Sunday, December 10, 2017

Snow - Update

The picture from yesterday of the snow was only the beginning. However, even then roads were being closed as were schools, government offices and businesses.  While in some parts of the country, this seems extreme; you must consider that we get snow maybe twice a year and sometimes not at all. We do not have equipment to clear roadways and no-one here has snow-tires or chains for their tires. (The equivalent is Southerners thinking "What they don't have air conditioning?  Are they crazy?"  It depends on the local climate.)

So, I was planning to spend the day sewing and weaving and completing some projects.  Then the electrical power went off.  And the snow started falling even more and quite thickly. 
The ground was already covered a bit - but this was getting thicker!
When I measured it was right at five inches - but this was in an area where I didn't have to wade out into the snow - so it wasn't the true depth of snow.  I have now read that some parts of my county got ten inches of snow.  Pine trees were either drooping or falling and we have a lot of pines in this area.
The other trees weren't as badly affected - although when I finally got out on Saturday after the roads were reopened, I saw that many still had bright fall leaves under the snow - as it melted from the sun, those trees looked like cotton plants as the snow stayed in bunches on the thick areas.

So, what to do while the power is out? The first order of business was to get the emergency gas space heater operational.  I did that and it kept the house temp from falling below 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

  All of my sewing machines are electric.  However, my loom is fully hand (and foot) powered.  I have a request for a scarf based on one of my woven garments.  So I made the warp and put that on the loom.  I wove on it for a while - but then the light started to fade.  I put it away and read for a bit.

As my stove is electric also,  cooking was going to be a challenge also. Wait, a minute - I have a gas grill outside that I have had for years.  The best part is that it has a side burner - just like a gas stovetop.  I got it going and fixed a simple warm supper. I also boiled water and made hot herbal tea to go with it.  The next morning I used the same method to make coffee!

Once the roads opened - and I still had no power, I decided to visit Mom. Her power was functional and I could charge my phone without sitting in the car.
The snow and ice had crusted over on  her antenna and popped it right off the pole - so we watched an old DVD of  The Ozzie and Harriet Show from 1956 - that is before I was born!

When I got home, the power had been restored - Thank goodness!
The snow is still thick on the ground and on the rooftop.  I am waiting for the avalanche when it finally lets go and slides off. But for now, I am just taking it easy. I am grateful that my "pioneer spirit" allowed me to weather the storm with grace.


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7 comments:

Debbie said...

Whoa....you had a real Southern snow day! It is the power outages that makes it a trial to get thru but you seemed to weather it fine. We got enough to cover everything, about 2 '' but most melted by night fall. Just so strange for this before Christmas.

Barbara said...

Ah, sounds challenging. Snow is one thing, but power being out presents a whole new set of challenges. One thought, keep your car in the open, or in a garage. I have a garage but parked my car near the house outside when melting snow and ice slid off the roof, hit my car hood, then bounced into the garage door. More than $500 later, my car hood was back to normal, but the dent in the garage door will always be there. Only fix is to replace it, and spending more hundreds on that is not an option. Glad you weathered the errr...weather!

Lyndsey said...

The weather is really weird at the moment. We've had snow here in London UK which is unusual in itself but especially before Christmas. If we get any snow it is usually in January and we don't generally get very much. Fortunately our power is quite stable so we can carry on as normal in doors. I hope nothing gets damaged when the snow finally melts. Take care, stay warm and enjoy your play time with your weaving and fabric.

A Left-Handed Quilter said...

Good grief!! The power being out is the worst - so glad your mother had power. I like Barbara idea about not parking your car near your house - you don't need the avalanche to damage your car. You are very resourceful, my friend - gas grill and all - ;))

Sarah said...

This is unbelievable! We haven't seen the first flake.

Barb said...

Now that is a lot of snow, I wanted snow but it wasn't in the sky for us. YOu sure have a lot of ingenuity!!!

Marlene said...

Sounds like your "usual" weather is much the same as it is here on the west coast of BC. I wonder if you are in for a winter like we had last year? We started off just about this time of year with a huge dump of snow and except for a few short lived melts it was there to stay until the end of February. SO unusual for here!

So far this winter is more in line with what we normally have -- near freezing some days, but no snow. Rain, rain, and more rain is a typical winter for us.

You asked once what I might call a winter coat. Most of the winter I wear a rain coat. On the colder days I'll add a fleece vest underneath. But I reserve the term "winter coat" for one of those coats with thick, warm lining, often with a hood, that can keep the wearer toasty during sledding or trudging through snow. Not much call for those around here.