In case people think it's a case of just not remembering cold winters past. It really has been a while!

Parts of the Millennium Trail, in Riverdale, look like a luge chute.

How many civilians were killed? How many US troops were killed? Non of this is legal. The US has been targeting Venezuela, but has also recently targeted Nigeria. Horrifying. All the OTHER countries Trump "wants" are at risk if this doesn't get stopped. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...

Am invoking Canadian snow management music magic. I don't usually do this, but needs must. "Spread your tiny wings and fly away. And, take the snow back with you...." Link to youtube audio only of Anne Murray singing "Snowbird". www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pvA...

Got some of the yard tunnels re-excavated and freed both gates. Already running out of places to put snow. A favourite winter song link to Youtube video of The Great Lake Swimmers performing "Your Rocky Spine" live: www.youtube.com/watch?v=41Gg...

It's -23C so the American redpolls have enough energy to pick fights and chase each other around. They are full of drama!

New Year's Day dinner: elk and haskap sausages braised with onions, red wine and dijon; mashed potatoes and stir-fried veggies. #food 🍜

I love winter! Would not live here if I didn't. This snow stuff has got to stop. It's Jan. 1st. we already have LOTS, with 3-4 more months of accumulation ahead.

What am I thankful for, from 2025? The foresight, yesterday, to buy sausage rolls, so we can have them for New Year's "breakfast" without having to leave the room to get food.

Goat Island afternoon light drama.

ROCK AND ROLL!!!!

2025? I'm out. Looking forward to 2026! #bird #Canadabird

We saw a flock of snow buntings on our drive south. They are probably ones that stay all winter, but still felt like a bit of the year turning toward spring!

Atlin very snowy, currently.

Duck quesadillas: sauteed red onion, sweet red pepper, cherry tomato, bits of cooked duck meat, kale, garlic, cooked down with some duck stock, Mexican oregano and cayenne, then fried in flour tortillas with shredded White Fox cheese. Green pepper sauce to serve. #food 🍜

Final duck holiday meal: quesadillas for dinner. Have been having duck/white fox cheese/Dijon toasted sesame bagel sandwiches every morning since the 25th. Just divvied up/froze the duck stock and two small bags of carcass-picked duck meat. Will enjoy duck again after a pause in our relationship.

Will the cherry tomatoes stay unfrozen for the wade home, through the snow? A Yukon story. They seem okay. Saw a crew of ravens weighing down a rowan to nibble berries they do NOT need. They like to chase B. waxwings and steal the food waxwings literally need, to live. A raven joke.

Got out to shovel. Black-capped chickadees and boreal chickadees were out, in force. Heard a spring song! A crew of American redpolls showed up also. Nice to see all the activity.

Just keeps snowing, just keeps snowing....

Last time it warmed above -30C my neighbour thought they saw a hawk owl, targeting redpolls at their feeder. It is -23C and every time something moves past the window, I'm up checking for potential songbird murder. I love songbirds! Owls are very cool.

The "Venetian-style" pasta sauce. Not a true Venetian ragu, by any means. Not chopped finely enough, not cooked long enough. Using up already cooked duck, instead of cooking the duck, from scratch. Delicious, regardless! #food 🍜

Today's chore: picking the duck carcasses for meat after making stock from them. The richness of duck is a gift! Will use some of it (and duck stock) to make Venetian-style pasta sauce tonight, with orange, cinnamon and red wine. #food 🍜

Still a bit nippy at -35C, but it is clear and the sun is doing winter magic, all around town!

As is traditional. Link to Youtube video that is audio of The Stephen's Day Murders, performed by the Chieftains (with Elvis Costello) from the album "The Bells of Dublin". www.youtube.com/watch?v=24dF...

Best part of holiday food: leftovers. #food 🍜

Me, reducing duck broth to stock. Recipe: "reduce to 1 cup". Me: that's bonkers, I started with, like, 12 cups. Every year I do this and FAIL to reduce the duck stock to recipe. Look, 12 cups to 6 cups is plenty reduced.

Merry Christmas to all! And, best of Christmas luck to Dude I just saw trying to buy a ham, at Shopper's Drugmart.

-35C Baby!

The Christmas tradition: cook, listen to "The Shepherd" on the radio; cry. Link to CBC Radio article including a link to listen to the audio of The Shepherd. www.cbc.ca/radio/asitha...

I, the usually overheated person, am wearing: tuque, thermal leggings, heavy socks and a fleece, in my house, where the heat kicks on continuously. Very glad of recent fuel delivery. Hope we catch a warm-up break before the Yukon grid bursts/dies/fails.

I am usually out, on Christmas Eve, but I will be home tomorrow. This means I will get to listen to The Shepherd, on the correct evening! Am excited about this development. Duck prep + holiday crying!

Environment Canada now claiming we will be up to -23C by Monday Dec. 29th. But, Environment Canada "long-range forecast" hope? We will see.

Cold day late lunch/using up stuff. Potato and parsnip fried in olive oil with salt pepper and oregano; over easy egg and pinch of hot paprika. #food 🍜

The duckening will begin shortly.

The RCMP are telling everyone that it is too cold to travel. I mean, not too many years ago, folks decided to go between Pelly and Carmacks at -40Cish, ended up in the ditch and had to set fire to their car to not die.

Am seriously contemplating wearing a tuque, inside my house. This cold snap is starting to get on my nerves.

'Tis the season to ponder reality.

Avoid this: shoving a sprung yak-trak coil under a random yak-trak strap right before errands. Result: boots suddenly attached while I was carrying grocers and a bag of fancy holiday booze. Not sure how I avoided smashed bottles and hitting my head on car. Coil pliered to safety now.

And, we've dropped to -43C. Poor Faro! They have dropped -51.5C. Be safe out there, folks.

-15C? We only DREAM of -15C at the end of our forecast! Link to youtube video of This Hour has 22 Minutes "Seven Day Forecast" sketch. www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkDv...

Happy Winter Solstice/shortest day to all! The sun is dying; the sun will return. #wintersolstice #shortestday

Party favour! #food 🍜

-37C: there have been some dynamite dog outfits on the trail outside our yard today. Just saw a smallish doodle? large terrrier? completely outfitted, with a giant orange hat that made its head look like a pumpkin. Stay warm, pupper.

More holiday music: the East Coast Christmas classic: Carry Me Home by Hey Rosetta. Link to youtube video of the band singing/playing live www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnlM...

My Computer: "Weather Canada...you visit often". What are you trying to say, Computer?? It just means I'm OPTIMISTIC. The long-range forecast COULD change. Checks the cord to car battery heater, snaps ice off propane vent, muttering as frost forms on hair and eyelashes.

Co-worker just arrived, with their kiddo (four?) who is dressed as Santa and excited to give us all presents (cookies). Apparently, kiddo has been asking to do this for a long time. Of course, in the moment, too shy for "ho ho ho". Frickin' adorable!

Sliding back down toward -40C for the weekend!

WTF, Yukoners. Somebody (somebodies?) dumped boxes of spoiled/spoiling meat in small stand of trees right across from my house. This may explain the morning coyote. Husband found two coyotes/a crew of magpies there this afternoon. By-Law informed, boxes put into OUR compost bins.

Cackling. thebeaverton.com/2025/12/u-s-...