It has been, for us, a relatively mild winter. This area of Eastern Ontario has always been awarded plentiful sunlight throughout the winter months, and if anything we've enjoyed more than usual, this year of winter 2011/12. We've also received significantly less snowfall than is usual for our Ottawa Valley winters. Some might say the snow deficit has been absorbed by the amount of freezing rain events we've alternately received.

And, along with fewer snow events, we've also been gifted with a somewhat milder winter as far as temperature lows are concerned. We've had a few days of minus-20 highs, but few indeed. When the temperature dips below minus-20 it usually struggles, throughout the day, to rise to minus-10, or -8 degrees, a manageable level of frigid weather.

Truth to tell, the snowpack in the ravine gauges to us similar to what it generally is, at this time of year. The packed snow on the ravine trails elevates us well beyond our usual reach, in respect to the surrounding trees, evident to me as I am now able to more easily reach the cache spots in tree trunks where I usually leave peanuts for the squirrels.

Contrast that situation with what Europe is currently undergoing, in its weather blitz of miserable cold and snowy weather that has taken eastern, western Europe and even a portion of Africa by surprise. Unaccustomed to such cold-weather extremes, they are certainly not prepared to deal with the situation in terms of snow-clearing equipment, appropriate heating systems, and generally having to cope with what has turned out to be catastrophic for many.

The homeless in particular - over 400 now calculated to have died as a direct result of the freezing chill. Including poor countryside and city dwellers who cannot afford to heat their homes. And now, coping with the Danube beginning to freeze over impacting commerce. And dams breaking or threatening to be overwhelmed, causing flooding and further isolating remote villages.

Here's hoping there will soon be an end to the miserable conditions that have made this winter an unfortunately memorable one for Europe.