6:42 pm - 20 degrees - overcast...
We have had several winter storms in the past week and a half. The storms brought freezing rain which left everything covered in a sheet of ice. 60-70+ mph winds that blew all the new snow around causing snow drifts everywhere along with causing trees and branches to break from the added stress of the ice.
Tony has been having to run chains on his truck every day, while I have been driving only when absolutely necessary.
In the past week, Tony has spent over 12 hours in the tractor blowing snow. Monday night, he spent about 3 hours blowing snow, coming home just shy of 1:00 am. He's out blowing snow right now and will probably spend another 2-3 hours tonight clearing the driveway and part of the county road. He is just amazing, I love that man!
Monday we had 19 inches of snow, but due to the extreme winds last night it was difficult to get an accurate reading today. Due to the snow drifts, I was measuring anywhere between 3.5" and 8" of new snow. Then I broke my yard stick trying to break through the ice layer so I could get an overall depth reading.
Kids were excited that school was cancelled again today and thankfully it was a perfect day for sledding.
Although the storm warning has officially been lifted, we're still in for below freezing temperatures with wind gusts up around 40+ mph for the weekend.
No denying winter has finally arrived! Since moving out here, the weather has definitely earned my respect for its sheer power, ruthlessness and beauty. A winter storm, out here in the middle of nowhere, is a call to action. We've got the pantry stocked, fresh batteries in the flashlights, extra gas/propane for the generator, and lots of firewood.
For folks who have to work and travel in this kind of weather, it can be a major inconvenience and even scary. But on days like this, where there is nowhere else to be but here, I feel such gratitude to have created our own refuge from the storm.
