The Pear Tree

Posts Tagged ‘winter’

There are two ways I’ve found of getting through the winter. The first is to hunker down in a warm place and bide my time safely removed from the elements. When I get sick to death of that, I force myself outdoors to confront my discomfort with the cold, and attempt to find some pleasure in it.

Last week, with temperatures nosediving down to minus 30C (with the wind chill), it was a hunkering week. We only went out when absolutely required.

This week we needed – all of us – to break the cabin fever and do something, anything, somewhere, anywhere but home.

So we headed to Father Pandosy’s Mission, in Kelowna’s Mission area, with its collections of old cabins, houses, sheds and a little chapel.

My kids loved snooping through the buildings last summer, imagining how Laura and Mary and their family and neighbours might have lived in the Little House on the Prairie days.

While we could still come onto the property and wander around, the buildings were locked up for the winter…

Leaving us to peek through the handsome, heavy windows to glimpse the inside…

Or just photograph them from a distance.

Father Pandosy’s Mission is a popular place for wedding photos. I used to hate the pics I saw from there because they always boasted a heavy country/western theme. But lately, I’ve been seeing the old buildings with new eyes, and find them endlessly inspirational for photographing.

So I thought I’d share some of my favourite shots from today’s visit here.

All these pics were taken with my Instagram app on my iPhone. If you use Instagram yourself, look me up: I’m @MrsPearTree. I’ll follow you if you follow me

These stairs were so skinny and steep, leading up to a little room above the chapel, I couldn’t help but wonder how the person or people who used them daily felt about going up and down everyday – especially in the winter!

There’s an open shed filled with old buggies, wagons and sleighs that the kids love sitting in. I loved all these wheels – layers and layers of them.

Amélie was right at home in this old buggy. It was pimped out with flashy red wheels.

I love the idea of adding to the history of these old buildings by living our own stories in and around them.

Our visit really did help brighten the winter doldrums. And now we’re back home and the snow is coming down again. Time to hunker back down, at least for the rest of the afternoon. At least we have electricity and central heating, which is more than I can say about those poor settlers who gave us those buildings. Another thing to be thankful for!

- Words and photos by Lori-Anne Poirier

It’s so easy to find fault with January. The snow is not so pretty now (if you have it at all- we don’t). All is bare and the biting air is far from inviting.

But there’s an upside: Roaring fires, cozy sweaters and comfort food. When could we ever enjoy these things if the weather was always fine?

Not convinced? Try a cup of this Bergamot hot chocolate. It’s so soulfully rich and and creamy you might want winter to last a little longer. You’ll certainly want to postpone bathing suit season if you consume enough of it!

Bergamot Hot Chocolate

1 cup milk

1/4 cup cream

1 Earl Grey tea bag (we used a spoonful of Wittard’s loose tea in a Finum tea filter)

2 oz bittersweet chocolate, cut up

Whipped cream

1. Place milk and 1/4 cup cream into a small saucepan and bring to a boil.

2. Remove from heat and add tea. Steep for several minutes then remove tea bag and bring to a boil again.

3. Add chocolate, mixing with a wire whisk, and remove from heat.

4. Pour into a small mug and finish with a dollop of whipped cream and a pinch of cinnamon.

Then find a good book, a soft throw and a view of the icy outdoors. And smile, because you just got one up on winter.

- Words and photos by Lori-Anne Poirier

“Wake up, mum,” a small, excited voice permeated my sleep. ”There’s snow all over the ground. I think it must be Christmas! I hope you have the presents ready!”

They had seen the snowflakes coming down last night, Thing 1 and Thing 2. Plans were made for stringing lights and obtaining trees, and Christmas was declared “very close,” but I didn’t realize just how close.

The magic of winter and the wonder of Christmas are so intertwined for young minds. I almost felt bad breaking the news that Christmas is still 37 days away – an entire lifetime, when you’re four and two.

They took the news pretty well, after I promised to let them spend the morning out in the fresh, new white stuff.

After breakfast we got suited up and headed out to the park to trudge through the snow, roll in it, throw it, pile it, jump in it and photograph it (that last one was for me).

The sun was shining and the sky was blue, and it was almost too mild for snow gear. But we had to keep dry somehow while making our marks in the fresh powder.

Thing 1′s first snow angel of the year.

As much as I’d like to chime in with the other grown-ups about the bother of winter, I have to admit – there’s nothing like the first snowfall of the year to bring out the kid – and the romantic – in me.

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- Words and photos by Lori-Anne Poirier

Keep a green tree in your heart and perhaps a singing bird will come.

- Chinese Proverb

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- Photo by Lori-Anne Poirier