The big thaw

In the past 10 days or so we've seen a bit of rain and warmer temperatures (above zero).  This meant we have to plod our way through slush and icy puddles which is not easy.

Just outside our front door 

One advantage is that the snow is wetter, making it ideal for making snowballs and snowmen.  This is the school yard:

The biggest changes we've seen though, are with the river.


First there was lots of water on the surface:

And the little park next to our row of townhouses flooded:

Then we went to Niagara and Toronto for 6 days and couldn't believe the changes, especially to the river:

9.30 am:

John and I saw a dog wandering up and down the ice, looking for a way off it (which it found, eventually).

Even more water in the little park:

Later on the same day:


4.30 pm:

It was astonishing how quickly it changed.  You felt that if you looked down and at the river again, it would be completely different.


The ice was breaking up and seemingly melting away.  However later that evening I noticed movement outside and it was a huge sheet of ice drifting downstream:

This is what it looks like this morning:

From winter to spring in a day.