As I've said before, our grove makes a wonderful wind break. But when the snow builds up in the ditch in front of the grove, it gets dumped at the end of our driveway. The 4' high wind fences we put up in the ditch last fall have long since disappeared under snow. They did their job for awhile, but they just couldn't keep up. Next year maybe we'll put in 10' tall fences. Sunk in concrete.
The wind is a living thing on the prairie. It speaks, its voice rising and falling, following you wherever you go. It pats you on the back, ruffles your hair and kisses your cheek. It plays tricks on you -- the pail you left on the porch yesterday is wedged in amongst your currant bushes today. The wind comes and goes, sometimes overstaying its welcome, but when it is absent for too long you begin to miss it.
The drifts at the end of our driveway are daunting. Hubby spent four-and-a-half hours shoveling us out yesterday. That, on top of the shoveling he did on Saturday and Sunday. The picture above was taken just a few hours after hubby had finished on Sunday. The plows didn't bother coming out that day, or the next. You can't even see the county road that runs past our house. It's just a vast white desert out there.
Today most of the roads have been cleared and I was able to come to the park. As you can see, the plows really have their work cut out for them (haha). The sun feels so nice after so many days of gray and mist. The eaves of the roof are dripping, even though it is still just 20 degrees outside.
7 comments:
Beautiful pictures. Reminds me of scenes growing up in Illinois farmland. Nostalgic. And beautiful.
When we first moved up here to Minnesota, the original homestead driveway came in through a field. It didn't even have to snow for us to be snowed in. The third year, we cut a new driveway through the woods. One of the smartest things we ever did.
I was reminded a couple of weeks ago what hard work shoveling snow is! Those plows are definitely taxpayers' money hard at work!
So much snow!!!! I am ready for spring. However, I am trying to learn to love each day with the gifts it brings us. In the summer, we will all be complaining about the heat and flies! ;-)
Did you and hubby buy a snowplow from Simon's Dad this year? What a thankless job...shovelling snow! Especially this winter when we have had so darned much white stuff! Poor Simon! Beautiful pictures, by the way! Desolate, but gorgeous! As long as you don't have to be somewhere or do something, you are having a beautiful winter!
Beautiful pics Jo! Your description of the wind is right on, it is a living thing (and a trickster)!
Ready for spring here too.
The same thing happens at the end of our driveway! Our house is socked in the woods but the end is like a frozen tundra. Sometimes it drifts so bad that we have to dig the cows out of their barn that is down there!
Hey Mama Pea! I'm thinking of planting a few fast growing evergreens in the road ditch near our driveway to act as a wind break. Don't know what the county would say to planting trees in the right-of-way, but what they don't know won't hurt them!
Hi Erin -- Yeah, shoveling is hard work. Just ask my husband!
Hello Tammy -- You are far more patient and gracious than I! Remind me of this post when I am complaining of heat and bugs in August, deal? I wish our springs and falls in MN lasted longer than they do, seems we only get one month of each whereas summer and winter are both very very looong.
Howdy Karen! Yeah, we do have a snowblower but Simon thinks he burned out the starter and we haven't dug out a trench from the garage to the driveway to bring it in for repairs. I think Simon is going to wait til spring to haul it in. If only we could get a sunny day or two above freezing, it would put a nice crust on the top of the snow and stop the continuous drifting.
Hi Liz! Thanks. I'm very ready for spring. Heck, I'd settle for a bit of a thaw, even! Last time we were above freezing was January 24. A month ago. Ugh.
Hey Jessika -- So, does your hubby get to shovel or are you smart and have mechanical assistance? And it doesn't help when the road plows deposit a huge mountain of snow on their way through, does it?
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