Qanik

There are a lot of people who believe that our Canadian Inuit have a huge number of words to describe snow.  This of course is just a fanciful urban legend.  In English we have a similar variety of words to Inuit language that describes snow and snow conditions, such as: snow, sleet, slush, ice rain, blizzard, blustery and snowing…

Even so, last night as the snow fell I wished that there was a lovely succinct Inuit or English word that I could ascribe to the sort of snow that fell here in Hamilton.  The conditions were absolutely ideal; just cold enough, no wind at all and a very light number of flakes forming.  This made the flakes huge all about a half centimetre across and perfect large crystal formation like a billion glass renditions of paper snowflakes falling.  They fell like feathers, magically, resisting landing, dancing slowly to the earth.

The Inuit word for falling snow is qanik but this does not describe the perfect snowfall.  Indeed, it was just the sort of snowfall that made me wish I was at THO, in the night forest, with a flashlight, to catch the fleeting, breathtaking art show that Mother Nature prepared.

My home community tell me that there has been a powerful lot of snow at THO.  They had a blast and there is around two feet that have fallen.  My cousin Kenny has ploughed me out so I can drive right in, when I go up next week for a few days.  I have a new propane heater called a Propane Buddy with an adapter that allows it to be connected to a large propane cylinder.  It is designed to heat 200 square feet and cost me $129 Canadian.  I can’t wait to give it a whirl!  I am hoping it is very effective.  While I don’t intend to use propane as a permanent solution, I am hoping that it is an adequate temporary fix until I move forward with wood.   I mean, look at all those dead sticks that I can burn off and thus keep the land looking tidy!