Boule de Neige

As far as mascots goes, THIS is the one for me above all others. Boule de Neige is the cutest most animated and charismatic fun pile of Fun Fur out there.

...and if I don't get my pic taken with him I am not a happy camper... fortunately this year... Kitty is a Happy Camper.

As we were walking around the Festival site we ran into Boule with 'female' friend (I really haven't a clue WHAT she was...)

Didier gets a Bear Hug...



...then smiles for the camera...



Random shots with strangers kids...




Later on in the afternoon near the games field we ran into Boule again, this time with his, um? Bear? Raccoon? Beaver? Squirrel? Groundhog? female friend...




One last shot with my friend...



I swear I want to BE Boule some year... I gotta look into this...

Salut Boule! See you next year!

Fête des Neiges 2009

While the Fête des Neiges de Montréal may not be the biggest winter festival in Canada, (I think that honour rests squarely on the shoulders of Carnaval de Québec) it's still a good time...

We made our annual pilgrimage to Ile Ste-Hélène to spend the day in the snow and ice and (thankfully) the sun, along with a couple thousand other Montréalais...

It's unfortunate but a long standing part of the festival that we loved was not there this year: the Ice Sculptures. So we made a bee-line for the Snow Sculptures, of which there were a few...

Inuit Snowy Owl

Snow Salamander
(?)



Penguins



Yours truly and a Teddy bear



The Phoque and the Frenchman
(coming soon to a theatre near you)



Buddha was there too
(doing us all a favour eating kids...)

After viewing the Sculptures we took a break, went inside the snack tent and had some delicious sausage... Merguez and a Deer Ocktoberfest. YUM YUM YUM! We actually picked up some Deer and Boar sausage to take home.

After warming up we ventured around the site a little more....

A poor Snowman lost his head, so I offered him mine...

Then it was time for some Queues de Castor (Beaver Tails) and if you don't know what a Beaver tail is (and NO Mitz it's not a double euphemism!) you can find out here...

After that quick energy fix we were walking around again. We did a short Foot Sled race (where I kicked ass) and then the Mr decided he wanted to try his hand at our National Past-time. And as soon as he gets his Canadian Citizenship, the Mr. will be applying for a position with the Habs...

Throughout the day we ran into Boule de Neige and two of his she-beasts, but I'll post those pics separately.

After 2 1/2 hours walking around in the sun and snow it was time to go home, and lest you think it was not 'that cold' out... this is a close up of my beard after we entered the Metro station... that would be ice from my breath...