weather | my90acres

House on the Hill. Pretty photo. Another subject for a card in the future.

Like many millions of people in the mid-section of the nation, we have been dealing with a huge snow event the past few days. Schools and businesses shut down. Pretty much anything you can think of.

We have survived many winters in this old house, dealing with power outages. One year, I did my taxes with two kids home from school, a kerosene heater and oil lamps. This was in the days before computers, of course.

First snow, after only an hour. It was coming down quickly.

This week we’ve been dealing with nine or ten inches of snow, with crusty ice on top, three or four inches. I finally made a foray outside to chip away at the sidewalks. We haven’t been out in days with a drive a third of a mile long. But we’re usually prepared. And the power is still working which is pretty important.

9 to 10 inches of snow with 3 to 4 inches of crust. Very difficult to break through.

Son came up and is grading the drive with the old Allis Chalmers. I feel as if the cavalry has arrived.

Then today, my son walked in from the end of the drive to get old Johnny (the tractor) going and to grade the drive. That makes all the difference.

Pretty to look at but this is about as much snow as I want to see for awhile.

The east field. Frequently we see deer crossing here.

I am glad that I live in a climate that exhibits mercurial moods. The past month has been some wild ride. Record-setting heat for winter, up to the 70s. And a blizzard which scrubbed the land with high winds, followed by bone-chilling freezes. No two days were the same, it seemed. I think I would get bored if every day was sunny and warm, say like Florida or Arizona. But ask me about that next month towards the end of February.

One thing that I’ve noticed is that my own mood perks up on sunny days. Thus, I seem to prefer painting outdoor scenes depicting sunshine. So when I woke to a heavy fog a couple of weeks ago, I marched outside (yes, in my robe and rubber boots) to take some photos of the fog. The air was soft and the neighborhood was very quiet. It seemed shrouded in mystery if that isn’t too much of a cliché. One could almost imagine some settlers emerging from the heavy air or some knights on horseback in days of old. Yeah, too much reading with my granddaughter.

The front yard. I saw some deer go across the end earlier.

But as I was reviewing my photos, I got inspired to try some new subjects. The misty landscapes will probably appear sometime in the next few months. Just imagine the peace and soft footfalls.

The north field. The fog is beginning to lift but it’s just above the tree tops.

Oh, by the way, happy new year. Or at least a better one if the past has been difficult for you. Find a still place to reflect, maybe enjoy the peace of some foggy weather.