There's warm, and then there's "Winnipeg" warm

[plonq]

It warmed up to -10 today (though it may have crept as high as -8) so we decided to take a stroll up around the park. We got as far as the park and made a sudden change in plans to shorten the route because trudging through the snow was proving to be enough exercise in itself.

It may sound a bit odd when I refer to -8 as warm, but on a day like today when there is not a breath of wind, a sweatshirt over a sweater is enough cover to keep one warm if you stay in the sun.

Speaking of the sun, we had it at our backs through most of the walk, so I did not notice the interesting ring around it until we were turned for our homeward leg. The ring, coupled with the high wispy clouds tells me that we probably have more snow blowing in this evening. Not that I want more snow, but I almost hope that we get enough to make it worth firing up the snow thrower. These little annoyance dustings we have been getting lately are hardly even worth shovelling.


Not too long after this picture was taken, atara snapped off the icicle and threw it into the snow. A couple of years ago we didn't notice how quickly it was growing and ended up with a sizeable ice pillar linking the gutter spout to the ground. While such things are very pretty, and can make for interesting photographs, they are a little hard on the gutters.


The Clay Oven has become one of our favourite Indian restaurants. They don't have the broadest menu selection going, but the food is consistently good. We often get their thali plates, which offer a nice variety, and just enough food for one person. From left to right in this picture is chicken tikka masala, vegetable korma, curried goat and rice. All were delicious, but as usual the korma was our favourite.

Tim Hortons Coffee and a Winnipeg Jets doughnut. This is about as Winnipeg as it can get - well, it would be if we had got coffee rather than tea.

Comments

[kfops.livejournal.com]

We've come to like Clay Oven quite a bit. We've only eaten there once and got delivery (via Mobile Maitre'd) another time, but was quite good. When we want a quick, cheap fix though we like to order from Taste of India or Charisma... but they're not really comparable, y'know?

I really like that photo of the ring in the sky. To be honest, I don't think I've actually witnessed that effect before!

[atara.livejournal.com]

You obviously don't stare at the sun* enough. We get those rings pretty frequently during the winter.

*Although, this might not be a failing on your part, as much as a survival mechanism that I lack.

[kfops.livejournal.com]

Yah, I dunno how I've not noticed before. I've seen sun-dogs a lot, but y'know... maybe it is a survival instinct. I can't even blame it on my work not having a window to the outside, as I figure this effect has been going on a lot longer than I've been working.

Though just so you know, I was told by my young nephew that if you stared at the sun you could get laser eyes. That could come in handy in a pinch.

[aurifer.livejournal.com]

I saw one of those around the moon a few days ago.

I know that, in raindrops, light will reflect back and forth to make the standard rainbows as well as rings around the sun, but I'm not sure if ice crystals have different refractive properties.

Several years ago (2006?) there was a night where there were pillars of light coming up from each lamppost.
Like this: http://www.atoptics.co.uk/halo/lpil.htm

(And on reading that site, yes, it seems raindrops are completely different from ice crystals.)