Our winter thus far has been very unusual. Although there have been a couple of times when the thermometer dipped down to what we would expect in the first part of winter in our area, the majority of the time we've been experiencing what is typically early spring time weather in the north woods. Highs of nearly 30 degrees in the day and dropping into the 20s at night.
We've had one decent snowfall of a few inches, but it came on top of a terrible coating of ice literally covering the ground. The snow did nothing to make walking (or in some cases driving) any easier.
This picture was taken out our garage door across the backyard looking toward the beginning of our driveway on the left. My very well-intentioned husband thought that if he shoveled off the snow near the house (after said snowfall), the sun hitting the ice would melt it. This was about two weeks ago and all that has happened since then is for thicker, more treacherous ice to form.
Gravel roads in the area are much like our back yard. The road crews in the county have the main road in good shape, mostly free of ice but it's still necessary to watch for remaining slick spots.
Oh, I tell ya, it's dangerous out there. I know one has to learn to flow with what comes along, but these days it's been learning to slip and slide (and try to remain upright) with what comes along.
I just glanced out the window and saw this sunset illuminating the western sky with gorgeous clouds and color. If you look carefully down to the left, you can see our solar panels which we laid flat this morning because we've had such high winds for the past 36 hours.
I do understand why folks from this area go south for the winter!
Conditions like that would render us helpless...paralyzed! Do you drive in this?
ReplyDeleteLaurie - Yes, I drive but v-e-r-y carefully and with 4-wheel drive! And, obviously, there are areas where one knows to stay away from . . . like roads with a bit of an incline or bad curves.
DeleteOoo....I-Do-Not-Like-Ice!! :):):) Be safe!
ReplyDeletePam - We moved from Illinois many years ago to get away from winters like this. I think they've followed us!
DeleteWhen I originally read your title I substituted in my scarce brain ... "Ice .... What is is go for .... A.b.s.o.l.u.t.e.l.y Nothing" (Edwin Star 1968). Beatuful sunset. Please be careful walking & driving!
ReplyDeleteDFW - I ventured into town this morning and found the main roads there free of ice. Sure was evident that not many merchants worry about shoveling and/or salting their sidewalks anymore though! Geesh.
DeleteThat's a nice sunset, we had sun yesterday and today for the first time in over 2 weeks, but it came with a price, -40 below the last two nights...the car is dead, sigh...but it's supposed to "warm up" in the next few days! When I imagine how frozen I'll feel next time I'm out walking the dogs, I'm going to remember how bad the black flies and mosquitoes are from May through to September. That should help me to embrace the weather! Be safe out there, I'm in northern Quebec and we had all our ice storms before Xmas I'm glad to say, now it's frigid temps and snow. I love the seasons, but as I age I tolerate the cold less and less!
ReplyDeleteRain - Wow, you have REAL winter time temps! Remember that can be dangerous to exposed skin when it's that cold.
DeleteWhenever we complain about how cold or uncomfortable it sometimes is in the winter, one of us invariably says, "Yeah, but the bugs aren't bad today." I see you can relate!
My eyelashes froze together last night lol...but my bf and I are so tired of the terrible cold, we'll be relocating to the Maritimes, likely Nova Scotia, when we're ready to buy in 3 or 4 years. All the dogs wear sweaters and my little Spaniel mix wears homemade booties when it's that cold. But you know, the bugs aren't bad today. ;)
DeleteGorgeous sunset! Love how the clouds just funnel to one area.
ReplyDeleteYou be careful out there---do you have those "grippy things" for your shoes?? I couldn't walk without them this time of year.
We had 4 inches of the most PERFECT snow the other morning and we finally got to ski. I'm absolutely hating this winter. One ski. One pathetic ski. Sigh.
Sue - Yep, Papa Pea has "studs" on the bottom of a pair of his boots and I have those grippy/tracky things I can put on mine.
DeleteGlad you finally got enough snow for skiing. Been snowmobiling yet?
People move to the south to get away from ICE like that... but let me tell you, I live in Texas...and for years, I've heard people say, we look silly driving to work in the winter time, don't Texans know how to drive in the winter... It's because we're not driving to work in the snow. We are driving to work on ICE.
ReplyDeleteWe hardly ever get snow... and if we do, it's gone so quickly. The ICE... IS A DIFFERENT STORY.
It makes winter life difficult for most here.
I certainly fell your pain. Y'll be careful out there.
just stay home... its treacherous!
Patricia - Boy, sure shows I don't know much about different parts of our country. I wouldn't have expected Texas to ever suffer from ice in the winter. But I know in the past couple of years, Oklahoma has been hit with some ugly winter weather. Are you in the northern part of your state?
DeleteWe had that last year. Same cycle: Snows a bit, warms just enough for the snow to melt down a little, temperature drops and it turns to ice. Our driveway looked just like yours for about a month.
ReplyDeleteThis year our first snow melted completely away and when the temp dropped it was just bare ground to freeze. Much better, but I would like some snow now that the ground is frozen. We'll see what the rest of January and February bring....
Mark - Yes, the bare ground is not good when the weather gets really cold as it certainly could in the next month or so. Gotta watch out for those septic lines, frozen pipes, etc.
DeleteI will be surprised if the ice we have everywhere doesn't stay with us all winter now. Ugh. Ice skates, anyone?
Ice on the roads is no fun. Those are some pretty spectacular sunset pictures. I hope the ice melts and the roads improve for you.
ReplyDeleteSparkless - We got a couple inches of snow this afternoon and we don't know but are HOPING it makes the ice underneath safer to walk on. It's warm enough (33 degrees) that all on the roads should melt. Maybe. We hope. :o}
DeleteAlias and the other dogs hated the ice. As is older age he could barely make it put to do his business. Those are days I would hunker down, roast a chicken and crochet. Maybe even open a book. Hopefully, the sun melts that ice and gives you some relief.
ReplyDeleteKristina - Oh, I love your idea of hunkering down, roasting a chicken and doing some handwork! (I can smell the chicken now!)
DeleteMama Pea,
ReplyDeleteI used to hate this type of weather if we had to go out. Thank goodness for YakTrax for your feet, and chains for your truck. That used to be the only way we could get out and not slide all over the place. Stay warm, and be safe!
We agree with you about leaving the snow over the ice. They invariably blade our road and that leaves the crust of ice in place. If it warms enough and that melts, very good, if not. very slick.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful sunset!
Thanks, gld. I'm sure you have your share of ice in your part of the country!
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