Sunday, February 10, 2013

Blizzard Packs a Punch

No matter where you live I'm sure you've heard by now that we received a little bit of snow in the northeast this weekend.  Heralded as the Blizzard of 2013, much advance coverage was given through every news outlet imaginable.  Even the national news meteorologists were downright orgasmic.  After all, the Blizzard of '78 is old news.  Blizzard watchers are in desperate need of a new standard.

Here in central Connecticut the snow started on Friday morning.  I was working from home and took this picture out my side door at around 8:30.  Flakes were just starting to fall.  Levels of anticipation by the local news station were on the rise but had yet to reach peak frenzy.




By mid afternoon, this was the view from my work area.  More than six hours of constant snowfall had only amounted to a couple of measly inches.  Snowfall totals and wind gust speeds had been downgraded for my area of Connecticut.  On the news the all day weather broadcast raged on.





Later on that night the wind picked up and it started snowing heavily.  When I went to bed I figured I'd wake up to maybe a foot of snow which for around here is a good sized storm.  Catzilla had chosen to go out earlier in the evening and had yet to return.  Even though the free loading flea bag seems impervious to cold weather and has access to a bed in my garage I was mildly concerned.

Before five on Saturday morning, Nick started pestering me to get up.  One of the downsides to sharing life with an old dog who is used to a five AM weekday wakeup is you don't ever get to sleep in on weekends.  Plus his bedtime constitutional had been disrupted by his reluctance to pee in blizzard conditions (can't say that I blame him).  If I ignored him it would likely be at my peril.

When I got downstairs I was shocked by the two to three foot drifts piled up against all of my exterior doors.  Fortunately the north facing patio door had the smallest drifts and wind had hollowed out a spot nearby where the snow was only a few inches deep.  Snow was still falling and Nick was dancing a jig, so despite being clad in only a robe and slippers, I grabbed the shovel I keep next to the door, and quickly shoveled a path out of the house and down the two steps to the patio.  Five minutes later I was back in bed.  There was plenty of time to plan my attack and deal with the mess during daylight hours.  Admittedly though I was still worried about that flea bag cat.








Winter interest New England style



View from my front door.



With all the drifting I have no idea how you arrive at an "official" snowfall total for a storm of this magnitude.  According to the TV meteorologists weather observers are required to follow a strict protocol to arrive at a measurement.  My method involved finding an open area on the patio where the depth of snow appeared uniform and sticking it with a tape measure.  Since it was still snowing when I took this measurement, I'm going to proclaim the unofficial Idyll Haven Blizzard of 2013 snowfall total at 24 inches.

Official totals at Bradley Airport in Windor Locks (about 20 minutes north) were just over 22 inches placing this storm second largest on record.





I grew up in a suburb northwest of Boston and spent four years at the University of Maine in Orono so I am no stranger to large amounts of snow.  Even for New England, two feet in one dump is considered a significant snowfall.  Although I do have a snowblower to clear my driveway, just to get to the garage required significant shoveling.  In an attempt to be strategic, I decided to launch my assault on the garage via the patio.  Nick is 14" tall at the shoulder and requires paths to get around in deep snow.  Best to kill two birds with one stone. 

Oh and in case you're wondering, the cat nonchalantly sauntered in just after seven AM like nothing had happened, scoffed his breakfast, then spent most of the next 24 hours conked out on various household surfaces.  When I finally got into the garage I found the spot where he had dug himself out.




In addition to the patio, I also shoveled out the grill.  After all, when the weather outside is frightful you never know when you might feel like tossing a steak on the barbie.





Both walkways and main entrances to my house require hand shoveling.  In order to get to this one I had to fire up the snowblower and clear the driveway first.  My driveway is probably 100 feet long and opens into a two car garage.  In some spots the drifts were higher than the machine.  Strong northerly winds exposed me for the snowblowing novice that I am but I persevered.




To the right of the entry is my hot tub.  Due to the weight, snow must be removed from the cover.  In order to get to it, I have to shovel my way in and around.  





A winter wonderland in the making



Winter interest at it's finest


Did I also mention I have a fire hydrant on my property?  Thankfully one of my neighbors helped me hack through at least four feet of plow drifts and get that cleared.  In the process we had to deal with a large Steed's Holly I have planted as a screen which had been bent over with the weight of the snow.  Trimming of that bush has been added to my list of spring chores.

Last but not least I tackled the front walkway and entry.  Even though it was getting late, I wasn't comfortable not being able to open the front door.  After digging through that nasty plow crud for the first five feet in from the street, my left wrist had given out but I wasn't giving in.  No pain, no gain.  Sometimes I wish I was more of a condo person but where would the fun be in that?

By 5:30 I was done and I mean done.  I work out heavily with weights four or five days a week, hill climb on a treadmill and a stair machine and practice yoga.  By most standards I'm in better shape than the average schmoe but by the time I called it quits on snow removal I could barely manage a stooped shuffle to the fridge for a glass of wine.  At that point though I would have crawled.

A few glasses of wine, a handful of Motrin and a good night sleep works wonders.  Today the sun was shining and I dug a few more backyard paths for Nick, cleared a spot by the street for the trash receptacles, and opened up more of the front walk and hot tub areas.  Then I went in search of the bright spots.


























On Monday school is cancelled again in my town.  Although the roads are plowed and passable they are still in sketchy shape.  Many CT cities and towns are struggling with snow removal and people have been unable to leave their homes.  In the true spirit of New England weather we are expecting rain by late morning tomorrow.  On top of this much snow, rain will likely create another host of problems.  Where is that rodent who predicted an early spring?  Florida most likely.  With any luck the next blizzard I see will be from Dairy Queen.

One of my storm pictures was featured on Hartford Daily Photo today.  If you get a second, head over and check it out HERE.

Happy Valentine's Week!

Sue~




38 comments:

  1. Great story and photos Sue..it's really beautiful as long as you have supplies (aka wine) and don't have to go anywhere ..

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    1. Exactly! Planning ahead is key. Timing was good too. Had this storm happened midweek, it would have been alot more of a hassle. I came into work this morning and even state roads are still only partially plowed.

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  2. you house looks great in any season....glad the cats fine!!

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    1. Thank you Sharon. I kept the cat in the last few nights. Usually he's antsing to get out but since the storm not so much.

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  3. You are an amazing woman. I cower in fear at the thought of that much snow...and not just because of the shoveling!

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    1. Thankfully southern New England does not get this kind of snow on a regular basis. Even though I can still deal with it, the older I get the more I understand why people move south after retirement.

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  4. I am directed here by your mate, Jack! I was not disappointed. Lovely photos he shares of yours and these you have posted here are amazing. I am a follower now :). So greetings from Coventry, England.

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    1. Thnaks for stoppy by. When I get a little more time I'll be over to check out your Nevada travelogue. What fun!

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  5. I popped in from Hartford Daily Photo. NIce of you to supply Jack with blizzard photos while he's enjoying the sun. Your pics are remarkable -- what a storm! I hope the prognosticators are wrong about the rain.

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    1. Thanks for stopping by. I'm beginning to think Jack has the right idea. Unfortunately the call for rain was accurate. Usually we can count on rain and warmer temps to melt the snow but at this point I think what may be in store is more of a sloppy mess.

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  6. Sue, you're a helluva trooper. So is Nick, compared to my Cat Bette, who hasn't been out since the first snowflake. Glad you're OK.

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    1. A thought on the stairs: Good point about the fallacy of an "official" snowfall total. Depends on where you take the measurement.

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    2. Apparently one of the reasons for the measuring protocol is to prevent someone from falsely inflating totals in order to break records. Still, if someone is that intent on deception, the numbers could still be easily manipulated. Soon we'll all be out luxuriating in more hospitable weather again. The ground hog said so.

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  7. Glad to hear that you are doing well after smowmageddon 2013! This must be the way Jack Frost sends a Valentine. Beautiful pictures and such a fun story (to read, not necessarily to live!)

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    1. Living in Alaska you've surely seen worse. In mid February the days generally get warm enough to keep snow from hanging around for very long.

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  8. I enjoy your mix of fine photos and that classic sardonic humor. Now, remind me why people live in New England in the winter? (Thanks for the loaned photos, Sue . . . they have been popular and are sending a few more folks in your direction.

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  9. Hi, just dropping by from Hartford Daily. Your post has left me smiling. I do hope that spring comes soon though for the sake of everyone who has to shovel snow. Great shots. Love the cool reflection shots.

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    1. Thanks for dropping by, Nita. Believe it or not but I didn't notice the reflections when taking the pictures and I only noticed the first one after you mentioned shots and I went back to look. Guess I'd better pay better attention :).

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  10. What a "snow event" -- you captured the whole look and feel of being buried by it! We had 26 inches here, just north of you. Our heat went off because the gas vent got buried, and my intrepid husband had to march his way through the deep stuff to shovel it out. He's a big guy and had trouble getting through. I had an odd feeling of being trapped, when none of our doors could open and the street and driveways were not cleared for a full day. The excitement and fun part of the blizzard started to get unnerving. Glad you and the animals survived!

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    1. One of the first things I checked Saturday morning was the gas heat vent. Mine is fairly high off the ground. Blizzard novelty does tend to wear off fast. I was most thankful for not losing power. Being stuck at home isn't so bad when you are warm and have hot food to eat. Some were not so lucky and some people are still stuck. Unbelievable!

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  11. And now it is raining. Ugh. Only another month and a week of winter. Let me count the days. Nice photos and glad you survived with just a Motrin or two.

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    1. We didn't get much rain here but enough to turn the snow into wet cement. Just a little over a week til the Hartford Flower Show. Then I know I've made it through another winter.

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  12. Wow! I'm afraid I had a rather romantic picture of snow, which I think you've effectively dispelled. What a work-out! And the added worries about your pets - I'd have been a wreck. Forget the wine - you deserve a bottle of brandy.

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    1. If I employed a maintenance crew to take care of all the cleanup I suppose snow could be romantic but I guess that would depend on what they looked like :).

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  13. Your post brought back fond and not-so-fond memories of growing up in the Northeast. Snow always looks so pretty from a distance! I'm impressed by your fortitude. But having a dog who desperately needs to go out does focus the mind, doesn't it?

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    1. At one point he decided to make the ultimate statement and snuck down to the basement to drop a stink bomb in the middle of the cat's room. It was impossible to be mad at him because I was laughing too hard.

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  14. Beautiful pictures and so glad you were able to find the bright spots! We hope to be fully shoveled out soon. What a storm!

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    1. I can't believe that so many cities and towns have yet to plow all the streets. My friends in Wallingford didn't get plowed out until last night.

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  15. Lovely photos! You did a fine job of capturing the beauty of this blizzard.

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  16. This is a great post & your efforts are truly heroic! And I truly do mean "heoric!" We've not had snow where I live in Western Washington state (usually don't get much) and this has just reinforced my failure to miss it. (Visiting via Hartford Daily Photo - thanks for sharing there, too.)

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  17. I spent the storm days in an airport and two motels this time... What a pain. I can tolerate snow when there is sunshine.
    Lovely photos Sue!

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  18. You're my new favorite weather reporter. What an account, missing fleabag and all!

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  19. Whenever we get large amts of snow, which isn't as often as I'd like, the first area we shovel is a path for the dogs so they can go pee somewhere. Just think about how well watered everything is! :o) I think all snow blowers should be sold with a bottle of wine. I'm glad you and the animals are ok.

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  20. I'm glad you and the animals are ok! :o) I think all snow blowers should be sold with a bottle of wine attached. Two bottles is even better.

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  21. Nice storm series!! Here in Scituate, we got pounded by this storm. School is still closed today but it sounds like most of the town finally has power restored... there was significant damage along the coastline. I am all done with winter, thanks!

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  22. Impressive snowfall indeed. I arrived her via your comment on Garden Walk Garden Talk and really enjoy the pictures, especially the blizzard related ones. I lived in Middletown, CT and worked in Hartford for several years and remember the East Coast very fondly, especially Fall. Thanks for the outstanding pics!!

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  23. Found you through Jack's blog!


    I know Connecticut got hit hard by the storm; those are outstanding shots. I have seen that much snow out of one system before, but it's still a rare thing.

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