The North

Another day the same, third one counting, with a temp this time of minus 17.  Seems like it’s time for a picture.  This one, from an Ottawa winter carnival, is rather appropriate:  a snow sculpture showing people next to wickedly smiling monsters—great personifications of “the north”.  Looks like the people are helping each other (one standing on the other one’s shoulders) to defy the monster (note raised fist); but they are behind his back, raising that fist when he’s not looking!

Back to this back-yard, at least the tips of those branches out there are quite still today.  My question is, what are those small blobs clustered around many of them?  They’re definitely not leaves budding… perhaps seeds?  Or are they dried up pods from the autumn?  This is a maple tree, and it doesn’t look like the usual type of wing-seeds that maples have.  This is just something we’ll have to keep an eye on!

Thanks Boss, that we don’t have to know absolutely everything about everything.