Back in December 2013/January 2014, I took a trip up to Buffalo, New York. The first couple of days of the trip were amazing. We got to eat a lot of great food, see a lot of family and experience a ton of snow.

I took a short day-trip up to Toronto, which was emerging from its post-ice storm slumber. It was brutally cold with a killer wind that was whipping through the city. It literally made you angry anytime you were outside. I had to drive on ice and brave the elements to grab this nightscape of the city of Toronto, but it was worth it.

A stark contrast to the bustling city of Toronto, the photo above is of the cabin in the woods where I was snowed in on New Year’s Eve. The power went out and I was snowed in for several days thereafter as well. It got down to -37F. Luckily I had an amazing fireplace and plenty of wood. The cabin has been in my family for over 15 years. The place is magical.

HELL YES

• Escaping the dreary Texas “winter”
• Getting to go to Grandma’s house
• Seeing family and visiting places that bring back a lot of good childhood memories
• Making friends with deer
• Clifton Hill mirror maze
• Finding Degrassi Street in Toronto
• Niagara Falls (Canadian side)
• Pizza, Subs, Wings

HELL NAH

• Driving in the snow
• Foggy lenses (both kinds)
• Loss of traction
• Not being able to use your phone in Canada without an extra plan
• Rental car companies that want to charge you when you’re snowed in
• Loss of electricity in -37F temps
• Being “snowed in”
• Canceled flights
• Shoveling snow
• Niagara Falls (American side)
• Pizza, Subs, Wings

I loathe shoveling snow.

The first Polar Vortex of 2014 delayed the initial flight home causing a lot of headache and missed flights in the process. I definitely had my fill of snow for the foreseeable future.

Below are a few of my other favorite frames from the adventure. Naturally, a lot of white.