White Christmas, You Poor Bastards...

[xoxoxoBruce]

"Nice", is subjective.
This storm is a repeat of a pattern we've seen a dozen times, in the last six months. Those storms dropped from one, to as much as four, inches of rain in a day or two. This time it was cold, and I would assume if the pattern continues, it will be cold for future storms... at least for the next few months. So, unless the weather pattern changes, we'll be up to our poopers in snow, by spring.

[skysidhe]

It's 51 degrees and raining. It feels almost warm after the last month.
The geese/ducks are flying in and the frogs are a croaking.

[glatt]

We got 18 inches. I'm exhausted after shoveling our driveway, and the driveway of the little old lady behind us, and the walkway for the old guy across the street. Mrs. glatt helped a lot, and the kids even helped a little. Still, I would have preferred a snow blower.

[glatt]

The kids are loving it though.

[Griff]

I knew you'd be a good neighbor glatt... now you've got the sore back to prove it!

[DanaC]

lol. That last pic reminds me of the one and only time in my childhood when we actually got snowed in! My big brother had the brilliant idea of trying to build an igloo! we spent ages digging our way through the snow and trying to compact it into slabs for building. I think we ended up with a circularish wall, with no roof. but my memory is very vague and I may have embellished it :P

We've had a lot of snow today. It's been snowing on and off pretty much all day. I took Pilau for a long walk, as the snow was deep enough for me to have decent grip: hence risking taking my husky-wannabe along Upper Lane, something I would not risk if it was compacted down and slippy!

It was amazing. Alas no photos (see 'what's mildly irritatng you today') as I hadnt charged camera

So, you'll have to make do with a mere description. The entire village was blanketed in several inches of snow. The lanes aren't gritted, so they looked perfect and white. We went the back way along Upper Lane, and through the quiet end of the village, past the stables and the farms and onto the fields. Accross the top field (which was great: I let Pilau have a run off his lead and he was barrelling about the place with great enthusiasm) over the rise and up onto the bluff. The view from there is magnificent! I've posted pics of it in the Summer, but in winter, oh! The valley stretches out in front of you, winding off into the distance, its slopes, a patchwork of farmland and heather and woods, broken up by the dark smudges of dry stone walls. We took the long route home, through winding lanes, the uneven broken lines of the drystone walls at the sides of the lane, picked out in white. there were horses in the paddock, wearing coats and tugging at bundles of hay which were slung from the fence posts. In one of the fields we went past, there wasa small flock of sheep; their coats long and straggly for the winter; they seemed to be successfully locating stalks of grass through the snow. The longer grass stalks were poking through in a few places, shockingly dark agaist the white.

Beautiful, just beautiful. The views, especially over the valley, were breathtaking.

On the way back, and with about 20 minutes of walking still ahead of us, the snow started to get heavier and then before i knew it we were walking through a full on blizzard. Couldn't see more than a few yards ahead. (This time Els, it was a proper White Out :P) Everywhere was white and the wind was driving the snow into a frienzy as it fell. I saw a lone, pale grey dove trying to fly to a tree. It was being buffeted back and forth, but eventually made it to a branch.

When we eventually made it back home, Pilau was almost more snow than beardie. He'd obviously enjoyed it a lot because he'd brought back a large collection of snowballs, which were plastered around his feet and legs, and hanging from his coat; made him look like a Pillsbury doughdog. he wasn't thrilled at having me melt his collection in a bowl of lukewarm water.....though that may have been because he didn;t want his feet in there. Either way, he was very glad when that bit was over! As indeed was I.

[glatt]

Originally Posted by Griff

I knew you'd be a good neighbor glatt... now you've got the sore back to prove it!

And that doesn't even count the three neighbors who borrowed one of our snow shovels. That shovel just kept getting swapped around. Amazing the number of people who own a house but no shovel.

[glatt]

Dana, that sounds awesome!

[DanaC]

It really was Glatt! I am soooo fucking annoyed about the camera. I actualy took it with me in order to get pictures. That's part of the reason i went that particular route. I turned it on to take the first pic, and as I clicked the button it gave me a 'battery low' mesage and promptly died. Grrrrr. This was mid afternoon, so it was the last of the good light too. By the time it recharged at home, it was dark out.

If it snows again tomorrow, I might try again. If it doesn't then I can't risk that walk with Pilau. He'd break my neck if I attempted Upper Lane on compacted snow and ice.

[ZenGum]

Dana, batteries don't work well when cold. Was the camera cold? If it was, you might have tried tucking it inside you jacket for a few minutes so your body heat could warm it, this might have been enough to get a snap or two out of the battery.

Sounds really beautiful.

Glatt your kids look like they're having so much fun!

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by DanaC

I am soooo fucking annoyed about the camera. I actualy took it with me in order to get pictures.

It's hard to believe photographs would be as good as the pictures you painted in your description.

You know the movie is never as good as the book.

[bluecuracao]

We had 23 inches in Philly--woohoo!

A quiet night in the 'hood last night. We ventured out tonight, and only a few places were open. Very cozy all around.

[jinx]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

"Nice", is subjective.
This storm is a repeat of a pattern we've seen a dozen times, in the last six months. Those storms dropped from one, to as much as four, inches of rain in a day or two. This time it was cold, and I would assume if the pattern continues, it will be cold for future storms... at least for the next few months. So, unless the weather pattern changes, we'll be up to our poopers in snow, by spring.

Bring it! The kids (and the nephew) are getting these under the tree...

http://www.zipfy.com/videos/index.html

[zippyt]

Zippyt Approves !!!

[SamIam]

We're supposed to get snow tomorrow and the next day, so I guess ya'll back East may have snow for Christmas - sounds like you already have plenty. My town only removes snow from the main street and slicks down the rest, so that side streets are mostly sheer ice. I haven't chanced trying to walk to the grocery store for a week, but maybe tomorrow if we get enough snow covering the ice, I'll give it a try. No one here shovels their walks, either. This is Colorado, dammit! We're all inside watching the Broncos lose another game.