Ode to Winter….2007
Okay, Minnesota has had bad winter storms in the past at Thanksgiving in November with ice storms and record snow falls in Dec in the past
Christmas is supposed to be a White Christmas so Santa’s sleigh can fly and Rudolph’s nose can light the way
And January usually has a January Thaw and 2007 had a long warm spell which fooled us that spring might come early
Then the shortest month reminded us how cold it could get and for how long. The below zero F temps continued for weeks and it can’t snow then. But low and behold it warmed up enough to SNOW and SNOW
Feb 24- was the first big dump of more than 12 inches but it was a weekend and people stayed home. Jan took the slow road…a little shoveling, then snow blowing and more shoveling again. The parking lot is done professionally but the sidewalks and steps are the caretaker’s job.
Then March came in like a lion….a “Double Scoop” Snow Storm that the newspaper claimed was a record breaker. Good we got the big pile of snow hauled away for $1000 to make more room in the parking lot. We got another 14-16” of the pure white stuff over night and daylight too.
Jan worked very hard from 3:30 am to make the first path for the early workers to get out and not pack the snow down. He returned to bed and got up and did some work with the snowblower. But even 7 hp with an 18 “ path it was still hard to push through 14-30” in drifts and wonder where to put it all.
The handicap ramps are the hardest with all the twists and turns and no place to put the snow. And of course we had ice and sleet before the snow. So it is treacherous for me with a cane. I get in and out of the van in the underground garage but it is difficult to find clear spaces near businesses.
And snow outside I prefer watching the beauty of snow on the trees in the bright sunshine. Despite the snowplow piles, winter in the city can be beautiful.
Real blizzards still exist in rural areas….friends were without heat or electricity for 3 days on the farm, Others did not have water and a neighbor’s machine shed was crushed under the weight of the snow ad another’s barn caved in on cattle.
But now the sun is shining, the piles of snow disappearing and the ice melting and now I am thinking more of spring.
Bye Bye Winter til 2008, Linda
