Thursday, January 03, 2008


When it snows, ain't it thrilling, Though your nose gets a chilling We'll frolic and play, the Eskimo way, Walking in a winter wonderland.

No prognosticator I, 'cause I've been fooled too many times before, but it seems to be shaping up to be an old fashioned winter like the ones we had here when the kids were growing up.

It's the third of January 2008, there is a foot or more of snow and this morning at 4AM the temperature is 2.2 F° or -17 C°.

I enjoy shoveling snow when I have the time, but when we get 8" or more at a falling it gets tedious. Fortunately Andy came over New Year's evening and knocked down the accumulation in the driveway to a manageable 2-3" with his four-wheeler to which he has attached a plow.

When I got home yesterday I cleaned up the two additional inches of light fluffy snow that had fallen over night. Even that small amount of light weight cottony snow took me 2 hours to neaten up. I know, I know, but it has to be neat if I'm doing it, ya know? When Ryan does it, I tolerate a sloppy job, 'cause he does move 98% of it off the drive and paths.

Speaking of Ryan, he conveniently comes around only when the snow-fall is 4" or less. On both occasions when we've received 10" or more he is like the ghost man....no where to be found.
I have noticed this year many more young boys in their teens who are out soliciting shoveling jobs this year. I only mention that because in years past I've mentioned that the "kids today don't seem to want to work anymore." On the other hand it might have been a combination of facts; such as too little snow fall. Or perhaps the village was devoid of shoveling age kids! Anyway, It has done my heart good to see more industrious kids out and about this year.

If this cold snap lasts for two weeks leading up to a mid January thaw followed by a month of sub freezing temps in February, then indeed it will mimic the winters when I was raising chickens and rabbits and had to change their water dishes 3 to 4 times a day since they where housed in unheated accomadations....Ah those were the days. The wood stove hasn't been hopping of late these past few years either. With both of us working full time it's too dangerous to leave the stove burning during the day, and if you fire it up at night and let it die out over the course of the day the danger of creosote build-up is greater. There is nothing like the heat from a wood stove though to warm a body on a frigid winter's night if I recall correctly. ;)

I'm on call today so it's off to the gym to churn the treadmill tracks for a few minutes.

Y'all stay cozy now ya hear?




6 Comments:

Blogger Churlita said...

We've got an incredible amount of snow here this year too. I kind of like it.

11:57 AM  
Blogger Tammy Brierly said...

I'm glad to hear the word work and kid in the same sentence. :)

The pictures are beautiful Rel.

We will be getting some snow this weekend and I'm addicted to the wood stove. I don't even want to get up and pee in the COLD bathroom. TMI? lol

Hugs

4:22 PM  
Blogger tongue in cheek said...

Oh my how can you stand that much cold?
I think you and D have to come back quick....Rmemeber the blue sea? It is still blue!

8:50 AM  
Blogger Rowan said...

The snow pictures in this and the last post are so beautiful, I haven't seen snow like that for many years here in the \uk. Just as well really since the entire country appears to grind to a halt if there is a couple of inches. Heaven knows what would happen if it really snowed! I remember in 1963 walking the three miles to work from the village where I lived because the buses and trains had stopped running. There were lots of people doing the same thing and it was almost like a carnival. These days people don't seem to be able to walk 100 yards in good weather never mind 3 or 4 miles in deep snow....

4:55 PM  
Blogger Kay Cooke said...

It looks so idylllic - easy to say from a southern hemisphere summer :)

4:18 AM  
Blogger Mimey said...

a happy second week of January to you. All that happy New Year business is just too predictable for me. Lovely pictures of snow. Reminding me that I like it better in theory, in pictures, than on my path.

8:27 AM  

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