Hello, it’s Joe Snow here!

Dec 13 2006

Hello, it’s Joe Snow here. Well, I must say, I sure miss the north when it looks like we’re going to have a green Christmas way down here in southern Ontario (as usual?). I’ve been running around all across this vast country the last couple months, and I’ve hardly seen a flake of snow.

These last few weeks I’ve been slowly travelling back from the east coast, and it wasn’t until December, while camped on the Restigouche River on the northern border of New Brunswick, that I finally got some snow. Even then it melted the next day when it turned into rain.

Up in Quebec, I got a chance to visit the Snow Prentice, and we went out shopping for warm boots for her first season on the snow castle. Quebec City seems to be far enough north that there was some snow there, and we know they build a big castle there every year too. Maybe the Snow Prentice and I should have gone and spied on their castle to see how they do things, but I guess it’s still too early in the season.

What we did see that was pretty impressive was a great big slide that they build right in the city, right under the Chateau Frontenac. They build a wooden frame, and then fill it up with ice, so what they end up with is a slide about 150 metres long. It’s pretty steep, and they have special toboggans for it – maybe more like bobsleds. Apparently it’s REALLY fast.

There was one other thing that the Snow Prentice and I found in Quebec that we mailed to the Snowking. He might not have received the package yet, though, so I won’t ruin the surprise here.

Anyway, I’d better go – it’s really too warm for sitting around in the house. Maybe I’ll head down to the beach… If only it would snow!