I think that "annoyingly beautiful" is the best way to describe this winter. If you follow my blog you know that last spring (Sprinter is what I call it.) we had several BIG snow storms, the last of which was the first part of May. Yes, May. I thought we had it bad. I thought it was the worst we could see. I was wrong.
Lets see, this year it started snowing at the end of November, then we had a big storm the first of December. After that it pretty much snowed several inches every few days. I believe the number was 21 days of snow during the month of December. Then the cold settled in from the arctic, and just decided to stay. They call it the "Polar Vortex". That's funny, we deal with it every winter, but because it affected the East Coast and some Southern states, it got a name.
This winter has the distinction of being:
1. The winter with the most consecutive days below zero. (ever)
2. The winter with the most total days below zero. (and we are still adding to that)
3. THE coldest winter EVER. We are currently at #2.
In short, it has been miserable. Even people who are snow lovers have had it, because it's too cold to enjoy the five feet we have. No, I'm not exaggerating. There are spots in the back yard where it is that deep. I can not safely go down to the valley to the bonfire area. We were going to have an outing last Saturday to blaze a trail, but it was just too damn cold. Fed the birds Sunday and because of the cold the trail I blazed last week is at least solid now.........so there's that.........
Two weeks ago we had two days that got up to 40 degrees, and that was the first melt we had. Felt great until I noticed water running down the furnace pipe onto the furnace. We spent two hours outside that evening. (it was a gorgeous starry night, and I did spend time laying in the snow looking up at them.........maybe I fell there.......but only the dog knows for sure) I was support staff while The Brown Eyed Man used the brand new roof rake and cleared off that area of the roof. He took the next afternoon off and worked on more of it. Then two days later we had a huge storm with almost two feet of snow. The roof filled in, and the furnace went out because the chimney became clogged.
We don't own a long ladder. The Brown Eyed Man has lived out here for twenty years, ten of them in this house, and has NEVER had to shovel off the roof. We always have periods of slightly warmer days to handle the snow, but that has only happened the one time. (see above paragraph) So at 7:30 in the morning, after the storm subsided, he put a piece of cardboard on a snowdrift, put a ladder on top, and up he went.
He shoveled for two hours straight, and when he dropped the shovel (twice) I just grabbed it and climbed up the five foot snowbank in the front and handed it back.
Tonight as I head home from work it will be my last "death drive in the dark". I have had some interesting things happen, but haven't had an accident (knock on wood) yet. The time change comes on Sat night and we can all spring forward into the first week of Sprinter, cause we ain't gonna see Spring round these parts til June.
P.S. I got my first pair of Wellies (rain boots) this week, in preparation for the coming floods! They are red, and they are fabulous!
Lets see, this year it started snowing at the end of November, then we had a big storm the first of December. After that it pretty much snowed several inches every few days. I believe the number was 21 days of snow during the month of December. Then the cold settled in from the arctic, and just decided to stay. They call it the "Polar Vortex". That's funny, we deal with it every winter, but because it affected the East Coast and some Southern states, it got a name.
This winter has the distinction of being:
1. The winter with the most consecutive days below zero. (ever)
2. The winter with the most total days below zero. (and we are still adding to that)
3. THE coldest winter EVER. We are currently at #2.
In short, it has been miserable. Even people who are snow lovers have had it, because it's too cold to enjoy the five feet we have. No, I'm not exaggerating. There are spots in the back yard where it is that deep. I can not safely go down to the valley to the bonfire area. We were going to have an outing last Saturday to blaze a trail, but it was just too damn cold. Fed the birds Sunday and because of the cold the trail I blazed last week is at least solid now.........so there's that.........
 |
| Top of one of the Adirondack chairs by the fire pit, in the valley. |
Two weeks ago we had two days that got up to 40 degrees, and that was the first melt we had. Felt great until I noticed water running down the furnace pipe onto the furnace. We spent two hours outside that evening. (it was a gorgeous starry night, and I did spend time laying in the snow looking up at them.........maybe I fell there.......but only the dog knows for sure) I was support staff while The Brown Eyed Man used the brand new roof rake and cleared off that area of the roof. He took the next afternoon off and worked on more of it. Then two days later we had a huge storm with almost two feet of snow. The roof filled in, and the furnace went out because the chimney became clogged.
We don't own a long ladder. The Brown Eyed Man has lived out here for twenty years, ten of them in this house, and has NEVER had to shovel off the roof. We always have periods of slightly warmer days to handle the snow, but that has only happened the one time. (see above paragraph) So at 7:30 in the morning, after the storm subsided, he put a piece of cardboard on a snowdrift, put a ladder on top, and up he went.
Tonight as I head home from work it will be my last "death drive in the dark". I have had some interesting things happen, but haven't had an accident (knock on wood) yet. The time change comes on Sat night and we can all spring forward into the first week of Sprinter, cause we ain't gonna see Spring round these parts til June.
P.S. I got my first pair of Wellies (rain boots) this week, in preparation for the coming floods! They are red, and they are fabulous!
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