Not for the Weak

I went to undergraduate school in Missoula, MT. While there I happened to be in a random history class and we were all asked to tell something about our hometowns as a way to get to know each other ('cuz no bond is more lasting than those formed in forced discussion). Anyway, I made note of a girl from Wyoming. She mentioned that in her town, one known for being windy, that on very gusty days the water in the basement toilet would sway with the winds. I assumed that meant that she had some sort of ramshackle home and that the wind wasn't really that intense.

I assumed wrong.


Photo by my hubby E.K. Wimmer

This morning, over a warm breakfast, my husband and I gazed passively at the curtains blowing in the wind. Let me assure you that our doors and windows were closed. I will admit that we need new sliding glass doors, but I am holding out for french doors (when will my french door genie arrive?!?!), and new windows are needed too, but we definitely do not live in a ramshackle house. The wind is so intense that I am pretty sure that the toilet water in the basement is swaying.

Hold on, let me check....confirmed!

While we are grateful that the temperatures are above 0F, the wind chill still makes it feel -5F, so whatever to that. You know, this weather has been weirdly intense. The poor dogs haven't been on a walk in a week, they give up after five minutes in the backyard and do that thing that lizards do on hot sand.
Imagine this, only swap snow for sand and basset hounds for the lizard.



Photo by my hubby E.K. Wimmer 

There are several bright sides to this situation:
1) The remaning branches (broken in an early storm) are now falling from the trees. Bonus, exercising your cat like reflexes as you dodge them.
2) No body image issues for anyone, thick layers of clothing have leveled the playing field and nobody is even kind of thinking about how they look in a swimsuit.
3)Lots of family time indoors. Hot soy chocolate milk aplenty. Tea too.
4) Free defensive driving practice. Everywhere. All the time.


Photo by my hubby E.K. Wimmer 
I think the temps are supposed to rise to above freezing before the end of the week. WAHOOO! Until then, we are snug and happy, thankful for a roof over our heads and 4wheel drive. Truly, while this weather is cold we are in awe of the beauty that accompanies it. Oh, and Wyoming wildlife is hardcore tough. Seriously, they just go about their business like it ain't no thang!


Photo by my hubby E.K. Wimmer 

Photo by my hubby E.K. Wimmer 

Snow Globe Livin'

 

Today it is colder than cold. I am wearing layers and layers of clothing, my kids too. This came at no small cost as Cordelia is all about texture and comfort, she was not into the abundant, stifling, layers of clothes.

Driving is slow. Roads are icy and the snow continues to accumulate. I had to remember how to use the back windshield wiper. This always means that the truck looks as though it is having some sort of electric malfunction as I flash lights and spray things in my attempt to find the back wiper.

I have some errands to run this morning, but I am looking forward to hunkering down. The heater is on. The dogs and children are ready to snuggle. 

Stew or something slow cooker made will be on the dinner menu. Hot rolls. Tea. All great for the heart in a storm.

Tonight I am thinking about breaking out the My Little Pony board game ( we know how to par-tay) that we found at a thrift store. Hot chocolate and popcorn for all, exept Eric as he refuses to accept chocolate into his heart.

What is it like where you are?

Branch Management

Alternative titles for this post include: Branchitis, Out on a Limb, In Limbo, etc.


Just some of the limbs that we have begun to gather.

The saga continues. I know, you woke up this morning and thought to yourself, "Gee I really want to hear more about this winter storm that happened in Wyoming." Your wish is granted my friend, your wish is granted. Oh, and for more (and some cute pics of my kids) click here. Still not satisfied? Check out my mother's blog too  here and here.

So, to rehash a bit, we had a major winter storm last week. A blizzard if you will. The heavy wet snow landing on trees that still had green leaves meant that there was too much weight for these trees to handle. Trees across town broke. Seriously, limbs are everywhere. I am still hearing limbs drop from trees as I type this post.

Power was out at our house for a total of 21 hours and we still have a few moments where it goes out for a few seconds. Our poor trees and bushes were all hit hard, somebody called it nature's pruning, but if that's how nature does it I think I will stick with an arborist for future pruning. We lost major limbs from the trees in our yard.

Saturday some friends came over with a chainsaw (there was a mad rush for chainsaws and now there are none to be purchased in town) and helped us to chop up the larger branches into manageable piles. Now, we just have to get them to the designated drop off. Anyone with a truck want to help? Speaking of the drop points, there are literally mountains of tree limbs stacked at the drop points, it is amazing!

 We did suffer some damage and I will be calling insurance this morning, after my all important blog post of course. Our back patio roof was damaged. We think there was damage to the roof of our home, but don't know for sure as it still isn't safe to venture up there. Our basement window and screen were broken. Our car windshield was cracked from top to bottom, the hood of our car was given three very large dents.


Dents in the hood of our car


Broken window and screen


Windshield

Whille bad stuff happened, we are all just fine and those things are just things and they will be repaired in due time. We did learn a few lessons from this storm that I will share with you in a little subtitle I call....

Things we learned from the storm:

1. One thing this storm taught us is that Eric and I are ill prepared for an emergency. When the power went out we pretty much just realized that we are utterly helpless. So now we are gathering an emergency box with a few supplies. While I'd like to establish an underground bunker with its own power, water and ventilation we will have to make due with a little emergency box. Here is what I am planning to put in it:

• serious flashlights and battery power
• our insurance info/contact stuff in case we cannot access it another way
• something that can emit heat without electricity
• games
• a little food and water, just enough for a day or two
• warm things
• a small medical kit

2. Chainsaws are handy. For some reason I have had sort of an anti-chainsaw position. I think this is because a)I have watched too many horror movies b) I like trees and they are used to hurt trees (single tear for lost trees). Anyway, I am now re-thinking that position

3. A generator seemed like a waste of money. Rethinking this too.

4.People are pretty amazing. We've all, as a community, tackled this problem together. We've helped others, they've helped us. Wonderful!

SNOW!?!

You may recall that we had blizzards in April this year. Well, 2013 is the year of endless winter apparently. Seriously folks, it has already snowed here. The trees were just starting to lose their green when the storm hit. If you aren't from this part of the country you may not realize what that means.

Let me break it down into a mathematical equation for you:

leafy trees + heavy snow= lots of broken tree branches

I went to bed Thursday evening to the sound of a heavy rain. When I awoke, there was silence. The kind of silence that only comes with the muffling effect of snow. Animals were silent, households were slow to get rolling. 

While the girls were thrilled about it, dogs included, we were actually quite lucky.

This tree branch is big. I don't know if you can tell from the photo, but it fell from our tree half in our yard and half in our neighbor's yard, missing our car by a few feet.

We lost a ton of branches, and it was a little frightening driving through town as limbs continued to fall throughout the day.

This bush normally stands about ten feet tall, here it is bowed to about my waist height.

It wasn't a lot of snow and it will be gone today as it is supposed to return to normal fall weather in the 60s and 70s this week. Still, that was our drama.

What is it like where you are?

First Warm Day of the Year

Yesterday was the first warm day of the year. Sometimes in Wyoming we claim 35 degrees to be warm, but yesterday it was really lovely. The temp was in the high 50sF. The sun was shining and the winter winds seemed to have taken a break. Cordelia, Bumblebee and I couldn't resist ourselves--we spent hours and hours outside enjoying the day.

We donned our snow boots as the shadows still harbored a bit of snow and the ground was soaking wet. We played, we started about the business of picking up our yard which has remained largely untouched for the winter months. We picked up sticks and leaves and righted overturned lawn ornaments. Cordelia found some half buried dinosaurs (not real dinosaurs, she's advanced, but not that advanced). We just sat and enjoyed this first warm day.


Cordelia was very helpful with the wheelbarrow.


Bumblebee followed the sunlight around the yard, finding the best reception on our table.


Oh, and there is new growth starting. Hints of green and purple poking up from the still cold earth.


Cordelia's hair styled by Wyoming Wind--while it was taking a break from hurricane force winds it was still present.


Food on her face...well, I claim responsibility for that one.


Taking it all in


Found treasures


Skip


Hop


Jump

Of course there will be more snow in the weeks (months?) to come, but we will savor each day spent outside soaking up the sun. How is it where you are?

This Moment

Isn't it strange how we long for each new season, waiting (im)patiently as a transition happens, looking for the first signs that something new is underway? Even with the constant diligence there comes a day when we are surprised to find that this change has been happening right under our noses. How did those little buds appear on the tree? Where did that snow melt to so quickly? Hey, the sun is setting a few hours later than it once did.



We are finding our first surprises and evidence that the transition is well underway. We got a fresh blanket of snow yesterday morning, but by afternoon it was like a distant memory. The sun is setting a little later and in a different part of the sky, sending its last rays onto our kitchen walls, making a golden glow as I set to preparing dinner.







We are venturing out more and more and wearing fewer layers. I am hopeful that I can make it through the next little bit of winter without bursting the buttons on my jacket.





However, I am finding great beauty in this place in between. The give and take between winter and spring is creating its own messy and beautiful space. Mud in the day ices over in the night. The snow melts and pours out of the gutters until the sun slips behind the hills and then freezes, only to resume its flow in the morning rays.

Snow boots or galoshes, these are the problems we are facde with. We are dreaming of open windows and fresh air, but for now this moment is so very beautiful.

Wintering

We have had a Wyoming heat wave lately. OK, well maybe there wasn't really much heat involved as we were only about 10 degrees above freezing, but there has been a couple of weeks with warmer than usual temperatures. For a moment I lost my head and thought that perhaps spring was right around the corner. Don't laugh I spent many impressionable years in New Mexico and took their mild winters for granted. I began to think about the tulips that were sure to start pushing their way up through the cold soil only to erupt in a riot of color that always seems so foreign after the winter colors of white and brown...but I forgot where I was and what month it is. January 11th is no time to declare the end of winter. No time at all.

Last night as I was getting ready for bed the darkness seemed to have a light purple brightness and I knew, before even going to the window, that there would be snow. It was falling softly, covering everything in sight. I smiled and remembered that we still have many more winter days to enjoy before the tulips make their appearance.

When the family awoke this morning I took Cordelia to the window so she could look out at the snow. She gasped in wonder and immediately begged for snow pants. How could I deny her? So, we ate some pancakes, drank some juice and headed out for an early morning romp in the freshly fallen snow.




















What is it like where you are?

Sunday Quote: In Winter Enjoy

In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy. ~William Blake

A Break

Winter took a break this weekend. The snow slunk into the shadows or quietly melted into the ground. The sun put in a little extra effort to warm the air and the winds took the hint and mercifully abated for a few days.

Here in Wyoming winter can last half the year. We know that any breaks like this must be taken full advantage of. So, we packed up our crew and headed down to the river for a little exploration. We blinked our eyes in the bright sunlight, like a bear emerging from hibernation.

We weren't the only people who had the same idea. There were joggers, families, bikers, and two middle aged men with mini-monster trucks riding them on the rocks (they were completely silent as we passed and then returned to a rather boisterous conversation) all down by the river.

There were spots where the river was frozen and other areas where the water carried chunks of loose ice downstream. The ducks and geese were adorably hanging out in little web-footed troops.

We were just out for an hour or so, but it was completely refreshing. This morning there is a fresh dusting of snow on the ground and it is once again cold and wintry outside, but I feel completely ready to take on another round of winter after our little break.

How was your weekend?

Just a Dusting

Well, it looks like fall has moved on and we are now prepping for winter here in Wyoming. The weather has cooled dramatically in the past couple of weeks and now we have moved onto phase II, snow. Sure, there is barely any snow, but it's a hint of what's to come. Last night the snow was just lightly swirling around in the night sky, looking like sugar falling from some heavenly confection.

Now, this morning there is just a light dusting of snow on the ground. It's beautiful. I kind of want to make the tiniest snowman ever.

This summer when I was pregnant (oh it seems so long ago, but it was really only 9 days ago) I had a very real desire to go sledding. I think maybe it stemmed from being so rounded; I thought maybe it would be more fun to sled. Anyway, now that pregnancy is over and I am no longer the rounded lady I still want to go sledding. I am certain that this skiff of snow will not support a sled, but I can sense that sledding days are soon to come. When was the last time you went sledding?

Winter: Crazy Cold is on its Way.

Last year Denver was hit with several pretty large blizzards/snowstorms. When winter is so intense for so long one can easily become overwhelmed. We certainly were pushed to near Stephen King (Think The Shining and Misery) limits last year, but there were also some wonderful moments that I will try and draw upon as we are faced with the prospect of another winter.

The first major snowstorm was great fun. We tried to drive to the store and just made it across the street after half an hour, fortunately there is a store across the street. We stocked up on food and bought a little wine. There was a tension in the air as all of the shoppers prepared themselves for the big one. When we made it back home we watched the snow build up over the course of the day. That evening we braved the courtyard of our apartment complex and went for a visit with some friends. We watched The Day the Earth Froze .


The next day we ventured outside. The roads were not plowed. Bumblebee was overwhelmed with sheer joy even though the snow was higher than she is. She would leap out of the snow and sink back down, disappearing for a moment. We spent the next couple of days stuck at home.



So, as the first snowstorm is approaching I am telling myself that it would be lovely to be stuck inside with my husband and our troop of animals. Maybe I am not ready for several months of snow, but looking at it in little increments sounds pretty appealing.