Having now been here in this Province for six and a half years I have noticed a general trend in the months that makes me smile. Here goes, the short guide to NS by month (this post Jan-Mar) for any would be visitors, taken from our little neighbourhood:
January:
Weather - the month it starts to get really cold and I mean REALLY COLD, minus 26 in the windchill is not uncommon. Blizzards strike regularly (every Wednesday one year) and its not unusual to get 50cm of snow in one hit, after that 50cm we got last Wednesday... ice lingers under that fresh snow fall ready for your unsuspecting feet and suddenly you realize this cold is going to be around now for MONTHS.
People - The Tim Hortons drive-throughs all over do good business where people cant bare to leave their cars for their order of coffee and baked goodies. Accidents are a plenty due to summer time driving on winter time roads.
Food - the food intake is all about comfort, the stews and the Sunday dinners, the chillis and the curry (50% of Canadians seem to enjoy a small amount of "spicy food"). There is the occasional burger on a BBQ in true Canadian fashion, but for the most part people are trying to be healthy after the December excess.
Neighbours - you no longer chat outside but see each other in the dark of the dawn behind the headlights of snowblowers clearing driveways just to go to work. There will be a nod to each other as you go across the road with your blower to help the poor sod trying to achieve the same outcome with a shovel. Neighbourliness shows no limits. Firepits sit frozen as the novelty of them has now worn off.
Sports - hockey is most weeknights where you sit in the freezing bleachers, wrapped in a snuggly throw, replete with mittens, scarf and hat complete with your Tim Hortons
watching shouting encouragement at the local team.
Word of the month - all over FB feed ~ "Nor'wester","wind-chill" and "Storm chips"
February:
Weather - Still cold and dark seemingly ALOT, interspersed by bright sunlight that makes the snowbanks glitter above the brown bits, making you feel all grateful you no longer live in the grey skies, tupper ware style overcast temperate world of a British winter. Blizzards still striking at their regular pace and now everyone is commenting on the amount of snow days the schools have had so far. Summer seems to be a season that will never ever ever return.
People - Accidents still a plenty and Tim Hortons drivethroughs still as busy. Early February an entire news team sets up in the local wildlife park to see if Shubenacadie Sam will see his shadow. Quite how anyone knows what a groundhog has seen is beyond me, theres yet to be evidence of an interview that I am aware of. Sams forecast along a couple of others is analysed in depth on the news.
Food - Still on the starchy stuff and of course the chocolate has returned as January without sugar was just long enough, thank you very much.
Neighbours - everyone is taking turns to start heading down south for that week or two of warming up. Jealousy abounds at the retired couple who took off after their annual skiiing weekend up the road, for the rest of the winter down south in that enormous motor home that otherwise sits on the drive. FB feed shows pets picked out of the cold by good samaritans who are now looking for their humans on the local page.
Sports - Hockey, still.
Word of the month - "down south", "snow days", "groundhog day"
March:
Weather - While the rest of the world seemingly is enjoying the first days of Spring with their daffodils returning, we are still in the grips of winter. Can we say "flurries"? (Not the MacDonalds kind)
People - The freeze thaw freeze weather of NS increases the likelihood of even more accidents. People start to lose what little patience for the white stuff that they might once have had. No one can recall why they wanted a white Christmas. Snowplows are at the increasing subject of everyones annoyance (in the way, not around, late, where are they?)
Food - Considering Easter, the fun part of Easter in NS is the hiding of the eggs all around the house at 6am because you still sell the Easter bunny myth to your kids and one egg with a matching mug no longer suffices (as it did in England), so eggs are hidden but they cant be near the floor in case the dogs eat them and they cant go out the night before in case the cats knock them on the floor.....
Neighbours - Fire pits start hesitantly up again as people feel the need to get outside before burn restrictions are back in their lives. Much alcohol is consumed as everyone recounts their tale of White Juan (hurricane style Nor-easter in February 2004) and compare snowfall numbers to the current year, as you while away a Saturday evening around the flames, feeling all at peace with the still frozen world.
Sports - Hockey. Last minute skiing now your face can cope.
Word of the month - "snow fall numbers", "liquor store"
