Winter In Canada - Snow and Ice on Lake Ontario Make Natural Art in Port Credit Mississauga

Winter in Canada - snow and ice and cold winds -- is not my favorite season, but today, here in lovely Port Credit, even though the temperature was about minus 10 Celsius (14 F), and there was plenty of snow and ice everywhere, the sun was warm and it felt wonderful. And so for the first time in several weeks, I headed across Lakeshore Road through Rhododendron Gardens to have a look at Lake Ontario, and see what the cold weather had brought to the shoreline.

Rhododendron Gardens Snow Fence

The mid afternoon sunlight set up blue colored shadows across the large meadow area south of the rose garden and peony bed. Snow fencing is used to block snow drifts, though in this case, it is backed with burlap in an attempt to keep salt from the Waterfront Trail winter trail maintenance from being strewn on the new flower beds. Road salt, even so-called environmentally friendly products, can still harm garden plants and lawns.

On the Lake Ontario Shoreline Looking south to USA

This afternoon, I was the only person in the gardens, and with ice floes hugging the shoreline, and no wind to speak of, the silence was incredible! Hard to believe this location is only a few minute's walk south of busy Lakeshore Road. A unseen plane passed, breaking the silence for a moment. But even the birds bobbing out in the open water past the ice made not a sound.

After a few minutes, I noticed how the waves had broken on this tree branch on the shore, and frozen in place, so I moved in for a closer look.

Winter in Canada = Snow and Ice

Here's a medium shot of the ice covered branch. The puffy mounds in the foreground are large rocks placed here along the shore to block erosion. When there is no snow, you can see where it is safe to step. But today, the blanket of show covers the crevasses, so it's not safe to go walkabout.

Natural Art in Canada - Snow and Ice turn a tree branch into Sculpture

Here's a close up of the same branch. Cool, no? Pun intended. Nature knows how to make her own ice sculptures!

See more Winter in Canada Snow pictures here and how snow is melted by machine.
And stay warm! It's only two months until SPRING!!!!!!