A major snowstorm was predicted for southern Ontario beginning in the late afternoon of December 23 and continuing through the 24th. We arrived in Brighton around 5 PM on the 23rd and sure enough the snow and wind were beginning to pick up. A trip to the local NoFrills to stock up on supplies, so that we could hunker down as need be, was the first order of business.
As the evening progressed the winds increased in strength along with heavy snowfall. Out front on County Rd 2 we could make out a fairly steady stream of trucks and cars, which only happens when the 401 highway to the north is shut down due to some type of accident. I was relieved that we’d decided to take down the massive Sugar Maple right out front of the house as the strength of the winds was formidable.
It’s pretty common for us to lose power when there are major storms, and on the morning of the 24th the storm had only increased in strength and showed no signs of abating. We don’t have a generator as of yet and the “power out” supplies were made ready - kerosene lanterns and candles.
Apart from that there was not much else to do aside from settling in to enjoy the winter weather from the warmth and coziness of the farmhouse. Christmas carols filled the space, the tree was lit, a delicious ragu was set to slow cook, and books were cracked open as we nestled down in the living room. Jack Frost did his artful work, covering the windows with designs reminiscent of old time Christmas cards. Provided that the power stayed on it felt like the perfect Christmas experience.
Mid-afternoon on the 24th we ventured out for a walk about the property. The snow swirled every which way in the driving wind, and visibility was somewhat limited. Yet, it looked absolutely beautiful - like a winter wonderland with the rolling fields covered under a blanket of white. You can get a sense of it in the picture below.
The storm continued through Christmas Eve, but fortunately, and somewhat surprisingly, we only lost power for 30 minutes around 3 PM. We later heard from friends just five minutes to the east that they did not fare so well, with their neighbourhood losing power for 55 hours, right through Christmas day. We also heard news reports that passenger trains 15 minutes to the west of us in Grafton were stopped due to trees down on the tracks, with people stranded overnight as a result. Patricia, our friend from1812 Antiques in Grafton, told us that local residents were able to take stranded passengers in.
Like a Christmas miracle, the 25th dawned clear and sunny, with crisp blue skies. No sign of the storm remained, and we were left with a picture perfect view from the front door of the farmhouse. As they say, it was a Christmas to remember.
A few more pictures below, with the “calm before the storm” leading off.
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