A Cabin in Winter

As the snow piles higher and the cold air conspires to keep it there, Quebecers head to their summer chalets for winter warmth.

It might be a cottage by the icy and windswept St. Lawrence River; it might be a cabin by the lake; it might be a family farm with a kitchen and bunkhouse. Whatever the case, Québecers are drawn there by the promise of outdoor fun and indoor coziness afterwards. There is something about that combination that is therapeutic and restorative. It puts Québecers to rights for another week at work.

This calming combination is not just for the locals though. I recently had the pleasure of accompanying a corporate group to a commercial sugar shack in La Beauce, the region just to the south of Québec City. Far too early and far too cold for the maple trees to be running, this trip was about winter wonder. A sunset hike through the woods got hearts pumping and minds accustomed to the January cold. Then, back in front of the lodge, rival departments faced off in a tug-o-war that would confer bragging rights for the remainder of the fiscal year. As the losing team pulled itself off the icy ground in fits of fou rire, all went inside for comfort food and a warming drink.

If you are not from the North, it is hard to appreciate how warm a cold winter’s day can be.