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The Blizzard, vicariously
Hi everyone! I thought I’d give you all a vicarious blizzard experience since luckily we still have power, and a snug house, food and entertainment. There’s a YouTube video as well as still photos. If you live in New England, never mind…just go outside! It’s still blowing with sustained winds about 25 mph here, with gusts to over 50! This first bit is some video I shot this morning. This is the first time I’ve ever tried to narrate, so apologies for any (all) mess-ups with the audio!
I have NO idea how neighbor-and-plow-guy Alex is going to plow the mountain of snow, and it is simply too windy for him to come out, as he usually does, and make multiple passes every time another six inches falls. Besides which the wind would just blow the snow all over anyway!
The weather stations tells us what we already knew: it is cold and blowing lots of snow! That is air temp of 8 Fahrenheit, -14 wind chill, and a momentary lull in the wind…only 17 mph!
Eli decided to take the dog out as I got ready to take pictures and video. The dog was NOT amused. He got 2 1/2 of his feetsies outside the door and promptly turned around to come back in. Eli got him out:
Eli is excited. Widgeon is NOT.
Eli “encouraged” Widgeon to check it out (ie. dropped him into the snow). Widgeon is NOT amused.
As you can see, coaxing the dog to go pee by the pine tree (protected from the wind by the tree) wasn’t successful either, as the snow is much deeper than Widgeon is tall. I think he’s saying “MAMA! Come rescue me! HOW could you make me go OUT in this????”
And the before and after pics, first looking at the view (or what is left of it):
The view in mid-December 2012
- In the beginning, there was an inch of snow over the previously bare ground. This was taken on Friday morning.
Twenty four hours later…
Saturday morning, couldn’t hardly see the trees at the bend in the driveway, let alone the hills beyond. It is maybe 1/10th of a mile to the trees. I promise, they are still there. In the blowing snow.
Then the garage, before:
Light fluffy stuff came down on Friday during the day, coating the roof and logs for next year’s wood burning.
and after:
Saturday morning, Feb. 9, 2013. All that coating on the roof and logs is now blown uphill and the snow is coming down heavy and blowing sideways.
The woods to the west of the house when the snow began.
And this morning. When I looked out the bedroom window in this direction when I woke up all I saw was white stuff going sideways. In the lower left you can see where the wind has blown down to grass, yet other spots have 4 foot deep drifts.
And now I’m going to clean up the dishes and shower while we have electricity; if power goes out, so does the water pump! Then a cozy day at home reading and working on my watercolor class! Hope you’ve enjoyed the blizzard…we are! Joshua and Ashley are also home–most businesses (almost all?) are closed down, and texting works! So we are snug in our home, together.
February 9th, 2013 at 12:13 pm
Thank you for sharing this Sarah! I love seeing the blizzard–movie and pictures! It sounds like you’re cozied up in the house enjoying it. Truthfully, I wouldn’t mind a blizzard, and I’ll bet you don’t hear that a lot!
Poor Widgeon! He just doesn’t know what to do. I’m sure he’ll be a very happy doggie when the blizzard is all over!
Eli’s cave is cool too. I hope he had fun with it!
Have a wonderfully snowy day and thanks again,
D~~~~
February 9th, 2013 at 12:25 pm
I loved seeing your video! Even though we had snow here in NJ, about 8-10 inches I think, we didn’t have the wind. Seeing Eli and his snow cave made me remember digging out what we called “igloos” as a kid in the large piles of snow that would accumulate at the side of the mouth of the driveway, a combination of shovelings and plow stuff. Perhaps Widgeon would be happier in the cave!
February 9th, 2013 at 12:44 pm
Poor doggie 🙂
February 9th, 2013 at 12:52 pm
Wow, that brings back some memories. I moved from MA after the ’78 blizzard and have only seen snow twice since! Enjoy the down time and stay warm.
February 9th, 2013 at 12:55 pm
my daughter lives in Leominster, so is (I think?) experiencing this too….thank you for sharing this, where I live in the west country, UK, we have had next to no snow so far this year!
Sue
February 9th, 2013 at 1:01 pm
Enjoyed your video…and so glad to be in Ohio instead of New England! We had a foot of snow last week, but not with all that crazy wind.
I have a little Bichon who completely disappeared in the yard. I think the little coats we put on our pooches don’t cover the parts most susceptible to the cold…lol! Poor Widgeon…
February 9th, 2013 at 1:35 pm
Sarah
Wow! what a storm. Glad you have power and a snug home. Looks like Eli was having some “kid” fun in that snowdrift. Snow still on the ground here, more snowflakes tonight…but nothing, nothing like this storm you are having. Just snow and cold. ..sometimes a little wind, but seeing that sustained blowing snow, oh my I just got really chilled. Have a great stitching day and congrats on your selection to teach in Houston again this year!.
February 9th, 2013 at 1:58 pm
Great video! What an amazing storm with all that crazy wind! I feel bad for anyone who might have needed to be out in it! Poor Widgeon! Our lab has had quite the time with the few feet of snow we have. She goes out and the snow is up to her little hoo-hoo. Got to be like sitting on an icy toilet seat. 😉
February 9th, 2013 at 2:02 pm
hello Sarah, I hope you are still warm and have your electricity, have you got alternatives for when it goes, as the gales here often cause power to go I have a good supply of back items, we have had winds of 90mph during the past 2 weeks, lots of rain and some sleet but here on the island no snow, poor widgeon I don’t think Eli would be so keen if it was over his head, actually 17mph here on the edge of the Atlantic is a breeze, take care, thinking of you, Frances x
February 9th, 2013 at 2:36 pm
Ditto here in northern NJ. Just cleaned 2 ft of snow off the car, bu the sun is out and we are plowed. That’s the benefit of
condo living in my old age!
Stay warm.
February 9th, 2013 at 3:43 pm
HA! So glad I am in England.We are supposed to be getting snow this weekend, but it would be what Mainers laugh at. Still scary to drive though because no one has a clue how to drive in it. We have to go up to York. I will just have to keep saying,’At least I am not in Maine!’
Funny everyone is talking about the storm of ’78. I had just gone to college (Graduated at mid-year) in Springfield, Mass. and the first week of classes were cancelled due to the storm.
My friends and their kids were in Rhode Island and all ended up staying at different houses near where they got stuck- the one boy had stayed home because he was ‘sick’. So they kept in touch through him. but he kept himself amused by jumping out of the upstairs window into the snow!
The state called out the National Guard to clear the roads after the storm since too many cars were stranded on the highways the plows couldn’t get out.
Anyway, I think I will phone my parents and see how they are getting on in Lincoln.
Sandy in the UK
PS I went to Mt Desert Island – Sandy Beach in one snowstorm about 18 years ago…not as bad as this, but it was AWESOME to see the waves crashing in.
February 9th, 2013 at 4:02 pm
You are having MUCH more storm than I am! Comes of being closer to the coast than southern Vermont. We got a fair amount of snow yesterday but little wind and today we have sun — the lull before the next storm gets here. No idea what that will be like!
Hope your power stays on so you can enjoy being snowbound.
February 9th, 2013 at 6:06 pm
That is so much like how I remember Minnesota winters. Be sure your son isn’t making snow caves anywhere near where a plow would go. You would be surprised how many people are injured or killed because a plow goes by when they are in or near their caves.
Hope you are keeping warm and safe. btw, in MN when I was a kid, the snow drifts literally, were as high as the barn roof. Roads, when finally plowed, were like driving down canyons with the snow higher than the vehicles on both sides!!!!
February 9th, 2013 at 7:32 pm
Hello Sarah Ann,
greetings from the sw corner of Western Australia. today the temp is to be around 40[celcius]. thank you for such a wonderful video of the blizzard… something I have never experienced. I hope the road.. when you finally find it .. is not too icy.
poor puppy… to cold and windy to go to the toilet !
take care and thank you again
kindy
marg
February 9th, 2013 at 9:57 pm
it was so much fun watching the video. And thinking of 20 plus years ago. OMG so much snow…Well it has been a bit chilly here also we have been below 70’s for a few days. The sun is shinning and all is well with the Older folks, I keep showing them pictures and Mom (got to love it) says she remembers when we had a blizzard in Ct back in the 60’s…Dad was worried about Janet and JR, but all is well in NY also. Hope you stay safe and warm. Love to all.
Dianne and Richie
February 9th, 2013 at 11:45 pm
Hi Sarah,
I want you to know how much I enjoyed the “first hand” report of the blizzard. I live in the Midwest but have always been a great fan of the New England states. And I don’t care how much snow I have to look at — at least as long as the electricity stays on. It was such fun to watch the snow build up; felt like I was in your house watching with you.
Thanks so much; I am sure you were a little chilly by the time you finished and
we do appreciate your efforts.
February 10th, 2013 at 4:33 am
Hi Sarah,
I live in Australia, and to see picture like that is lovely. They look beatiful to me. We are swelltering in the heat and floods. It looks like you live in a very open lovely spot. Enjoy.
Cheers jo 🙂
February 10th, 2013 at 9:09 am
I know this is going to sound stupid but I am really jealous (as long as your electricity is on). It’s so beautiful! Thanks for the video.
February 10th, 2013 at 11:16 am
Thank you so much for your pictures and video. Here is balmy AL it is fun to see the snow but we have been caught in blizzards in both IL and MA so I could be cold right along with you. Hope you thaw out soon.
February 10th, 2013 at 7:23 pm
That’s wonderful and so exciting. I have to admit that I much prefer the cold to the hot (especially humidity). It’s much easier to get warmer than it is to get cooler. I can’t complain though, as our air-con works beautifully on these very hot days. But, I don’t think I want quite that much cold! Enjoy!