27 February …
So much for Punxsutawney Phil …
A note from CHP last Thursday … “At this time, there are multiple vehicles off of the roadway. This is due to drivers attempting to drive at the posted speed limit sign’s of 65 to 70 mph.”
And a post on the county Emergency page … “TC – Northbound 5 just north of Grenada. Another rollover. Vehicle in the median.”
TCs totaled more than 18 before noon – black ice and snow on ice.
It is weather I don’t remember ever seeing after 40+ years of living here. During the day, the sun shines, we have melting and, at best, we have skiffs of snow. But overnight 2-3” (or more) of snow will fall. So first thing in the morning, there is snow on ice. Treacherous if you are unaware. Vehicle problems galore … jack-knifings, spin-outs, off into ditches, traffic collisions, you name it. Mark was away from home, busy with fire company rescues. A neighbor with GREAT equipment has been clearing us out first thing, and the young ones know how to handle snow (carefully). Being the fire keeper and cook has its advantages.
Sunday was interesting. The Amtrak train got stuck in four feet of snow between Portland and Klamath Falls. It was there for a day and a half.
Then Monday the 25th Kamille and Paul got into town and to school okay, only to have school cancelled before noon. A note from a friend up in Oregon said “We were hit with a foot of snow !! Power has been off for 18 hours now. No heat, but I do have a gas range, so been eating chicken noodle soup to stay warm. This area I live in NEVER gets this amount of snow. I know 1 foot is nothing down there ! Don’t laugh at us ‘flatlanders’ !! It’s a mess up here. I-5 is closed for 95 miles up here and many highways off it. Oakridge is totally blocked off from both directions out and into it !!”
Tuesday was a bit different. Wind overnight had plugged the drive and Kamille and Paul were late. Kamille’s truck got stuck and Mark had to take them in. And the ski park was closed due to too much snow.
Here are some comparisons … 25th and 27th.
Courtyard …
And some extras …
Tuesday overnight we got about 14” of new, wet snow. This morning started with shoveling.
The satellite dish out back …
My pickup truck (it’s the small hump behind the big hump) …
The fog sitting on 4’+ of snow out back …
Tuesday night was the first time I had been alone in the house since George died. Mark, Kamille, and Paul went in to stay at the fire house so Kamille and Paul could get to work and school without problems (the live-in students are gone … their contract was up). Tyler was out in his “house” (actually the courtyard cottage which had been the playhouse when Tyler and Mikayla were young).
It has been a loooooooonnnnnngggg time since I’ve seen storm after storm like this. It was a bad time for those who have no idea how to drive in this weather.
~~~
This blog is late because I was without internet connection for some time due to snow load in the dish. Hope you liked the photos.
Regardless, to finish this week … here’s a hint to my spirituality.
Elder’s Meditation of the Day February 21
“Every thing or living being that exists in this world, be it trees, flowers, birds, grasses, rocks, soil of the earth, or human beings, has its unique manner of existence – its essence, its spirit that makes it what it is. That is what is meant by connectedness.”
So … ‘til next week …