Paralyzing ice and snow

Vast sections of freeway are shut down or at a standstill. Downtown Seattle is in the grips of snow and ice. Ten inches of snow and more which turned to ice. Metro drivers with articulated buses are jack knifed and stuck in the road; chains are not even working on the hills. The plows and deicers are all out, but not making much headway. The Seattle area is built on a series of hills which makes matters dangerous for anyone on the roads. The Puget Sound region is pretty much iced in. Tow trucks are in high demand, and the wait is a long one if you are in a collision. And don’t call for a taxi—you will only get a recorded message that says there are none available.

UPS and FEDEX drivers are delivering packages on foot!! I guess they are determined to see that any Christmas presents are delivered in time for the event.

The roads into Canada were pretty much shut down yesterday with the ice, and it just moved south. I think we can assume that it will be a white Christmas for sure, with more snow tomorrow plus off and on snow and freezing weather into next week.

One enterprising individual used skis to get to work! Talk about dedicated employees. At least the kids are all enjoying being out of school with no return scheduled any time soon. It will continue through the night, and maybe for the next week.

Good thing I went to the store last week, and we have lots of dry wood for the stove. We also have plenty of chow for the animals. But getting the hay out to the cows and defrosting their water is a royal pain in the you-know-what.

We have been taking good care of the birds; crumbled muffins and bread don’t last long and little skirmishes break out here and there as they jockey for the choicest morsels. I have nailed fat and fat layered soup bones to the fence posts for the birds, and they really go to town on them. There is also a feeder full of seed and cracked corn. At least they won’t go hungry around here. As long as my stocks in the freezers hold out, that is.

It seems this weather is hitting the entire northern portion of the country in one form or another. Many in the New England area have already been hit with it, and some places are still without power. We haven’t lost our power yet. YET.

I hope everyone is snug and warm in front of their fires, and not stuck on the roads. Thank heavens, I don't need to go anywhere!!

Zada,
sounds like you're having a good old fashioned winter. All you need now is a horse and sleigh and you won't have to worry about using the icy highways.
Taking care of wildlife says much about you.

Zada,

The snow is here in Wisconsin with twelve inches expected. Schools were already cancelled last night, even the University is shut down. Yesterday we went shopping for our family dinner on Saturday and today we're just staying home. Hopefully the snow will have stopped by tomorrow and the roads cleared, but we don't know.

Stay warm. Your bird friends are blessed.

Carol

In Northeast Ohio we have ice. Not too bad, but enough to shut down all schools and pretty much bring traffic to a standstill. In a few hours it is supposed to turn to warmer rain. Just glad we have no cows to feed.

In Panama City Beach yesterday it was 75 degrees and sunny.

Nah nah nah nah nah nah! (You have to sing this part)

Dick, the cows are sweethearts. At least momma is, I even get a sloppy kiss once in a while. The little heiffer is not too sure what is going on yet, she is just a couple of months old. I don't know what I would do with a whole herd!!

The ice is really bad no matter where you live, but the west coast gets so little of it that when smart alecks get out and drive, thinking they know what they are doing, it really makes for a dangerous drive.

Al is from Michigan where he learned to drive on ice and snow, but even he dreads the icy roads here. Something about the moisture and freezing. I guess Mich. gets dry snow!

Abe, a horse and sleigh would be grand to have, and I'm sure it would be in much demand. But it would be one more mouth to feed, as well. I think I will go crumble some more bread and muffins.

It's up to 23 degrees now. The birds will be up soon. They are so cute, and like humans, they cooperate with one another in this horrible weather. Do you suppose they understand compassion? They are vastly entertaining, and we watch them with the binoculars, trying to identify each one!

Don, I remember that area, and I think you can have it. But I do plan to relocate in the SE portion of the states, to find sunnier warmer weather. But not Fla., and certainly not in the gulf region!!

Carol, you stay inside and warm. Icy steps and walkways are treacherous. I sure hope we don't get twelve inches. (I go through lots of salt) I suppose I should turn on the tube and get the weather report! (while I crumble bird goodies)

I told my physical therapist yesterday that I am making progress with walking by stepping in and out of snow and across ice. I am very vigilant in getting out of the car and do not intend to go anywhere today as I have been warned that falling would be very bad for my medical condition.

We used to live by a farm and the cows would go on a cow path about 25 feet behind our house. We loved those creatures and would talk to them and especially loved the calves. They would be led by the grandfather on the farm who was originally from Germany and looked just like Heidi's grandfather, walking stick and all.

Carol

Because I don't walk well, I don't go out in the pasture, but Al does. Momma follows him around looking for him to hand her treats! He usually has an apple or something for her. She is really more of a pet than anything.

I made the mistake of turning on the tube--there is a "monster storm" off the coast and headed for us. They are talking gusts of wind up into the 90's with lots of rain, snow and ice! So if I disappear for a few days, you'll know all systems in the country here are down! We are about the last place in the county to get attention when that happens.

We're not having your kind of weather, Zada, and especially not Carol's or Dick's, but we had a dusting of snow, something very unusual for Southern California! It rained first, which we desperately needed, then turned to snow. I was running errands and couldn't believe it when the rain turned to snow. At first, after living in MN for fourteen years, I didn't think too much about it, then I realized I was in CA! It's mainly gone now, but I still see a few patches in the neighborhood.

Amazing.

OK, Zada, I have to admit I would love your cows. For most of my life, cows have had a special place in my heart. The reason why is not a happy story so I won't tell it here.

Don - we love the snow and would hate to be without it. The ice . . . well, that's something else again.

Dick,

I imagine it has something to do with the picture of dead cows on your website.

A woman once told me a story about being in London during the war and bombing. Every night she would go into a bomb shelter and come out in the morning. One morning she came out and all the leaves were gone from the trees, but the trees were filled with singing birds. She said she would never forget the picture of that in her mind.

Carol

Yes, Carol, that would be memorable. Birds don't understand the behavior of men and they seem to hope that everything will soon be back to normal. You are right about the cows. The poor things were so helpless, confused and frightened, and they died by the thousand.

It mixes rain and snow here quite regularly through the winter, so knowing what to wear and carry in the car is key. I have a shovel in my trunk, a thick blanket, emergency kit, my boots if they aren't on my feet, and an umbrella.
On Thursday morning it rained several inches, dipped below freezing and started to snow. When I came out of work, one side of my car was frozen solid under a solid sheet of ice, the other side was covered in snow. Last night the wind started up and was gusting heavily, leaving a gloss of hard ice on top of everything again, and people lighting their fires and drinking big mugs of spiked whatever they had around.

Stay warm folks!

Hopefully, Pam, the storm aiming for me now will die out before it gets to you. We just don't usually get this type of weather, which makes it worse, because so many folks do nothing to prepare or too little in preparation. And others seem to think they are invincible.

Driving in rain is not bad, but the once every ten years or so that we get true icy weather puts everyone in a tail spin. They should all just stay home!! I'm glad I can. But I think our 'tea' will have to be put on hold for a while.

I feel so bad for the homeless right now, more than ever.

Zada I heard from some friends of mine north of you in Victoria, BC that they have snow too, and that almost never happens there. People don't even own shovels, nevermind knowing how to use one! Driving in rain used to be easier than snow until I moved where the winds will blow at 50 mph just for the fun of it, and then it doesn't matter whether it is snow or rain, I just want to stay at home. Hydroplaning is part of the problem, black ice another.

Most of our weather out here forms over the Great Lakes and comes from the southwest. Other times it blows right in from the Atlantic. Brr!

I feel bad for the homeless at times like this too, and remind myself to be grateful for all the good that is in our lives.

I wanted to get far enough South that I'd never have to be driving down the highway and see a sign that read:

"Caution: Bridge May Freeze In Cold Weather."

Guess what, there ain't none here.

Dick, I hate ice on the roads and I don't miss snow a bit. They tell me that now and then it snows in the panhandle, but so far we haven't seen it.

We love the Gulf Coast, much more than the Atlantic coast, but even with the colder weather, I think I could move to Savannah, Georgia and be very satisfied. I think I like that city more than any I've ever been in, and that's a lot.

We plan on moving to central Georiga in a couple more years, when my wife decides it's time for her to retire. Our daughter has about 20 acres some 50 miles south of Macon, way back in the country, and I suppose that is where we will eventually wind up. (Hate to say wind up, but it could come to that)

For the first 58 years of my life I never had an address outside Robertson County, Tennessee, other than when I was in the military, and while Springfield will always be home, I don't see us ever moving back there. I love Tennessee, especially in the fall when the color is on the trees, but now that I've left, I won't be going back, except to visit with one or another of my Rinky Dink friends.

Don, One year - sometime in the mid-sixties - we played a New Years gig
at the Old Dutch Inn in Panama City Beach. It began snowing while we
were on stage and suddenly we were alone. Everyone had gone outside to
witness this miracle! It wasn't much, but the roads back to Georgia
were in bad shape and we stayed a few extra days for them to clear.

Don, I liked everything about Georgia. Especially the people there. Good choice for retiring.

I have to agree, Zada! We got mountains, plains, swamps, big cities and
backwoods, the Atlantic and the Gulf, rivers both fast and slow... we
even have a Grand Canyon down below Cusseta (Providence Canyon).

Not to mention mosquitoes, red mud, humidity, your choice of weather at
most any given moment, crooked police departments and rednecks (not to
be confused with good ol' boys).

Hmmm ... Not much different from Washington, Brew, but the weather is better and the people are friendly!

"... and the people are friendly"

Probably because of our diet, Zada. REAL cornbread, buttermilk, any
part of a hawg, turnip greens and pot likker...I could go on, but Dick
would get physically ill.

Brew, I must confess, my roots extend back to the Ga. and Al. areas. I am quite comfortable there. It must be genetics!

We Wisconsinites know about snow. My husband finally couldn't stand being in all day and decided we should go a couple of miles down the road for fish fry. It was quite beautiful out, and they plowed our housing area most of the day and there are now big piles of snow along the road. Fortunately we go from the garage to a handicapped parking place right outside the restaurant. (There are a few advantages to being disabled.)

One time long ago, when we lived in South Carolina, it snowed a couple of inches. We had planned to visit friends in North Carolina for the weekend. Some other friends from the south couldn't figure out how we could possible drive. We did and the roads were quite empty.

I really love snow, change of seasons and all, but this year my joints hurt and my body aches a great deal, and I think we might have to head south even sooner than we plan to, which is to South Carolina for the month of March. (E. Don, let me know if you're going to Savannah any time in March and we could meet you there.)

Carol