Happy New Year

 Happy New Year! We welcomed 2015 in with fireworks set off in a blizzard -- creating some fantastic lighting effects on the snow.   Some watched from the windows, but most of the kids kitted out and came outdoors with us to enjoy the show. I think they particularly enjoyed the faulty firework that bounced off Brian's boot and took direct aim for David.  It keeps the lads light on their feet!


By this morning we had been transformed into a world of white.


Blowing snow creates interesting effects on the parked cars.  Very Canadian.





We liked the 'overhang' design on the truck window especially.










On a day like this, when the blizzard just won't quit, we can understand why some birds fly south!












But flying south isn't the only way to cope.  Paul and Kath arrived ready for their first big ski of the year.  Brian and David spent the morning getting our trails packed in and ready for use.  Just in time, too, as our guests streamed out there to enjoy the sensation of skiing in a silent but for the sound of snowflakes falling (oh, wait, they don't make much noise) in a #northmuskoka woods.






Others grabbed the toboggans and sliders and made tracks to the toboggan hill.  At one point, we looked like a very colourful exodus as the kids wrangled their sleds up the hill across from the Lodge.




Others took a different approach -- perhaps feeling that Indoors might be a better plan than Outdoors, they created their own houses.  A big quinzee was under construction just beside this phenomenal Igloo that Mark was handcrafting with help from his friends!   It is a feat of engineering -- scientifically (well loosely scientifically) measured to ensure that it decreases just the right amount with each revolution.  He reported that it was very warm in there, even before they got the roof complete! 
The Quinzhee crew had to take a bit of break... but their creation will rival the Igloo for design, we have no doubt.

Down the hill (you can see the quinzhee on the right, the igloo on the left at the top of the slope)    a massive snow fort was under construction, and snowballs were flying!

And how do you create such a beautiful fortress, you ask?  Well, you press a garbage can into service.  Sort of like making sand castles.




There were rumours that these creations should be listed on the Air B&B sites...







And when everyone is all played out from that time in the snow, what better way to finish the day than to take a note from Napster's playbook...

It was a beautiful, if snowy!, start to a whole New Year.  We hope it brings comfort, joy, and a great deal of fun to all our friends!