling to rid them of weeds. This year I was bothered for the second year with peach curl. This deadly disease ruined the nectarine crop and I cannot get rid of it. I followed the instructions but with no avail. Because of the dryness of July and August all the fruit seem smaller and I would not consider this a good year overall. My water bill reflected my need to keep everything damp but tap water is not rain and I feel the chemicals in the tap water a hindrance to growth.

One thing that comes to mind when mother nature warns us of cooler weather is the call to the south. We begin to think about and plan for our migration to Florida.This is just a reminder now but on each cooler day we start to talk about our place there and wonder how everything is after six months of neglect. One more little distraction is that hurricane season is with us and we keep our fingers crossed to ward off any real bad storms.

Nature's Lightning Show

All day the weather reporters were warning everyone to be aware of the oncoming storm. Red warnings were cast at the bottom of our TV screens advising us of the power of the storm. It was to be a cold front moving through a hot, humid stationary system which meant thunder and lightning with the possibility of some tornadoes. In the evening as predicted the storm rolled in with a show of power. For us it was not the hail, wind or rain but the lightning which held us spellbound.

For over an hour we were treated to numerous flashes of brilliant light from all directions. At any given moment there were many flashes and as I sat in our sun room upstairs I marvelled at the power and beauty of this magical show. This week Mother Nature reminded us of the destructive power of wind as a 300 km wind gust in the form of a tornado destroyed the main center of one of our most beautiful small towns, Goderich, and left it in shambles.

This past year was a special year for disasters caused by natural occurrences. Earthquakes, volcanoes, drought, and wind storms remind us of the potential for destructive events, but lightning storms can be beautiful and deadly. I personally love the sight of this showy performance and sit in awe of the power and deadly force. Man has been able to control many things in this world but when nature bares it's teeth and displays its tremendous power we are helpless.

My respect for nature and natural occurrences makes me a strong believer in the natural order of things and the tiny role man plays in the big picture.A recent documentary tried to explain the size of space in relation to our universe. Numbers could not express the huge expanse in a meaningful way so the person said that our solar system is like a grain of sand on a beach. All of these natural happenings make up a small part of the whole and make us wonder. This wonder caused man to devise systems to control society and to help explain the unknown. Every society has its own way of trying to understand this supreme power through the formation of religions, and fall short of getting the job done. It would be so much simpler to try to harmonize oneself with nature and become a child of the universe.

Frost Warnings

With frost warnings for the south west I have to prepare a defense against the enemy. Two massive cold waves have hit the USA in less than a week and has played havoc from the Arctic to Florida. The farmers here have battled the elements for years but the last three years have presented challenges never seen before. It seems the every wave of Canadian cold breaks new ground and records tumble. This Sunday, Monday and Tuesday will bring temperatures in the twenties in the interior and low thirties along the coast.

I am taking no chances so I went to Home Depot and purchased materials to build a frost barrier. After a few hours of work I have a covered garden complete with sprinkler system to take care of my tender vegetables when I am away. I had the misfortune of losing all my above crops last year as well as the bananas and papaya's. I was able to replant but the season was shortened and I was unable to benefit from the produce.

Mother Nature constantly reminds us of her power and we must work with her to be in tune with our environment and be successful.

December 8 Frost in Florida

Canadians get blamed for many things here in Florida but this week there was a number of radio and TV stations blaming us for the frosty weather. Last year we experienced some of the coldest nights on record for January and February. This year it is only December 8Th and we have heavy ground frost and record breaking cold. We just finished the warmest month on record in November and on the first day of December all hell broke loose. Farmers, fishermen and tourists are being treated to temperatures in the thirties and in some areas twenties.

So much much for bragging about my special garden this year as I am losing sleep trying to keep my vegetable garden watered and covered to protect it from the cold. It was cold enough to write on the ice covered windshield and the hose was frozen although the temperature was 37 degrees.

Since I will be away for the Xmas holiday I will have to be careful to make a permanent structure over the tended vegetables. Who said it never gets cold in the sunny paradise called Florida. This cold snap showed frigid temperatures from the high Arctic to Cuba. Yes even Cuba had cold weather but not cold by our standards.

This morning our bird watering station was frozen and the cats were licking the ice to get a drink. We took a few pictures and after 9 in the morning we were back to near normal with a 30 degree temperature change. Life can be interesting when Mother Nature shows her claws and teaches us not to take anything for granted. The saying here is , Where is this global warming ?

Cold Wind From The North

The bad weather experienced in north eastern USA and Canada arrived in Florida in time for the first of December. Mother nature was telling us it was indeed winter back home and sent us the little message so we could adjust to the weather we experience when returning home for Xmas. It was a shock to wake up to temperatures in the high forties and in some areas high thirties.

Up to the last day of November we had hot weather about 6 to 10 degrees above average. On Dec.1 the workers coming for our recycling were wearing clothes we would wear when it is 20 degrees below zero. Many people here are from the Islands and any weather that is even cool puts them in a winter mode. As we keep our pool open all winter and swim every day the locals think we are strange but then they realize we are Canadians.

I find the winter weather here ideal for all outside activities and biking, fishing and gardening are all good to go . This cooler weather makes us feel like we are in a Christmas mode and all we would need is a little snow. Entering all stores and public places the Xmas music is blaring but it hard for us to feel the spirit until we have the appropriate weather.

Every time we call or Skype , the first question is how is the weather. We look forward to feeling that cool or cold air on our arrival up there. On many vacant lots here Xmas trees are being sold. Many people who are formerly from the northern climate feel better when they take home a real tree and smell the fresh fragrance of a real spruce or pine tree.

So December has welcomed us in a true northern manner so all we have to do is act like we have been given the signal to start thinking Christmas.

Florida Rainstorm

For over a month there has not been a drop of rain. Everyone was complaining about the dry weather. Last night the weather man said we were going to have rain and some wind. We who live here know that a rain storm here is special and when it came last night we were not surprised to hear about heavy rain, high wind and hail. There is a regular wind coming from the gulf laden with moisture mixing with a cold font and the result is rain, rain and more rain.

We really need the water and before this storm is over my pool will be filled and all the trees and garden will be crying out with thanks to mother nature for the clean rain. You can water and water from the well but nice rain from the sky fills the bill. My garden had lept forward and the tomatoes have grown several inches in one day.

People sometimes complain about the weather but in the end we all love nature doing it's job and making sure the trees and plants are being looked after.

Cooling Off

Our weather person has been reading the temperatures every night and there has hardly been a time when record has not been mentioned. For some reason our temperatures have been 5 to 8 degrees above normal. For we who are from up north it is uncomfortable as we are not used to 95 degree weather feeling like 100+. We never complain as we have seen full sun since we arrived and that's why we call this paradise. However our weather person predicts a cold front coming our way and that will mean temperatures in the mid eighties.

For growing the heat is wonderful and our garden had tripled in size in 8 days. Keeping up to the grass cutting and tree trimming is friendly work and a dream come true for those of us who love gardening. At the market today all the fruits and vegetables were prime and talking to the vendors they are very happy with the their gardens. It has been some time since our last hurricane but the frost last year whiped out the tomato and strawberry crop for some with great financial loss.

With all this heat coming our way we never needed to heat the pool but there was no financial gain as we have had our air conditioner on every day. Again no complaints as we swim every day. Locals close up their pool about now and think we are foolish to swim in the wintertime. All the stores a getting ready for Xmas but Halloween comes first and it is a big deal here. Stores devote large sections of their retail space for this day. The economic impact is quite large and the amount of candy sold staggers our imagination. The dentists association are buying candy from the kids and donating it to the armed forces and food banks.

Finally we see the winter clothes filling up the racks in stores and extra warm clothes are sold. We from the north think it strange that you could be cold in this climate. The outside workers pile on the clothes when the temperature goes below 70 degrees and the weather people warn people to bundle up because a cold front is coming and it is cooling off.

Project Heatwave.

I promised my grand daughter that with my sons help we would lay down a new wood floor in the first floor of her condo. The condo does not have an elevator so everything had to be carried up three flights of stairs.With her very good help we pulled up the carpet and underlay and carried it away to the dumpster. We worked to remove some of the rubber underlay with a shovel and after bagging it too was carried to the dumpster. The thirty boxes of flooring were then trucked up those same stairs. With the help of my wife, daughter and grand daughter we managed it despite the high temperatures.

The days for my son to come to help were the hottest days on record with humidex readings in the middle forties. Our thermometer read 101 for a time. With a portable air conditioner we started the job and what could have been a hard job turned out to be a pleasure. The rooms were square and the cutting was minimum and the floor looks beautiful. New baseboards completed the job for us but my grand daughter will cover the nail marks and cracks and paint again. Her home looks beautiful and she was such a good help.

We like doing little projects for the family and look forward to the next one which is a new shingles on part of my roof. Hope the weather is cooler.

Water Levels

Across Ontario the water levels have tumbled in many regions. The weather change has caused serious shortages because of the lack of snow in the winter and an unusually small rainfall in this spring. Out west in Manitoba the opposite is true as the Red River overflows its banks in light of record breaking rainfalls. The Province of Quebec is burning where uncontrolled fires eat up the boreal forests in unpopulated areas. The cause - low snow fall and rain resulting in low water levels.

These weather changes are to be more common in the future because of many factors. People who study the changes are predicting more severe weather patterns meaning a great impact on our environment. Floods, hurricanes and drought will be the norm and we can expect major disruptions to our lifestyle. Agriculture has already had severe issues with frost causing major damage to the tomato and tender fruit and vegetable crops in the south. Records have been broken in nearly every area and this will continue.

We are so dependent on the weather that we have TV stations broadcasting 24 hours - and their popularity is growing. People watch weather events like hurricanes and floods big time. This is not likely to change as everyone talks about the weather but we can't do anything about it.

Fresh Carrots

After the killing frost of January we decided to replant some of our garden. We were discouraged but thought we would give it a try. With the cooler than average temperatures the root crops flourished and our little garden is giving us a great harvest. The carrots are the best but the garlic, lettuce, and beans are fine and we should manage to eat all of it before the May deadline. You are not permitted to take vegetables over the border and as a matter of fact many states have the same rule.

Talking to the nursery people at the market , they say that everything is 4 to 6 weeks later than usual. The citrus crop will be off schedule and the other seasonal crops will meet the same fate. The frosty weather was a boon for the producers of replacement products like ornamental palms and bushes. For every negative there is a positive in the agriculture industry.

We have to replace at least a dozen palms and we will be able to do a better job of choosing proper trees because of our experience. The added rain this year has filled the ponds and lakes and even the drainage ditches are filled to capacity. Water birds are having a bumper crop of babies and the wood storks are building their numbers after three years of dismal production. Nature left to itself would do a good job of balancing the numbers but like it or not man has to have a place to live too and that causes the clash with the natural order.

I am looking forward to my garden in Ontario in another month and can visualize the pleasure of working with nature to our organic vegetables.

Florida Weather At Last

What a difference 10 degrees makes. The sun shone and so did the landscape and peoples faces. We got up and out early this am as it was market day. Instead of very cold weather we were greeted with a sunny warm morning. We decided to do a few things we chose not to do during the cold spell.

The market was busy and the vendors seemed happier and more cheerful. Even the produce was better and in greater supply. Some of the vendors who did not show for a couple of weeks returned and it was just great.We buy fresh flowers every week and the Ladies are the best. They have words of advice for all and their flowers are beautiful. Three dollars buys you a bunch of carnations which will have at lest sixty buds. They sell out every week.

The market is dog heaven and there seems to be a dog for every couple. Next we went on the yard sale circuit. Good weather brought numerous people cleaning their homes and having a sale. My sole purchase was four pool cues for a buck.

Home and on our bikes for a trip to see our birds. There were two young eagles instead of only one. Mother was pouting and left the nest to watch her kids from a nearby tree. She looks worn out trying to feed the babies who are larger than she.

Finally to the owls who were invisible. No adults or even a sign of the yellow chicks. By then we had had enough so we decided to get home to do some work. I replaced a door handle on the lanai and built a magazine rack for the library (bathroom). It was so nice we decided to get the heat pump going after two weeks of rest so we can get swimming and back to our routine tomorrow.

Our day ended with a cookout on the barbie and some wine. Just another perfect day in Paradise.

Weather Change

With all the talk about climate change I am concerned this year with weather change. Before Xmas we had the hottest weather experienced for many years. Since Xmas we are experiencing the coldest weather since records were kept. January and February are traditionally the driest months of the year but this year we have plenty of rain.

Just observing the level of the lakes and ponds brings you to the realization that our weather has been goofy. The results of these changes had nature in transition as well. After four years of drought Florida is returning to the lush grasslands and wetlands so vital for the fish and bird populations. One sure sign is the wood stork population and their breeding habits.

If the water level is low and fish stocks are unable to reproduce in the wetlands, the storks will not even build a nest. This year the storks are everywhere. I counted over a hundred on our golf course alone and birdwatchers are having a field day with sightings not seen for years.

With the revitalization of the abundant wetlands also comes the dreaded mosquito with its ability to spread west Nile and other diseases, not to say the pesky insects bites are welcomed. We now hear the helicopters flying over the wetlands and ponds spraying to control these little beasts.

Traffic is down almost half in the tourists areas because of the lack of heat and sunshine. Economics play a big role in all peoples lives but when it comes to the tourist trade weather is the number one factor. If weather can have such an impact on our lives just imagine how much impact climate change will make in our lives.

Tip of The Iceberg

Climate change has come upon us so quickly that we haven't had the chance to really assess the implications. Here in Florida where frost was only a word in the southwest we have had vivid evidence of the changes. The last few years we have had heavy ground frost with killing results in the agriculture industry. The beaches which are the great natural resource for the tourist industry were naked for almost two weeks and the water temp. dropped to the fifties in the otherwise warm Gulf of Mexico.

Tropical vegetation is being devastated and native grasses are killed by the frosty mornings. Records dating back to 1895 were broken and people are beginning to wonder about the future. Personally I have observed the change as I have been planting tender crops at least twice a season for four years.

Native fish have died by the thousands during the past weeks and the Snook and Tarpon season has been closed for the rest of the year. Other changes are evident as well and our experts are sorting out the data to help us understand.Climate change will have a profound impact on how we live during the next decades. Our sun belt may experience modifications to the products they can grow and some land will surely become useless for agriculture altogether.

Northern areas of Canada may become productive and fill some of the gaps left by dramatic changes. Every day we hear about doom and gloom connected with climate change but be reassured that there will be positive changes as well. We are only seeing the tip of the iceberg.

Thank God It's Over

Yesterday I packed my golf clubs and headed to the Royal Tee for our Tuesday men's golf. It was 6.30 am and the temperature was 3o degrees Farenheit. As I went to my van it was entirely covered in white frost. The bird bath was frozen solid and our roof was a clean white. I took a few pictures and let my van warm up and listened to the radio. The happy announcer declared in a joyful voice that the big freeze was officially over.

What station did I have? I didn't look over from where I sat. I drove the 4 miles to the golf course only to see all the shrubbery and flowers still covered with frost cloth. When I arrived there was a strange stillness about the parking lot. Two cars filled the 200 spaces but I was not influenced. I dragged my 40 pound bag filled with 14 clubs and about a 100 golf balls to the nearest cart and drove to the pro shop.

The Englishman was there as usual and notched my card before telling me that the course was closed until 11 am. I wandered into the cafeteria and bought a green tea and waited. Only my partner Ron showed up for our 7:19 am tee time. Looking at the course it was a winter wonderland with white frost covering the entire length and breath of the course. Egrets large and small huddled along the banks of the lake and two eagles clung to the branch of a dead pine. Steam poured from the manhole and small wild parrots sat with ruffled feathers on the grate.

It was s surreal sight for Florida and I drank the fleeting beauty as the sun would quickly erase this nature painted phenomenon as surely as she painted it.Ron and I spoke little for a while but were both knew what we were treated too. Within half an hour the beauty faded to be replaced by dying vegetation and a scene of sorrow.

People started to arrive and everyone discussed the weather and the fact that the big freeze was over. Because of the hour few witnessed nature's way of telling us the power she possessed and despite the tremendous losses over the past ten days she gave a final indication of her love to all who open their eyes to her beauty.

Frost Impact

With this being the ninth day of record low,s the impact on the flora, fauna and all of nature is incredible. Not all impacts are negative as some are quite the opposite. The manatees are crowding near the effluents from power stations and people are going there in droves to see, these creatures. many for the first time. Personally I think they are an ugly animal, often referred to as sea cows. This is because like cows they eat sea grasses all day and they pollute constantly.

Other creatures of the sea like sharks, large fish and turtles try to find a place to keep warm. Some 200 threatened green turtles were found floundering near shore and were taken to a place to be kept warm for a time before release to the wild. One leather back turtle weighing over eight hundred pounds had to be taken to the hospital for a few days for medication and was released way off shore yesterday.

Iguanas who take to the trees during cold weather were seen falling from their perch when the temperature of their bodies reach 60 degrees. In one area hundreds were suffering this fate. People were concerned but last year over 6000 were captured and killed by freezing to rid the area of these creatures.

The birds are hunkering down as well and not one was seen at our feeder where many usually feed there every day. To say the least this extended cold spell has made everyone here aware of the impact weather has on our well being. Street people are nearly invisible here in Florida because of the warm weather but suddenly hundreds appear at sleeping shelters and their presence is magnified.

Our farmers are fighting a losing battle and already millions of dollars in frost damage is just the beginning. I lost all my banana trees and the tomatoes also. Out papaya tree is marginal and after tonight it will be a goner.

Our largest arts festival held here will be totally ruined and other events will have to be cancelled. Some schools without windows had to close and so on. People here are experiencing difficulties now that we from more temperate climates have dealt with forever.

The good thing here is that people are beginning to realize how important the weather is in our lives and probably will address the bigger picture of global warming in a more serious manner.

Florida Frost

This ten day cold snap across North America is breaking records in Florida. Below freezing temperatures were common last eve and this is just the beginning. I personally covered tomatoes, beans, lettuce and everything I thought would freeze. This morning there was heavy thick white frost over every rooftop and the cars were the same.

We have a well and sprinkler system so I watered early in the morning and probably saved the plants. The temperature of the ground water is about fifty and a half hour of watering warmed up the earth. When I started the sprinklers there was a huge cloud of steam that rose from our garden. It was an experience I shall have to repeat for the next five or six days.

The impact on the Florida economy could be significant if the citrus crop fails. Already the tomato and strawberry crops are in trouble. Some people are saying, what global warming?