I’m back in Germany, where if there was a winter of 2019-20 it is long gone. It was minus nine Celsius when we boarded the plane in Ottawa, plus 13 when we arrived in Basel Switzerland (the closest airport) too many hours later.

Winter was late arriving in Canada – I was wondering at one point if we would even see snow before returning to Germany. There certainly wasn’t much in the city, most of what did fall melted quickly.

Out in the country though the snow stayed. I spent New Year’s Eve with a group of friends at the Bethesda Renewal Centre in Ashton, Ontario, and went for a hike in the woods before the  festivities began.

I figured it was my last chance to see snow, not just for 2019 but for the entire winter. Those snow boots I bought in Badenweiler in 2017 are still in their box, unused. Maybe Germany will surprise me this year – but based on the past two winters, I doubt it.

So today I’m looking fondly back a few weeks, remembering what I am missing.