Like most Canadians, I dread being faced with an icy windshield to scrape off before heading out to work in the morning. That’s after clearing the driveway of course.
The longer your driveway, the less excitement you’re likely to feel at the first big dump of snow. Though you might approach it as a good exercise workout the first time you shovel the driveway, that can wear a little thin after the third time in as many days. And absolutely nothing is more irritating at this time of year than the sound of the street snowplow driving by and filling the end of your driveway with even more snow after you thought you had lifted your last shovelful.
However, there is a bright side to snow. I especially like the way it trims the trees and lichens in the forest…
… And the way it tastes. Blended with cream and sugar, fresh fallen snow makes a snow-cream that’s more refreshing than ice-cream.
Fresh snow, cream and sugar make delicious snow-cream.
Note: it’s not a good idea to use snow from the season’s first snowfall as this may contain too many impurities. Give it a try. You can always burn the calories while shoveling the driveway 😉
Fresh snow-cream
This blog post was created in response to Views Infinitum’s Assignment 23: Winter. Scott has asked participants to show what winter means to us. The assignment is open to all. Deadline for submissions is Wednesday, January 23rd, 2013 at midnight (your local time).
Text and photographs copyright Amy-Lynn Bell 2013
Flandrum Hill 
Can’t wait to try the snow cream. I always love your photos.
Thanks Valorie. The snow cream won’t disappoint 🙂
Snow-cream?! Gosh, that’s creative!
What can I say Reggie? Being Canadian and creative go hand in hand 😉
Yes, clearly – and perhaps add ‘a bit whacky’ to the list too (I’m thinking of the Flat Kathy episode ;-)).
I can’t disagree with that one. Wacky we are too. 🙂
I love it when the snow starts to fall as it always looks so pretty. We’ve just moved into a new house and didn’t realise that the drive is just a little bit too steep to get the car off it in the snow – tomorrow I have to get shovelling!
keepsmeoutofmischief, yes it is pretty. We moved here from the lower mainland of British Columbia on Canada’s Pacific coast where snowfalls are seldom. I used a broom to ‘sweep’ that lo-ong driveway the first time there was a snowfall since I didn’t even have a shovel. My husband was out of town on business at the time so it was the best solution I could come up with! Almost a quarter century later, I think we now own 4 snow shovels.
Hi Amy-Lynn, I’m still finding all the snow quite a novelty. We have a nice man who comes and clears our driveway in the night. It’s like magic! Yummy snow scream, a bit too calorific for me just now. I too love the effects of the snow on our trees and rivers.
Oh Lynne, I think that’s what’s known as the ‘honeymoon phase.’ Perhaps by next winter there will be more shovel and less novel 😉
I warned you about eating the “yellow” snow …
Oh for goodness’ sake Sybil, of course I don’t eat the yellow variety. I’d pick vanilla over lemon any day.
The snow was very heavy and beautiful on the trees this morning around 7:30, but it didn’t take long for it to melt and fall off. Now, even the road is bare.
Bonnie, it’s almost all melted here too. I can’t believe how quickly it was melting yesterday. Such ‘quick melts’ used to be a lot more extraordinary than they are now.
I second the wacky comment up above. Is it an attribute which develops because you live in Canada? (asked innocently.) Since this one isn’t eating any snow cream, even though it looks delicious, I will admire again your snow lichen photo. Nature is so beautiful! Even when she’s viciously cold as it is here, and, yes, snowy too.
Kathy, I did see a science news show (The Nature of Things with David Suzuki) years ago that mentioned how innovative Canadian scientists are, possibly due to our lack of funding compared to the US. Creativity seems to be connected to that I think. We’re quite boring compared to you Americans and perhaps have to try harder to find novelty in the every day.
Yes, nature IS indeed beautiful both sides of the border 🙂
Nice snow sentiments, Amy-Lynn. Beautiful pictures, my favourites being the snow and lichens and the snow cream on what looks like a delicate paper cutting. As for icy roads and windshields.. I share your declining excitement.
Isabelle, the ‘paper cutting’ is actually a hard plastic placemat on my kitchen table. The icy roads here have always scared me. Black ice is common and linked to many accidents.
Snow cream, huh? Never heard of it, but it sounds like fun. Looks like it is time for a snowblower with such a long driveway! The snow with the lichen is a really cool photo.
Karma, I only heard of snow cream the first time a couple of years ago.
Unfortunately, snow blowers don’t work on gravel driveways. Tried that some time ago with bad results 😦
Snow and lichens always seem to make a good photo together.
Yes, very interesting shapes with the snow on the lichens!
Catharus, the lichens have such a fragile branch design to them that does indeed look worthy of a closer look when covered with snow 🙂
This is really interesting, snow cream, – unfortunately not possible to make out of the snow we get, there are too many pollution sources close by, but I can imagine how fresh it most be. There is a possibility to make it in the freezer though, so perhaps I should try it. Your snow photos are lovely.
Giiid, I can’t describe to you how very fresh this snow cream tastes. It’s a shame that snow is inedible where you are. Good luck making it in the freezer.
🙂 I’m one of those weird people who love shoveling snow and welcome the task as a good exercise workout, but I have a feeling we don’t get as much snow as often down here as you do up there! I love the picture of the snow on the lichens – so delicate and bright…
Barbara, our driveway had to be shoveled again yesterday. We had quite a storm. It seems like we’ve had more snow in the past week than we’ve had yet this winter. Too much of a good thing all at once does have the potential to change one’s point of view 😉 Glad you liked the lichens.
I’ve ate snow when I was little but have not tried the snow cream, now only if it would snow in our area.
Nye, be careful what you wish for 😉 It was almost a snowless winter for us until recently. Now we have enough to open up a snow-cream factory!
You must install a car heater – it solves the problem with ice on windscreens – and the car is nice warm to sit in 🙂
Fine illustrations of snow theme – hm – perhaps it was an idea to try making snow-ice-cream?!!!
Truels, we tried a car heater when we first moved here but it seemed to make the car much too warm. However, during our recent extreme cold, many people’s cars did not even start in the morning. Luckily mine did.
I have just started making snow-ice-cream in recent years. I don’t know why I never had the idea to do it before. Writing this blog over the past several years has made me so much more aware of the natural world and all that it offers.
[…] While I got rid of shoveling my driveway a few years ago with a snowblower and I am not too keen on using snow for any kind of consumption, I do agree with Amy-Lynn on one thing, the snow sure is pretty when it trims the forest. […]
Ah, the love/hate relationship of living in snow country. Snow adds work and value to our lives. Thank you for participating in the Winter assignment, Amy-Lynn!
Scott, it is indeed a love/hate relationship, full of passion especially when the roads make driving treacherous and the driveway requires shoveling (yet again).
Thank YOU for offering your photo challenge. It is always a pleasure to participate in the assignments 🙂