Climate change is no longer knocking on the front door. It has busted the door down, and has no intention of leaving. After a summer season that saw insane amounts of forest fires, floods, mudslides and hurricanes of historic proportions…how could we expect any less this winter, but for Mother Nature to take massive snow dumps like she stayed up all night drinking tequila and chowing down at an all you can eat oyster bar in ‘Vegas. Plentiful and with force.
Scientists whom study Climate Change in the Northern Pole region, stated earlier this week that the Arctic is experiencing such unprecedented warm temperatures this winter that it has caused them to re-evaluate their timing predictions of the worst-case scenarios. These scientific studies also demonstrate that the Arctic flux in warm temperature has actually changed the Jetstream patterns, resulting in this massive snow fall we have been experiencing, pretty much across the northern hemisphere, this year. Many scientists believe we need to get used to this winter, because it could, very much be the new norm. Uugh!
As a Canadian I am more hardy to the frosty conditions…especially compared to say…the Brits whose comical calamity earlier this week, ensued from the snow-dusting they called the #BeastfromtheEast. But this year is remarkable for many Northern Hemisphere countries. It seems like every week so far in 2018 we were getting heavy snowfall warnings from 1 – 3 feet. The driving has been treacherous. The walking has been a constant slog. The shoveling…oh my…has been enduring. People are running out of places to stack it…parking lots, football fields and golf courses are piled so high one could make a buck or two charging a ski lift ticket to them.
So today, when my husband and I awoke to yet another few feet of the “fresh stuff” --not powder, but heavy, slushy snow, we also had a bad case of cabin fever. Not wanting to venture out with our van, which is completely useless in these conditions, we opted to take city transit to our studio so we could burn off some creative energy. At first we did ok on the light rail train system…but six blocks and a very vast field away from our final destination…our bus driver unceremoniously drove into a snow bank. It was without warning. She didn’t skid on ice. She just wasn’t paying enough attention to the goat path of a road that had barely been cleared of snow, for her to pass. She simply miscalculated. And there we were stuck in the middle of nowhere, with no options but to walk in the very bleak weather.
After about 20 minutes of walking in the freezing wind….I literally mean eyeball freezing wind, we found the only shop that was open for us to go and warm up. It was an Ice Cream shop! Yes you read that right. Well damn. What else could a Canadian do but see the ironic humor and enjoy the chilly treat. And funny enough the place was busy with heaps of customers.
After our cuppa tea and some lovely Lavender and Vanilla Bean Gelato, we headed back on our brutal winter walk to the studio. However, you won’t hear me complain a bit. Mother Nature is trying her best to fix the complete mess we humans have made of her beautiful planet. She is throwing her best at cooling down the trapped air being warmed by greenhouse gases before our oceans begin rising and before desertification strips areas of all water. When people tell me they are fed up with all this snow, I insist, “Snow is better than fire.” For which we had so much destruction from the last couple of summer. All this moisture is good, but fingers crossed for a slow spring melt so that we don’t suffer floods. Here’s hoping.
Emily Couchie Barnett is a creative specialist and owner of House of Couchie, were she creates digital content and sells vintage clothing. When she isn't in her studio, you can find her working in film & television, producing fashion shows, baking bread or snuggling Sadie the Siamese cat.
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