Spring has sprung...

This week has been ESPECIALLY shocking and the shock has taken everyone by storm. Last Friday, I left town by skidoo mid afternoon under overcast yet bright skies to travel with Mark, Nancy and their kids to Short Lake about 40 miles away from town to camp for the weekend. The trails were fine, a few spots of dirt, moss and lichens showing through the snow, but otherwise decent trails. The forecast was a mild one, Saturday and Sunday were both supposed to be in the positive temperatures, even overnight, but I don't think I could have imagined the speed of the changes that were due to take place. Saturday and Sunday were both beautiful days. Saturday was luckily not too sunny and hot, so things stayed rather firm BUT on Sunday the sun came out and as we were taking down the tent and packing up, I soaked up the sun rolling up my t-shirt sleeves and still feeling warm. By the time we left the trail and land had changed an indescribable amount! There were LONG sections of trail that were TOTALLY melted down to the lichens, there was foot deep water on many sections of sea ice, there was lakes that were so melted that wide sections were submerged under thick heavy slush! The drive was quite exhilarating in a scary way and lasted much longer than any time I have ever driven that stretch before. Since that weekend, the temperatures have stayed steadily in the positive digits, low to mid teens during the day, and lows of 7 or 8 at night.

It is unlike anything anyone has seen before- it took only three days to go from skidooing weather or winter to summer! Even the goose hunters are not sure if they'll even get out to get the geese because the sea ice is currently underwater and is melting remarkably fast. One of my student's father is stuck halfway up to the far northern tip of Quebec/Labrador. He went last week to hunt and fish, and with the meltdown so quickly he is stranded with no way to drive home- rivers are running, lakes are melted and the land is rocky and muddy...

Last year made me a little skeptical about the speed of the onset of global warming but this year has certainly made me reconsider!! Just as a side note, the "normals" for this time of year are high of +1 and low of -9.

Tonight I am in for a long night. Nancy is away so her daughters(who consider me like their big sis) decided to have a big sleepover... They invited me to go too so I thought I'd indulge since I have no other plans... Now I am worried, I heard that who ever goes to sleep first gets marked on their face. I have threatened to never be their friend again, with my most serious teacher tone, so I HOPE I get out clear!!! Enjoy your weekend everyone!

I am trying slowly to get back in the blogging swing, but didn't have enough time to post some pictures. Hopefully next time!