Winter in Halifax

It is officially Spring in less than a week but it is still winter in Halifax. As I write this, it is persistently snowing outside and the outlook for the rest of week will be more of the same. It has been a long snowy winter in Halifax with the first snow storm 1st December and I’m sure I haven’t seen the last.

The sidewalk becomes a mess of slush and water as the snowfall moves to freezing rain then rain and back to snowfall. I am pleased I am in an apartment block who organises snow removal. Other residential poperty owners spend time clearing snow from driveways and sidewalks just in time for another snow storm. I am very thank fall this is not part of daily life in NZ as shovelling snow seems so tedious and pointless but required by the council. Property owners must clear the sidewalk of snow and ice within 12 hours after the end of any snowfall or six hours after daylight, when the snow has stopped falling during the night. And it’s not easy work, the snow is very heavy and I talk to many people who have injured their back by not using a good shovelling technique.

It seems strange to already be in to daylight saving time whilst the average daily temperature is still sub zero. Last year George Bush brought forward daylight savings to help curb energy use, and as the US and Canadian economy are well integrated, Canada followed suit.

So what have I been doing this winter?
I have delved into the arts scene and frequented the many art gallery openings at Saint Mary’s and Dalhousie University, Argyle Fine Art, Anna Lenowens Gallery and Studio 21. I have been to just about every play put on at The Neptune Theatre, and seen many newly released movies and also public screenings of old movies and documeteries. Through working at Saint Mary’s, I have had the opportunity to go to many lectures ranging from business ethics, climate change, European migration and Afghanistan. I have also been to a few book launches and not to forget the huge music scene in Nova Scotia. I saw a performance by Hayden, Kojo (Sudamese music played on the lokembe), Flamenco dance, African music where I played the Gaugankau (African double bell) and Amelia Curron’s concert.

I have also taken advantage of the ice skating rink at Saint Mary’s. It is not unusual for me to be the only person on the ice during the staff skate session. So you can imagine how my ice skating has improved and even the guy who drives the Zamboni (ice resurfacer) commented my backward skating “looks fancy”.

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