Today, it is snowing quite heavily.

In my past journals related to this holiday, I have mentioned at times about how cold I have been. Yes, there were a few specific days where I could not get warm, but overall, the weather, even at its coldest (so far) has been quite manageable. Friends have indicated that when I return to Australia in (10 days’ time), I will need a week to thaw. But no, I must say, that although the photos sent to Facebook and to sites show us looking ‘freezing and bitter cold’, it has not been like that. It is amazing how you do adapt to the weather conditions. You also adjust mentally knowing, at home it is summer and temperatures of high 20’s plus, whereas here, where we have travelled, it is generally sub-zero. But with the right clothing, attire and outer gear and a positive attitude, (being with Marc, yes) you can achieve anything. And we have!

It is no secret that winter anywhere in the world, can be challenging, especially when it is forecasted to be particularly cold and bitter. Even more so when the winter we have experienced is such a contrast to the one we normally undergo at home in our semi tropical playground. When days become shorter and darker, it is common for a drop in temperature which can result in decreased motivation to get outdoors and maintain a regular routine. When I see so few people walking on the streets, I do wonder how people, in these winter conditions keep fit, when they are indoors for up to half of the year.

I do agree the cold can definitely be difficult! Life looks much different during the colder months, particularly when it snows!

But snowfall is truly a pretty sight, the world is still, no movement, even the air stays still. When the towns we have seen adorn their buildings, their homes, and their trees with Christmas lights and leave them on well into the end of January. Add to the lights and decorations highlights of freshly fallen snow and it turns the streetscapes into legitimate winter wonderlands.

When snow flurries begin to fall and swirl around people’s legs like house cats; when you look up and become captivated by the Earth’s ability to turn water into these icy sprinkles; when your husband reaches into the snow to make a snowball from these flurries to throw at you; when you see these snowflakes fall, and float down in a graceful path that would make the most professional ballerinas look clumsy. It is almost a euphoric moment, and the child inside me wakes up and there is that impulsive habit to scream, “Look it is snowing!”

My first memory of snow falling was many years ago on a trip to Dinner Plain, Victoria Australia, when I experienced that first snowflake on my head. The naive person inside of me, back then, never having experienced fresh snow falling before, made my husband laugh with my comment, “Look Its snowing … oh, it is so wet!” I do think I made him laugh! Even so, depending on the situation, snowfall incites my inner child to dream and play once more. It is a such a beautiful sight!

Today, here at St John’s, it is snowing quite profoundly.

St. John’s is the oldest British Settlement in Canada. Newfoundland had been unofficially discovered by Lief Erikson around the 1001 and the Norsemen had settlements on the North and West parts of the island until the end of the 13^th century. But in typical European History, the ‘discovery’ in 1497 of Newfoundland is ascribed to John Cabot (whose real name was Giovanni Cabotto, an Italian explorer commissioned by England’s King Henry VII to explore North America).

Previously we have tramped around this city in snow and wintry conditions and explored the historic parts of this town. With the weather today predicting up to 35 centimetres of snow to fall and armed with the news of deteriorating conditions, we decided to make the trek out early today to the museum called “The Rooms”. According to our research, this is Newfoundland and Labrador’s largest public cultural space where history, heritage and artistic expression come together. It is the largest public cultural space where the province’s most extensive collection of artifacts, art and historical records come together to create meaningful and memorable visitor experiences that share who we are and how we came to be.  We love history and culture, particularly of a place that is so old, so decided to take the plunge and walk up the hill (and I mean up) amidst the falling snow and the snow-covered ground to visit and take part of this cultural heritage.

Walking through snow can be tough! Particularly fresh snow. Sometimes it crunches beneath your feet, other times it squeaks. Sometimes you slip and slide, sometimes you sink heavily into the unknown world. The wind at times can be cold that it ‘burns’ your face and at others, nothing but cool air. Your hands are covered in thick gloves. Your nose sniffles and drips from the cold and all you have to dab away the moisture are, you’ve got it, the back of your gloves. Your feet are encased in heavy boots. You shuffle down the street using your best penguin steps when it is slippery. It is a bright white silence but as you walk through it, you feel winter’s cold embrace. But always, the destination is waiting for you to regain any warmth you may have lost, although many times, you are already warm from your effort of moving in snow conditions. It is achievable. You adjust. I did!

On arrival to our expected ‘warm’ welcome of open Museum doors, what a disappointment to find that they were closed. We had even checked their website to ensure that winter hours were still active, and at the same time rung the museum and their answering machine confirming they were indeed open. But they were not! Standing at the entrance, snow dropping off our jackets and boots, espying a security button to push, we inquired (of a living person), that we were here, and although their information sites indicated it was supposed to be, it was not open. His reply over the intercom…. “It had been placed in Facebook that it was closed today due to the weather.”

Did we look at Facebook? No, we did not look at Facebook. We both believed that the website and phone message would be enough! Obviously not. We were wrong.

Disappointment in hand, we turned around and trudged back through the snow to the warmth of our hotel room, taking more photos of this winter landscape and the colourful architecture of the town now looking more entrancing with the colours of Jellybean Row so much more dramatic with the contrasting falling snow. A different backdrop from what we saw yesterday. What did we do instead? We simply adapted to the circumstances of the day and enjoyed the day, the subsequent hot chocolate (again), watching movies on TV and playing cards.

I guess you could call it “a chill out” day!

While playing cards, Marc had a premonition he should move our hire care. It was in the carpark outside the hotel near the front. Marc moved the car back a half a metre and came back in. Just after he did, a big dump of snow fell off the hotel’s roof and landed with a thud just where the bonnet of the hire car had been. That was an insurance claim we won’t have to worry about.

See we too can adapt to unexpected or different conditions!

Snow falling is a reminder that no matter how old you become and how much you have seen, things can still be fresh, they can still be new if you were willing to believe that what you do still matters.

By the way, I did leave a message on the museum’s Facebook regarding their lack of update information!

I wonder if I will get a reply.