Good bye to 2010

As 2010 draws to a close, I think we can all be grateful for what we have - our friends, our family, our comfortable lives. We can be proud of our effort for the 2010 Garden and I look forward to 2011 and the second year of our Food Banks' Garden. While the snow covers the ground and darkness comes far too early, we will soon be planting seeds in the greenhouse and tilling the newly warmed soil.

Happy New Years!

And for interest's sake, here is the Farmer's Almanac weather forecast for the prairies for 2011....

Annual Weather Summary: November 2010 to October 2011

Winter will be 2 to 4 degrees C colder than normal, on average, with the coldest weather in mid-January and other cold periods from the second half of December through much of January and in mid- and late February. Precipitation will be a bit above normal, with above-normal snowfall, especially in Manitoba. The heaviest snowfalls will occur in early and mid-November, late December, and late February.

April and May will be much cooler than normal, with near-normal precipitation. Snowfall will be above normal, with late-season snowfalls in early and mid- to late April.

Summer will be drier than normal, with temperatures below normal in Alberta and Saskatchewan and above normal in Manitoba. The hottest temperatures will occur in early to mid-July and mid-August.

September and October will be drier and slightly warmer than normal.