User:Briandean66/sandbox

A Loon's Barbeque. A colloquial term to describe the meteorological phenomenon of simultaneous falling snow and sunshine. More commonly referred to as a ‘sun flurry’, ‘sunsnow’ or 'snowshine', the term ‘loon’s barbeque’ has vague origins in the northern provinces of Canada. The basic premise of the story is as follows: A father and his son were fishing on or along the edges of a lake. As is the case in much folklore, this event took place when 'animals could talk'. The loons observed the men as they cooked a fish on open coals. Upon their departure, the loons tried to roast their own fish on the remaining coals. Their feathers caught fire, sending white ash into the sky, which floated down around the lake. The fisherman's son thought it could be snowing - despite the sunshine. They realised this could not be so as it was summer. They returned to the lake to see a few featherless loons around the fire - giving rise to the saying. Many fables across the world are not suitable for the modern child - this one included. The story has been retold in a more modern setting where the loons throw leaves on the coals to produce flames - having the same result of ash falling down around the lake. The folklore has been retold in a more modern, illustrated children's book called "It's a Loon's Barbeque", written by Brian Dean and digitally illustrated by his daughter, graphic art student Helen Dean (pseudonym Nelliebean). They have also produced a coffee table version with hand-drawn illustrations, aimed at an adult audience. No known similar term exists in other cultures (limited to online searches). However, a similar phenomenon involving simultaneous rain & sunshine has a number colloquialisms attached to it. (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunshower)