 |
| Sunny, not warm. Definitely not warm. |
The opening photo is what it looked like Friday afternoon after the neighbor lad had shoveled the driveway. Spacing that task, wisely, over the entire day as temps, with wind chill, felt like well below zero. Shovel a bit, retreat inside a bit. Tough to stay warm on a day like that. Though the neighbor lad is in his twenties and a strong lad indeed, that was quite a job. Officially Bristol received 9" of snow. Not sure where they take the "official" reading but we got a lot more than that. Ballpark guess from this old New Englander? A foot or more in our neighborhood.
Of course, a lot of that may have been blown in from other neighborhoods. During the storm the wind was around running 15 to 20 mph, with gusts probably up to 35. It was a true blizzard, the visibility at the height of the storm (from the Chez Sarge viewpoint) was about 50 yards. Tops.
Around our humble abode the snow cover varied from about a half inch directly behind the house, to about a foot and a half over the pond. Drifting was pretty strong and no, I'm not talking about driving.
 |
| Looks like a wave, doesn't it? |
What's an OPB? Uh, sorry, "Other Peoples' Blogs." I try to play catch up on the weekends and "binge read" posts from those folks over there on the sidebar. So music and reading. I did go out and shovel one of the walks, bad ankle notwithstanding, had my boots laced up very tight. The Missus Herself was concerned that I might have a heart attack, I assured her that I would avoid that. Which I did.
While it was bitter cold outside, with a lot of wind, I didn't really feel it, shoveling snow keeps you warm. Really.
I also decided to watch football. While there has been much controversy surrounding the NFL this year, I still love the game. I didn't watch much during the regular season but I did follow my favorite teams (I have more than one) and stay abreast of the standings throughout the year. While I can't agree with much of what transpired this year, all the kneeling and what-have-you, I do support the right of my fellow Americans to express their opinions.
First Amendment and all that, dontcha know?
Anyhoo.
Weather. Always a bit "exciting" in the winter in these parts.
 |
| Looks pretty doesn't it? (Pretty bloody cold that is.) |
Thanks for the pics, as I said, they fill the requirement to actually experience snow. Much like a check flight in a simulator vs in the real thing. So again, thanks.
ReplyDeleteAs for Freedom of Speech, I'm fine with them using their freedom of speech even though I don't agree with their method or their message. I don't like it at all when I'm taken to task for using MY freedom of speech to protest them. (I'm not accusing you of doing that, BTW)
I don't like how they protest and I also don't like that they are (mostly) following the progressive narrative. That being said, I have black friends who have indicated that there are cities they just won't go. The perception that one might be killed because of one's skin color is a powerful motivator, whether it's true or not. In the Book of Five Rings, Musashi Miyamoto said that "perception is reality." What one perceives is what one believes, true or not.
DeleteI also agree with those who shun the game because of the participants, 'tis their First Amendment right.
Glad I could check off your "snow experience." 😁
I no longer shovel the walks. Not because it's a mug's game but because I got older and found that it is infinitely preferable to tramp on snow covered walks rather than those denuded of snow and merely left covered by ice. I can't get the ice up sans NACL and won't bother to try but snow is actually 42000% times safer to walk upon than is ice.
ReplyDeleteI let the neighbor guy do the big work, I just wanted to clear the walk which is the oil delivery guy's preferred path. I like to keep the guy delivering my home heating oil happy.
DeleteBut you're right, snow covered walks provide better traction than a shoveled walk which can ice up due to melt during the day. But eventually that snow gets packed down until it too is mostly ice. Having grown up in a climate where it started snowing in November (sometimes October) and didn't really quit until March (sometimes April), you learn that moving the snow, while a pain, makes room for the next batch.
When the roads are slick, I look for an semi-plowed shoulder to keep control, at least on one side of the vehicle. No doubt your "42000%" was scientifically arrived at, and while I might quibble at the percentage, I agree totally with your conclusion.
😎
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteEasy lad, don't bark at the other Chanters.
DeleteErr, sorry about that. A couple of drinks in me, and painful memories of slipping and cracking my tailbone a couple of different times, one fall setting back an strained back's healing by most of a work week. The original injury was work-comp and was still being treated, otherwise I'd have had to make a claim against the house owner. But that moment of agony followed by wondering if I'd be able to get up on my own (after a few minutes, I did) has had me on short-fused on unshovelled sidewalks that have gradually turned into 2" thick uneven slabs of ice, ever since. Sorry about that, HMS Defiant.
DeleteThou art forgiven, go forth and sin no more.
Delete(Understand the painful memories.)
We have been snowthrower users for just under thirty years. Imagine a large machine that gathers up snow, compacts the snow, and then hurls the compacted snow wherever I want it.
ReplyDeleteBest toy ever.
If you have a surplus-to-needs jet engine around somewhere, you could make one of these.
http://www.migflug.com/jetflights/jet-engine-powered-snow-blowers.html
For residental use, the jet turbines used in APUs would be a more reasonable size. Or maybe those engines used in those flying suits.
I will check out EBay.
Good thought provoking post!
I have often thought about getting a snow thrower, then I realize that I would still need to be outside to operate it.
DeleteBut I like the jet engine idea.
NAS Adak, AK, they ended up having to use the runway snowblowers to clear streets because the snow had piled up so high that year that regular snowplows couldn't cut it anymore (4'-6' berms along housing roads, higher on the road out to the Naval Security Group Activity (NSGA) base a few miles to the north). The runway snowblowers (once they'd finished their mission-critical airfield-clearing job) left snow liberally plastered/compressed on the road-facing sides of every building. Along with a few broken windows that needed to be fixed by the contractor. I couldn't complain -- it was interesting: I liked snow (and cross-country skiing), and I worked for the contractor at the time. But a couple of the powder-filled ravines damned near did me in, as did one snow-drift covered whodoo that my younger brother skied straight into on one of those days where you couldn't discern the horizon -- it was just a gray continuum.
DeleteYup, amazing how blowing snow will smooth out terrain.
DeleteHmmmm....not missing a snowfall like that in our AO. We're under for this season but temps now.....brrrr. Been under average for 2 straight weeks with today to hit 27 but back under average by Friday again. Beginning Christmas for eight days the highest temp was 10 above. Careful on the ice Sarge, let that ankle heal good!
ReplyDeleteYup, been a mite cold here since early December as well. Supposed to be 50 by Friday, I'll believe it when I see it!
DeleteThe ankle continues to improve, I just need to remind myself not to push it too hard.
Swore off the white stuff when I left Germany. Todays temperature of 76 is the coldest I care to endure. Can't wait for the triple digit temps to return.
ReplyDeleteOddly enough, where we lived in Germany was fairly mild. Not much snow, didn't get all that cold.
DeleteI'd take 76 today!
A blessing it is that we have our Ladies to have our health in their best interest.
ReplyDeleteAmen to that!
Deletewhen does the weather change in New England from "It's a bit sharp' to "I'm freezing my a$$ off?"
ReplyDeleteI think the wind makes all the difference. without a wind blowing at your body it seems a lot more tolerable.
On the southern coast it's not that bad. But way up North? February, for sure. It goes from cold to "I can't feel my feet" around then.
DeleteIt is definitely at bit sharp here in western MI today, although the thermometer is reading the highest it has in over 2 weeks. We are actually above 0 for a change. Today the thermometers all say 24-25 degrees. However the wind is blowing so I am going to find chores to do inside and play with firewood tomorrow. It is supposed to be warmer then too.
ReplyDeleteHubby has been bemoaning the fact that when he was younger he didn't buy a tractor with a cab. And 7 years ago when he bought the most recent Grasshopper he did get the snowblower attachment, but not the cab attachment. Now he is getting older, and feels the cold more than ever. So he is leaving the snow to pack down. He did plow out the end of the driveway where the county plowed it in as his buddy got his truck stuck. I am very happy this year that I can park in the garage this winter instead of having to brush off the car every day.
So far I haven't gotten seriously stuck anyplace, yet. I did get hung up coming off a 2 track onto a secondary road...just under the crest of a hill, gotta see the way is clear before shooting out into traffic. But I had ordered a set of plastic track thingys from Amazon this summer when I got stuck in sand. Don't know if they will work in sand, but they worked great in snow. And I keep my AAA membership up to date. I do way too much driving to let that go. The roads have actually been worse in town then out in the country. Snow banks are pretty high in Muskegon. Tough to see over.
But even though I grew up in "snow country", and MI doesn't have anywhere close to the amount of snow I learned to drive in, I will be happy to see April and mud season come. It is pretty, and I really like it when I don't have to go out in it, but I will be glad to see the end of snow season.
I've seen Michigan in winter, it can get scary in a hurry.
DeleteStay warm Suz!
Do you own a snow blower? Seems like a worthy investment. I heard about parking fights in some cities where somebody shovels out a spot and somebody takes it, resulting in violent altercations to either the person, or their car. My daughter was delayed about 5 hours in total, 2 in SD, 3 in Boston, but she's safely (although coldly) back in Savannah.
ReplyDeleteNo I don't have one of those. It doesn't snow enough to make it a worthwhile purchase. It would just take up room in the shed and get used maybe twice a year, some year's not at all.
DeleteGood to know the Teenangster got back to school alright!
Maybe a collective neighborhood purchase then! Somebody has to cough up the shed space though.
DeleteHeh.
DeleteNeither my wife nor I miss that cold, white stuff. I turned down the heat before we left and the house was at 50 degrees when we got home, brrrr. Yes, I know that that was a very cruel thing to write. But I have lived in places where it got cold and snowed ( a lot ) too, so I know what y'all are going through. Stay as warm as possible and stay safe.
ReplyDeletePaul L. Quandt
Coming home to 50 in the house? That's NO fun!
DeleteWell, 50 is what I had set the thermostat to before we left, so it just did what it was told to do. The house warmed up in good time, so not a big deal. Spent three days watching the Pacific Ocean attack the west coast. In the short term it appeared that the land won; but the ocean does not give up, so in the long run it will win. Kind of calming watching the water slosh around as though it were soup in a bowl being carried by shaky hands.
DeletePaul
I love watching the sea attacking the land, talk about power!
Delete