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Toronto is sitting just shy of a record amount of snow this year, and it feels like most of it landed on my neighbourhood. In some areas, including our backyard, the banks are taller than me. (Okay, I'm short, but that's still impressive.) Still, annoying, frustrating and frankly dangerous as it can be, the snow can still be awesomely beautiful. So here's a few pics...

This one was taken during a storm in February. It made the ravine out back of our house look like a fairyland.

Here's another one of the ravine.

Even given that we have the typical postage stamp-sized Toronto backyard and that it's the only place we can shovel out our laneway to, we have a crazy amount of snow in ours. The bank here is well over six feet, even taller than the Sweetie. (And he's 6'6", so that's pretty tall.)

Last night the Sweetie comes barreling downstairs saying "You've got to look out the third floor window. It's wild." I found this waiting for me

It looks like alien icicles are trying to eat our house.

In this one, the icicles look almost delicate.

And here you can really see the crazy angle of the icicles. I have no idea how they even managed to form like this.

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These really are so beautiful.

It almost makes up for having the city nearly buried in snow. *g*

I have no idea how they even managed to form like this.

I'm guessing that when they started forming, the wind was blowing fairly steadily toward your house. After that, the meltwater forming the icicles just followed the path already established. :)

Great pix! Looking at that 6-foot pile of snow makes my shoulders ache as I envision trying to shovel more snow up on top of it!

I reckoned it must be the wind that caused the icicles to end up like that, but the confluence of circumstances that had to exist to cause it still blows my mind.

As for the 6-foot pile of snow, I'm just glad the Sweetie is a tall one. Not that he doesn't come in utterly knackered every time he has to shovel the laneway.

These are gorgeous. I don't envy you having to dig out, but gorgeous none the less. I especially liked the icicles.
Peace

I'm hoping we've seen the worst of the snow this winter, but on the positive side, things have quite often looked fantastic.

Such gorgeous photos... the icicles are fantastic! And I love your yard full of snow. :-D

The icicles are simultaneously beautiful and creepy. Especially late at night, which was when we discovered them. As for the yard full of snow, I don't suppose you'd like some of the white stuff shipped your way? *g*

WOW ... most parts of Australia are in drought and you have all this frozen water ... send it down under, please.

I was thinking the wind ... re cause of angle of the icicles.

Now I have that song "Winter Wonderland" in my mind :)

You'd be welcome to the frozen water in our backyard. I shudder to think what's going to happen when it melts.

With that amount of snow ... it won't be a flood, but a tidal wave. Better have a wetsuit on stand by.

You've really got a great eye for this, these pictures are beautiful. I'm trying to imagine having any snow at all, I think we maybe got a total of 4 inches all year. But I know you guys are sick of it, and since we're not going to get any, it may as well be spring now. :-)

4 inches all year! Wow, there was one storm we had last month when we got about four inches an hour. (And this would be why we're close to setting the snowfall record this year.)

Beautiful photos :)

And I expect most of Eastern Canada is breaking records right and left this year...

If I have to put up with snow, I figure I should get some good pictures out of it. *g*

And you're getting the snow even worse, no?

And you're getting the snow even worse, no?

Over 460cm now in Québec city someone told me yesterday. It's an honor I could have done without :)
But I'd rather have snow than freezing rain, so...

Holy cow! We're just approaching 200cm, so I'll consider myself lucky.

Wow! I am pretty sure you guys have Sudbury beat for snow this winter.

The icicles are impressive looking, but I would be worried about heat loss in your roof.

I wouldn't doubt that our roof is poorly insulated, but it's more likely the massive amount of sun we get on that side that's causing the icicles. (The front of the house doesn't really have any.)

Wow! Those icicles are insane. This winter has made me ever so glad I made the move to the DC area. We were in the 50's today and are supposed to be in the 60's tomorrow. Chicago, like Toronto has had a ridiculous snow season. I believe it's their third largest total ever. Outrageous. Don't slip on the white stuff!

We were in the 50's today and are supposed to be in the 60's tomorrow.

Rub it in, why doncha? *g*

The middle of the continent seems to have got hid stupidly this year. Thank your lucky stars that you're at the edges.

That's . . . a lot of snow. Whoa.

Makes me glad to live here. Of course, your summers are mostly nicer than ours, although the hottest one I can remember as a kid was in Toronto, so who knows.

I'm never been one for midwinter beach vacations, but this winter has seriously made me reconsider that stance. The snow cannot be gone soon enough.

As for our summers, they can be hot (and humid) but usually only for short stretches.

These are truly awesome pics. It certainly seems as if those icicles are on the attack. Can you get out at all? You must be going a bit stir-crazy if you can't.

Thank you for posting these (from one who has never seen snow) :)

Oh, we can totally get out. If you grow up in Canada, you just get used to putting up with the snow. And enjoying it when you can. (I'm looking forward to the little girl being old enough to skate and ski.)

I can't even imagine never having seen snow. Wow.

Feel the shivers coming on just looking at these.. but damn those icicles are beautiful.

You get used to the cold. Sorta. But yeah, the icicles were a nifty little gift of winter.