First Storm of 2009

Well, it actually started late new years eve..but that seems like a technicality to me.

30 hours after it started here, its stopped...average accumulation seems to be in the neighborhood of 20 inches. However, its hard to tell, as the snow was accompanied by 70mph winds. So, about half my driveway is nearly bare with just a skiff of snow covering it. My mailbox and garbage box, however, are under a highway-plow-created snowdrift...the highway in question is still only a lane wide, and covered in at least 6" of snow.

In other news, I'm offering a reward for the safe retrieval of either of my two Impalas. Both were last seen in my driveway, however, I woke up this morning to Impala-shaped snowdrifts and no more car! Seriously though...the hood on my 9C1 Pursuit 'Pala is literally covered. The drift is half-way up the side window. So plowed public road or not, I couldn't get out even if I wanted to.

When I bought my Super-C from Sam, I did so because I was getting sick of shoveling, and a new walk-behind snowblower cost the same as a Super-C, and so far as I know, a Snowblower won't haul a trailer or mow my field. I decided that I was going to store it in the garage so I didn't have to worry about such things as iced up seat, peddles, linkages, etc. I also figured it would save me having to clean off the tractor before I plowed the driveway. All very logical points, I reckon.

What I didn't count on, however, was having to shovel out my snowplow even while parked IN the garage. The snowdrift, when I last checked, had covered the handle and lock hasp..both of which are encroaching on chest level on me, and I'm a bit better than 6'.

I've been rather sick today, and thus, haven't got outside to examine the scenery, nor have I got any pictures. However, I plan to do that tomorrow when I actually get around to plowing us out!

Hope everyone had a good 2008, and heres to a great 2009!
Cheers everyone,
AR

Wow, sounds like you guys got a dump! Where are you located? I have a small farm in the Valley, just above Middleton, although I am now in Ontario, just about 80 clicks NW of Ottawa snuggled into minus 20C weather. I talked to neighbors down in NS this morning and they said it was blowing the dog off the chain yet. Guy said it was cold and windy enough he heard a noise in the trees and saw a squirrel trying to jumpstart a Bluejay!
Regards
Robert Lorencz

Hmmmm. You got hit good. I don't think we got 6" here. Even the drifting wasn't too bad but I haven't been out and about to see how bad is was everywhere else.
I know that visibility was about the end of your nose this morning at 4AM... Was a long drive back from sydney.
No power for a few hours this morning and probably about to go again soon...
It's still going strong here.


Rod

Andrew and Rod,

Where in NS are you guys? I drove thru parts of NS last Oct. You sure have beautiful country! I traveled thru Truro, then to Hallifax, then up the coast and then up and around Breton Peninsula, then to Ft. Louisbourg and back home with a side trip to PEI.

Georgous country up there. And the lobster was so good it should be declared illegal.

LA in Wisconsin

LA,
I forget where exactly Rod is located. I'm on the Bay Of Fundy side of the province, along the Evangeline Trail, near where the Acadians were deported. Known as the Annapolis Valley. If you click this link you should be taken to a map of the area...I'm about half way between Windsor and Hantsport (Slightly closer to Windsor).

AR

I'm on Cape Breton Island about half way between Baddeck and Sydney, out in the middle of the Bras d'Or....

Rod

Andrew, after stopping at Truro to watch the tide come up the river, we drove to Windsor, then down to Hallifax. I would have waved at you as we went by if I would have known....

You sure have pretty country. I now wish I had taken the time to see the Annapolis Valley.
LA in WI

Rod,
At Baddeck I picked up some Glenora Smuggler"s Cove Rhum Fonce. One of these nights, maybe during a blizzard, I will open that enticing product and reminisce about our stay at Bay St. Lawrence and a morning run to Meat Cove. Georgeous country!
If you are IN Bras d"Or I hope your houseboat is a big one.
Having Rhum Fonce on the label makes it lot more colorful than would our American spelling.
LA in WI

I'm actually on Boularderie island which is in the lake. You don't really notice it perhaps... but it's connected by the big bridge (Seal Island) on the west and the Little Bras d'Or on the east. There's a campground right next to each one.

Too bad you didn't get to tour the Glenora Distillery when you were here. I've never been there but I hear it's quite interesting.
They claim to be the only distiller of single malt scotch whiskey in North America...
You were probably quite close if you drove right around the trail.

Rod

Oh yeah, I now see Boularderie Island on the map. Without a close look it doesn"t look like an island. We came thru there on #105 heading east and in way too much of a hurry.

My wife was getting tired of car travel and then you skip too many things to see. Earlier in our trip I was stopping every place I saw 2 Farmalls!

If you farm, I"m guessing you have a dairy??? Seems like there were not very many large crop farms, but then I wasn"t on many rural roads.

Lots of dairymen quitting here; selling cows and just raising corn and soybeans now, just like in most of midwest US.

I"m retired, have Dad"s 1950 H all rebuilt and painted pretty. Also bought a real good #8 2-16" plow and organize plowdays in April, plus go in parades and a couple shows in summer. I am looking for a BN; you guys have more of them than are here in the midwest.

We just broke a monthly snowfall record: 111" in December. And very cold. Tonight it"s 0F and
air is still....and a lot of snow on the ground.
LA