圣诞夜
Wednesday, December 24th, 2008圣诞夜的星空
一点也不空洞
灯饰璀璨照通
飘来美丽感动
微微吐气烟囱
炊烟气息颇重
街上一片闹哄
填补内心虚空
圣诞曲调歌颂
寒风吹袭不冻
高挂夜空楼钟
分秒缓步从容
圣诞夜的星空
看来很似长冗
世间关爱相送
不再饥饿病痛
人群一阵轰隆
欢呼季节相拥
雪片飘落寒冬
气氛平和轻松
圣诞夜的星空
细诉心情无终
人们尽兴放纵
陶醉仙境与共
Posts Tagged ‘Winter’
Snowstorm
Monday, December 22nd, 2008Why do Canadians talk about the weather so much? Not only that it’s a common interest, but it can also be a wonderful ice breaker, even with strangers on the street! Especially in the winter, the weather fluctuates so much that you really have to pay close attention to the weather forecast (even though it’s not always accurate). It can be snowing at -10 degrees Celsius one day and raining at 8 degrees Celsius the following day, with the occurrence of freezing rain, or mix of snow and rain, when the temperature lingers around the freezing point.
Everything was covered in the fluffy white snow.
The snowbank on the sidewalk and a pile of snow on the bus rooftop.
Fredericton is one of the many Canadian cities where snow and ice prevail during the winter season. It started off with flurries and light snow yesterday evening, around 7 p.m. Looking out the window in my bedroom, the agitated trees were swaying, strong wind was blowing, and furious snow was pouring down. The street looked like a deserted place. It was quiet and everyone stayed cozy at homes. We were expecting 30 centimetres of snow overnight…
Today at 7 a.m., I looked the window and everything was covered in white. 30 minutes later, I turned on the radio and listened to the news: government offices will be closed till noon, bus service is terminated till further notice, University campuses will be closed for the day……
Since I commute to work by the public transit, and government offices won’t open till later, I went back to bed and enjoyed the luxury of sleeping in (the opportunity doesn’t come very often), zzzzz…..
Finally, bus service resumed after 1 p.m. I was told not to bother going in to work. It worked out great! I spent some time packing for my trip to Calgary and got a chance to snap some pretty pictures in downtown. It was about two hours walk around town by the time I got home at 10:30 p.m. It was later in the evening that the temperature dropped to -18 degrees Celsius, and wind was blowing at the speed of 26 km/hr.
Everything was covered in the fluffy white snow.
The snowbank on the sidewalk and a pile of snow on the bus rooftop.
The City Hall of Fredericton with its Christmas theme. The wreaths sprinkled with snow looked gorgeous!
A Winding Road
Saturday, December 20th, 2008We may take the same route to work, eating the same food, and doing the same thing from day to day, unconsciously. Can’t we do something different to make life more exciting? Here is a route that I take almost every day, to work, to catch a bus, to the campus, and the list goes on. Even though it’s the same old route, the scenery changes with the seasons. The most amusing sight is spotted during the winter, of course!
This is the so-called shortcut, which located behind my apartment. It connects the parking lot at my apartment to the backyard of a house, situated on the adjacent street. Strictly speaking, it’s considered trespassing to walk on someone else’s backyard. Nevertheless, it has become a norm for people to walk across this narrow creek on a wooden bridge, on a daily basis.
To make things more interesting, this is how it looks after a major snowfall. Surprisingly, there’s always someone who clear the path to ease the walk. I don’t suppose it’s the homeowner of our neighbour. He must be annoyed that the neighbours are walking on his property. Whoever that person is, I really appreciate his time and effort put into clearing the path. Maybe one day, I’ll get up early enough to check out who’s doing such a great job.
A familiar route covered in snow,
try to recall the path I know.
Winding road that knows no end,
here I come with a wild attempt.
Life is like a box of chocolates,
full of unexpected surprises.
You never know what you’re gonna get,
just pray and hope for the best.
Christmas is Near…
Wednesday, December 17th, 2008It’s hard to believe that Christmas is just around the corner. Christmas Eve is a week from today, bizarre… Soon enough we’re going to bid 2008 goodbye… Oh, let’s not go that far, back to Christmas. What do you think about Christmas? Exciting? Joyful? Stressful?
I remembered being a little kid going to bed on Christmas Eve with great anticipation, dozing off when I finally couldn’t keep my eyes straight from staring at the Christmas stocking hanging by the bed… Waking up early on Christmas morning with great excitement and contentment, holding my stuffed Christmas stocking, even though I realized that Santa doesn’t exist…
Should you tell your kids that Santa is unreal? This remains as a controversial topic. “If you believe there is, then there is,” is a nice way to avoid shattering the Santa dreams in the little souls. Truthfully, there’s no need to hide the truth from kids. The sooner they find out, the less disappointment for them later on. I remembered little sis came home one day, when she was four, asking “is Santa real? My classmate’s parents told her that Santa doesn’t exist. Is that true?” Stunned by her unexpected question, I was speechless for a minute. Mom & Dad then explained to her that Santa is indeed, unreal. The older we grow, the more we know; or rather, the older we grow, the more we SHOULD know. That’s always the way it is!
I was carried away by the whole idea of Christmas celebration. Mom would prepare a fancy Western meal, with Dad serving us sparkling juice. The best meal of the year, besides the big meal during Chinese New Year. We never had a turkey for Christmas dinner. Why? It’s simply because turkey is not commonly found in Malaysia, and it could cost a fortune (exaggerating) to get one!
Thus, I was delighted to have a turkey dinner on my first Christmas in Canada! Since then, I’ve always been looking forward to a turkey dinner on Christmas. On top of that, white Christmas has always been wonderful in North America. It gets more meaningful when I learned how to cook the bird myself. Secret recipe, shh….. Despite the time and effort putting into preparing a cooked turkey, I enjoyed having fun in the kitchen and everyone’s great big smiles when savouring the delicious turkey ;)
Now that I don’t get surprise gifts in my Christmas stocking, I’m nice to myself occasionally by getting myself some Christmas gifts.
Wow… mountain high chocolates?? My favourite Ferrero Rocher (esp. the dark chocolates), Nestle Turtles, Lindt dessert chocolates, and Dove milk chocolates. Keeping a box of Ferrero for myself for sure ;)
The Christmas Advent Calendar, supposed to provide you with ideas of daily activities from Dec. 1st to Christmas Eve. It’s something that I always wanted to check out. A piece of chocolate a day!
The first Christmas card (in blue) I received this year and a self-made 3D-Christmas card. Isn’t that cute? Of course, chocolates are always the highlight. Lindor chocolates in orange (orange flavour), red (milk), black (dark), yellow (white), and brown (hazelnut).
Believe it or not, here’s what I got for myself this Christmas. A powerful hand mixer and a set of silicone bakeware. Excellent tools for baking!
The Wondrous Ice
Monday, December 15th, 2008Here are some of my thoughts from today’s experience walking on the ice. Honestly, I wouldn’t recommend driving on unfavourable road conditions. Your own safety is more important than being at work on time!
The brook is narrow, the road is wide,
under the dim moonlight, catch a bus ride.
Sliding is easy when road is slippery,
taking baby steps while gliding slowly.
Winter weather may bring dismay,
such as icy morning on this day.
Take a leap or stay stagnant,
it’s up to you which is more important.
Sometimes it’s just too much to bear,
wanting to find some luck to spare.
Ceased to move when someone glared,
keep walking and never be scared.
Oceans are deep and mountains are high,
keep trying and not to sigh.
You may stumble, you may fall,
but press on and never stall.
Ice + Ice = STUCK
Monday, December 15th, 2008What a bleak winter morning today! The icy surface from yesterday turned icier with the formation of an additional layer of ice overnight, resulted from the minor precipitation as the cold temperature took effect.
It’s about 150 metres from my apartment to the bottom of the hill of Graham Avenue (the street where I live). On regular days, I can easily walk down the hill in less than a minute. This morning, however, it took me about 5 minutes to walk and slide down the street!!! I had my sneakers on, initially. After noticing the icy condition on the road and sidewalk (I can’t move, or I’ll slide, literally), I decided to head back to my apartment and change into my winter boots. I had to give up my sneakers and crossed the street with just my socks on for better friction. Seriously, no kidding…
It was very helpful to have my boots on, but still, I had to take one step at a time. I couldn’t help but to slide along when I had to. I just had to stay balanced at all times… Finally, when I got to the bottom of the street, I saw a car sliding down the street… Lo and behold, the car hit the curb and did a donut. Luckily, the driver was able to position his car back on track. There wasn’t any noticeably damage on the car. The driver must be in shock, I supposed.
I missed the bus and had to wait for 30 minutes, for the next bus to arrive. Hmm… 8:10 a.m., the bus was already 15 minutes late. I called up the Fredericton Transit trying to find out what was going on, but no one was there to answer my call… Anyway, I called in the lab and mentioned to my co-worker that I was going to be late for work. Apparently, the bus service was delayed due to the slippery road conditions and won’t resume till 9 a.m., schools with classes were delayed by 2 hours etc. The local residents were urged to stay off the road by the Police Force. I ended up showing up at work around 9:30 a.m.
The 150 metres route to the bottom of the hill took me 5 minutes to walk & slide!
A close look at the icy road surface. Trust me, it was completely covered with ice! By the curb, the sidewalk, and even in middle of the road!! Everywhere…
I was shocked to learn that my co-worker who travels to work from Miramichi every Monday morning, met a car accident this morning… Her car was flipped over. Fortunately, she wasn’t injured. She’s under medication and currently resting at home. I pray that she will soon recover from the shock and any pain that she’s suffering from the accident.
Slush + Cold = ICE
Sunday, December 14th, 2008The winter story continues… Please tell me, what do you suppose this is, if you don’t think it’s a skating rink?!
The uneven surface doesn’t make a good skating rink. Obviously, this resulted from the slush two days ago, when the temperature dropped below the freezing point yesterday.
It was a daunting route walking to the church this morning. Furthermore, it was -15 degrees Celsius without the wind chill factor. It could have been worse. As a matter of fact, all these add to the “excitements” of the day when you’re used to the winter in Canada. There’s nothing much you can do, but to enjoy the wonders of nature while watching your steps closely ;) Keeping in mind that your winter boots are not mighty boots, you may still slip and fall if you’re not paying attention :D
Snow + Rain = MESS
Friday, December 12th, 2008A snowy day is gorgeous, a rainy day is scenic. However, when the two come together, it can be rather disastrous. Here’s the evidence:
Pretty winter scenes on a snowy day:
When the temperature fluctuates and works its way up, beyond the freezing point in the early morning, we get rain instead of snow. The volume of rain, in addition of the amount of melted snow results in puddles everywhere. Slush and rain, oh… how messier can it get?
I wasn’t aware of the awful road condition when leaving for work this morning and had my sneakers on, instead of my waterproof winter boots. How smart… what happened in the end? My feet were soaked, from walking to catch the bus, around downtown to drop off books at the library, and towards the lab building.
The rain has finally ceased, when I walked out from the building after work. Winter is not always pretty as it’s shown on the TV screen. It creates slush and mess from time to time. Please keep in mind that this is not the worst you can expect. When temperature drops below the freezing point overnight, it’s going to be icy the next morning. No sneakers nor winter boots this time, put on a pair of skates instead, haha…
Conclusively, traveling in the winter can be quite troublesome. Winter survival tips? Be sure to check the weather before leaving home. Snowing? Wear a winter hat. Raining? Wear a rain jacket and bring an umbrella. Windy? Put on a winter hat and a pair of winter gloves, and do whatever you can to stay warm!
Dress accordingly to get the most out of the splendid winter season :D
雪人的微笑
Sunday, December 7th, 2008雪人像白雪一般纯真，他的微笑犹如烈日般灿烂。堆雪人的大孩子有着一颗未泯的童心，在冰冷的雪天打造可爱雪人。再大的风雪也阻止不了一颗热忱的心灵，堆着雪人编织梦想。望着嘴角上扬的雪人，一切努力都值得。谢谢堆雪人的大孩们！
期待着有朝一日，我也能造一个跟我长得一样高的可爱雪人。看着你的微笑，我不禁抿嘴而笑。你啊，为这世界带来无限欢乐！
安静的雪花
唯美的童话
悄悄地对话
构成一幅画
唯美的童话
悄悄地对话
构成一幅画
白皑皑的雪景
光秃秃的院庭
静悄悄的梦境
冷飕飕的寒冰
抓住心中把柄
试图给予肯定
冰冷背后温暖
要用真心去换
堆个雪人取暖
呼吸再也不喘
雪人说
我赤身裸臂不觉寒
你却望着我直打颤
雪人的微笑
衬托雪白的街角
雪人的微笑
静止赛跑的分秒
雪人的微笑
安抚寒冷的心跳
雪人的微笑
让人忍不住甜笑
冬雨
Monday, December 1st, 2008十二月一日的天空，无情地下起雨来了。雨，洒在雪堆上。冬季里的雨天，让我不禁怀念雪花纷飞的日子。我心想：到底雨点在哭泣，抑或微笑？
没有默契的水滴
无缘凝聚在一起
是老天爷不作美
还是雨点在伤悲
零上天气很沮丧
失去雪花的芳香
水珠终究得舍弃
相聚一起的缘机
是自由
抑或颓废
雨滴始终保持缄默
不停地奔驰
企图忘掉悲伤
灌溉着大地
想要磨灭雪的痕迹
雪花
是曾在一起的印证
绮丽且珍贵
冰霜为盟
寒风为誓
如今
没了冰天雪地的感动
雪人
溶化不再给温暖
稀薄的空气
让人想放弃
呼吸的权利
是雪的美丽 让生活有意义
潮湿的雨天
让人很惦念
阳光的妖艳
是雨的思念 带来一丝爱恋
难道落泪就是悲哀？
难道欢笑就是喜悦？
洒落的雨滴
或许在释怀
而不是叹息
哀伤
还是快乐
唯有天晓得
Let It Snow…Let It Snow…Let It Snow…
Monday, November 24th, 2008I’ll never forget the excitement I had when I experienced snow for the first time! Of course, the natural snowing is different from the artificial snow house I visited when I was little.
The snowfall in October, 2003.
The first day of snow in Fredericton this year happened last Wednesday (November 19th). More snow last Saturday (November 22nd)!
The winter view from my apartment.
I always look forward to the snow in winter. My mindset will probably change when I own a car and have to drive around in the harsh winter days :P I enjoy skating, even though I’m not a great skater. And of course, skiing! Downhill skiing particularly. The scenic view from the mountain top, the thrill of maneuvering the skis, and the cold rush of wind as I make my way down the mountain (smoothly, hopefully). If I don’t? Oh well, it’s just another learning opportunity. Get up when you fall. Otherwise? You’re stuck in the middle of nowhere, miss out the chance to explore new terrain, and fail to enjoy loads of fun and excitement that await you!
Similarly, we fall and stumble in life. We might get bruises when we fall from skiing, but they come and go; just like mistakes we made that are forgivable. Avoid falling on hard surfaces and sharp edges to keep away from serious injuries. It’s comparable to some major faults we commit in life that can be no turning back. We want to refrain from doing that by all means. Nonetheless, no matter how hard we fall, just bear in mind that it’s not the end of the world. Move on and thrive through the challenges. Soar like an eagle!
