old snow across north america

in keeping with our penniless habits, we waited until last week to develop & scan these photographs, though they were taken almost another lifetime ago, in late december and early january, and on another continent entirely. in australia, as we liked to say, "you go to the snow". in america it comes to you instead of rain. this is terribly obvious, i know, to those who grew up with real winters, but it still took me by flagrant surprise.

ice-skating on beaver lake on the top of mont royal in montreal. the perfect escape from the flat, cold, running-from-open-door-to-cafe-to-supermarket reality winter takes on in december after the first stunning is over.

downtown montreal, near rue st catherine or on rue st catherine or maybe there isn't even a street called rue st catherine in montreal and i have already forgotten my imprecise, superimposed map. collecting lambros' french certificate from his school.

deep in rural quebec, where there are towns called "melbourne" and "asbestos" and "tingwick".

one of my many woolly-stockinged walks. dear stockings, you were as warm as your color promised that day.

snow-lights and windows blurred of all their occupants.

a children's ice rink in the inner suburbs of montreal. one night, we crept onto one and held hands and slid all over the place in our boots until the rink's guard asked us in polite french to please not do that. it is dangerous. you can fall right through the ice, or at least weaken the surface for other skaters.

my lost furry hat. last seen (possibly) in a cafe in quebec that was so displaced-french-in-cold-climates even the baked beans had pork in them.