Sandstime: The Thawing

Near the latitude of southern Ontario there is a phenomenon known as the “January Thaw”. The phenomenon is described in this link to a section from the Canadian Encyclopedia:

http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0010742

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FYI . . . . the Canadian Encyclopedia Project was a starting point for a well known archaeologist who later became famous as a co-discoveror of the Famous Dionysus Temple in Beida Jordan:
http://www.ajaonline.org/index.php?ptype=content&aid=334
. . . and later established the popular Food-Egypt-Cat-Centric blog with the link . . .
www.shari-chocolatebox.blogspot.com
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Meanwhile, back in the winter-swept fields of Southern Ontario . . . the January Thaw of 2011 could barely wait for the New Year to arrive. A warm wind swept up the Mississippi valley bringing mist and a gentle rain which melted the snow from the fields.

Snow banks melted, and the bright green of winter wheat was revealed from beneath a layer of snow . . . now gone.

Creeks swelled into darkened torrents clawing at still frozen shores,

Warm air turned thick snow into sheets of water unable to drain through still frozen ground. When the clear cold days of winter returns in a few days these shallow pools will be skating rinks.