ellyssian | Entries tagged with winter

snowfall
by Everett A Warren
December 9, 1996

first of the fallen
sweet snowflake's kiss
glittering
in moonlight
dancing
with the stars
in the night sky
dancing
in my arms
melting
with a touch
in gentle warmth
colouring the forest
in iridescent illusions
falling
from heaven
spiraling
from ice to dreams
wandering
ever so gently
from my heart to your soul
sweet snowflake's kiss
first of the fallen

winterstream
by Everett A Warren
November 19, 1999

silent
dreaming
cold
clear
flowing
immersing
splashing
making magickal
crests of ice
edgertonian
impossible cliffs
curving
shining
shimmering
encapsulating
branches dipped low
drinking
icicle coating
chiming
in whistling wind
and rippling waters
cascading
singing
songs of cheer, thoughtfulness, and meditation
songs of peace, love, and happiness
so that we might remain
for precious moments
awash in solitude
dreaming
silent

One more thing that we had a bit of trouble with - maybe even worse than lack of traction on the hill - was the windshield wipers slushed up again, as they did with the last storm. Thick wet snowflakes just cling to the wipers. They melt enough to stick, and then they stay.

I scraped each blade clean before we left, and we didn't even get to Millers Market before we were down to maybe 10% visibility. Almost ran someone off the road because I couldn't see. I stopped at the township yard and had to scrape them off again. They stayed clear after that, mostly because the snow was shifting over to more of a sleet or rain.

After filling up the rear tank, we stopped off at an auto parts place to see if they had a particular device I had heard of - they didn't, but as soon as we got back, I ordered some Slushbusters. I think next year I'll make sure I put heavy duty winter wipers on as well - visibility needs to be clear through those windows, especially when I'm aiming a plow at people.

Or, rather, avoiding aiming it at them. =)

As for the slipping and sliding business, I think an Onspot system might be in order. Maybe not for this winter, but certainly for the next. Chains are about one order of magnitude cheaper if you just look at material costs. The difficulty is that installing them is a pain. Justin and I have had personal experience installing chains on the snowblower, and that was difficult enough. And they only slipped off a half-dozen times. Chains on a truck would need to be put on and taken off repeatedly, in less than ideal conditions. There's been a lot of times the road to the nature center was clear and dry and the gravel road there was not - which would mean installing and removing them all the time. I'm thinking time spent swapping chains on and off - as well as a higher replacement cost (replacement cost for the Onspot chains are an order of magnitude less than the cost of another full set of chains) - would easily exceed the difference in cost between the two.

Not to mention, flipping a cool safety trigger switch vs. crawling around in slush and snow on a highway roadside during low visibility winter weather conditions.

Anywho, that's a high priority for Fall 2008. Unless I absolutely can't get up the hill next time I plow, I won't consider it for this season.

Current Mood: good
Current Music: Rage & Symphonic Orchestra Prague - Lingua Mortis

It's always the SUV's that I see on their side (or upside down!)

Didn't see the one in that link, allegedly caused by the storm here. Personally, I expect it had more to do with someone unable to compensate for road conditions than from the road conditions themselves.

Seriously - in the first winter I was here, I saw three large to mid-sized SUV's in compromising positions. One was spinning around on its roof. Two were involved in a cross-collision that resulted in one a pregnant driver going into shock and the other driver losing their arm (at least. I saw it pinned, so I know that much. Whether or not the person attached to it pulled through, I do not know.) Unfortunately, I've also seen quite a few others - in corn fields, up the side of a hill, rolled into ditches, and more - since then.

Current Mood: sad
Current Music: Peter Gabriel - Shaking the Tree

While parts of the country are getting hammered - 20" at a shot - this is only the second real, measurable snow since January 1st. That first time was barely enough to plow, this was a bit more but still just the minor league.

Justin and I went out last night and plowed the nature center. Had a chance to speak to one of the residents (a number of homes are off of the two LGNC-owned dirt roads) who usually plows, and he was surprised that the LGNC was having someone plow, but happy for any help I could give. Eases their burden - although it seems the two guys who plow both live off the same flat road, not off the hill that leads up to the parking lot. That latter part is my big focus.

Anyway, discoveries last night: If someone was to read my fortune, they'd very likely find that Everblades are likely to be in my future. The stuff clung to the wiper blades, and we had to stop several times to scrape the blades clear so we could see. Not like the tunnel-effect of the snow wasn't enough to reduce visibility to maybe two feet in front of the plow. Additional lights for the front might also be in order - now I know why the HID lights are $3000. Probably worth it. I suppose I'll go for two additional lights instead of replacing the plow lights. The work lights also need to go up ASAP, because backing up was almost blind, which is not Of The Good.

Today, Justin started the vehicles and then headed to class. I cleared them, which was easy on account of the rain, and annoying on account of the rain - soaking my jacket so much that it puddled when I set my arm on the center console! I backed the truck down, then took the two cars (or car and small SUV, really) down. One pass up the driveway with the V, and then angled to the right to clear the right most edge, and two passes as a scoop to clear the rest. Went much faster than the first time, of course.

Went back to the nature center and cleared the lot again, as well as one V pass down the hill. I could have skimmed the top off the stuff on the flat road, but it was fairly clear, and the weight of the ice brought some evergreens very low. I didn't want them to catch in the ladder rack and break or tangle. Some of them were so low, they'd catch in the grill...

So that's that. Even remembered to stop and get milk on the way home. After circling once. =)

Current Mood: good
Current Music: Kansas - Somewhere to Elsewhere

I hope most of those who were sent a holiday card have received it by now... there just may be a handful of stragglers... here is the sixth annual collection of poetry written by Justin, Rachel, and me... the theme this year was minstrels and ice.

The Minstrels
By E. Justin Warren

Towering above the ground,
The ice sculptures complete
In their majesty glistening:
A thousand diamonds all at once.

"The minstrels three,"
So he came to name them
As he put tools away,
"Alas they should not stay long!"

So he heads inside home:
Towards warmth, comfort, and bed;
His creations alone in their element
To find their own way.

As the dark breaks overhead,
Stars shining crisp, pure light
Upon their frozen heads,
The statues come to life.

A crack: the first jumps to life,
Limbs still stiff with cold.
The flute in hand, he turns to go,
Music, soft yet clear, warms him.

The second follows after,
To find lute strings under hand,
He strums a chord for warmth it gives
And leaves in search of the flute.

The third one sits,
Ice still his cage,
And waits for melt to come:
His intricacies leave him last.

For many things of music
Are born upon his form:
Drums surround his person,
The beat his to keep.

And also more,
Raised high above the rest
A throat and voice
To sing the tune as played.

But now he's through!
The ice and snow fall away
Melted to water as he breaks free,
To follow the others.

As they enter the world
Their music is borne
On wind blown through air
To ear of the listener.

As the dawn pierces the night,
He awakes inside the house,
Still warm against the cold,
And peers outside.

He sighs a small sigh:
How he hoped they'd stay!
But alas, they always leave,
To place their design upon the world.

He steps outside into the cold,
Grabbing chisel and hammer,
And moves toward the next block
To resume his carving once more.

~ ~ ~

Winter's End
By Rachel L. Warren

The minstrels play
a winter tune
the icicles
drip, drip.
Winter's end
Spring's beginning
the melting
continues.

~ ~ ~

The Minstrel Mistletoe
By Everett A. Warren

ghostly grey the sentinels stand
gnarled stern visages have the knights of old
standing watch 'round through the Winter's cold
fall foliage draped like a tapestry upon the castle floor
boughs bearing bright berries and sprays of evergreen
adorn court held by Holly King and his Queen of Wintergreen
lost in white wisps of deep Winter snows
silent as statues still as the Solstice-tight grip on the land
they listen as each courtier makes their demand
'til from the highest turret arises a song so bold
softens the Lords of Wirth Wind Whirling who cease politics' chore
captures the Ladies of Snowflakes Swirling who listen to the song's elder lore
the minstrel to his lips the icicle he presses
clear and cold like a winter stream the melody flows
warming to his subject as the passion in the music grows
to melt the cold hearts of his King and Queen
the harlequin Mistletoe from spires arose
his song evoking the Winter Rose
this rarest of flowers' fond Midwinter dream
to the warmth of the Heart it directly addresses
and brings forth Peace and Love in all it redresses

~

Justin and I are preparing for our annual pilgrimage along the Forest, through Fairyland, and Beyond and Back Again!

Yep, it's almost time to go pick up the New Year Chinese feast (as opposed to the Chinese New Year feast, which we don't often celebrate, but we probably should...)

As for the updatia bit, we got a ton of snow (or 5", which ever comes first), and me without my plow. Snow forecasted for tomorrow, too. Plow forecasted for Wednesday, and sunny after that...

Brandon took his first solo sled ride - the soft yet heavy stuff slowed him to a sedate pace. Very entertaining to watch him sitting still so long... all the way down the front lawn. He sat upright and serious and, although I only saw him from the back, I'm almost positive he didn't even blink for the entire ride.

Rachel built a real, live, actual snowman - one of the life-sized guys - with some assistance from Mr. B. Deb took some shots, and I got to see them, but most others won't because she never posts anything. =(

Justin and I cleared the driveway - he cleared the walk and around the cars (and the cars themselves) and I took care of the rest, using the DR with the plow. It did a great job, pushing glaciers in front of it. Snowblowers around me were choking on the stuff, so it's probably a good thing the chain had snapped a few weeks back and I didn't even attempt it. First time I used the plow on snow (used it on the gravel to get that in place Autumn 2006) and I liked it. Took longer than the Boss will when it's on the truck, of course, but nice nonetheless.

Anywho, off I go... time to get dinner!

Current Mood: good
Current Music: David Diamond - Violin Concerto #2

.. quoth the snow. What's the past tense of snow? Snaw? Spring?

Took down half the holiday lights - haven't had them lit since January, but we missed the window to break out the ladder and take them down prior to the onset of Snow in February. The other half will have to wait for aforementioned ladder, which means Light and Lack of Snow, which should happen this weekend. Took them down while Justin was clearing off some cardboard that was allegedly going to be recycled but was left on the porch too long and turned into a sprawling cat bed (complete with decorative decapitated meeses).

Of course, the reason we were out on the porch was because the Musser Forests order had arrived and needed processing (unpack, shake out packing material, wrap in newspaper, put in buckets, moisten paper and add some water). Due to worries of freezing temps, they're down in the cellar - the garage gets too cold. Of course, the cellar has the dehumidifier, which is basically anti-plantlife, so we'll have to watch the moisture and get them into the ground as soon as we can.

Hopefully snow will clear down along the stream where the winterberry holly are going, and along Chestnut Grove where the hazelnuts will be. We're pretty much SOL for the hemlock - those are going along the back edge of the property in the trees, so it's not very likely that we'll be 100% snow cover free.

I have reviews to post - they're halfway between this system and that, and they'll be here. Eventually.

New guitar student starting Saturday - the father of the second student, who wants to make use of the guitar and some musical interest. Also have another two potential students - a guy at work and one of his daughters - that will hopefully be scheduled soon.

Couldn't pull the snowblower out today (for the first time!) due to freezing rain - thus, I am on a personal holiday today. We've got drifts over two feet, but allegedly only 4 inches overall... still, that's about four times our total for the season-to-date. I imagine the numbers are now higher as it has switched back to light and fluffy snow and left the freezing rain behind. As soon as things settle down, I'll get out there with the snowblower. Not that we can go anywhere - they declared the county in a state of emergency, and only emergency vehicles are allowed out on the roads; some of which are closed (209 between Lehighton and Jim Thorpe.)

I was up in the attic earlier and have determined without a shadow of a doubt exactly why our closet and bathrooms upstairs are so cold: the blown in insulation is about a foot deep, covering everything up there with a floor. Unfortunately, there are a few spots without a floor, leaving large gaps around the showers, between the closet and the bathroom. The holes drop down to the second story's floor, and the walls between areas are visibly uninsulated and directly exposed to whatever temperature the attic is - making it impossible to warm the rooms in winter and cool them in summer. Doh.

There is also a very large open area near Brandon's closet and - I think - over the stairs between first and second floor. I didn't move boards around to look down and see what the situation is there - it might fare somewhat better, but Brandon's closet likely suffers.

The guys are almost done with Justin's room - they were going to be back for a second coat of paint and finishing up today, but I asked them to hold off due to weather. Not sure if they got the message, or held off anyway, but they haven't shown up yet. After that, all we need is to get the rug installed, and he can move his stuff.

Rachel has developed a plan to help ease Brandon into his room - she doesn't think we should just toss him in there, but should set it up for him to play in during the day, and maybe take some naps on his Big Boy Bed, but still have him sleep in the crib for a short time before moving him in to his own room. This will probably be even more important, as, over the last week or so, Mr. B has really come into the Terrible Twos (instead of waiting for three, like the other two did! =)

Current Music: some really icky cd for Mr. B

Come by in the afternoon for a few rounds of Kubb, followed by a meal of Deeper n' Ever, and an evening of full moon gazing!

At least one type of gourmet hot chocolate will be available to help warm up (unless current weather conditions continue, and then we might need ice tea and lemonade!)

Bring your binoculars or telescopes for the evening portion of the event.

There will be two couches, one cot, and some floor space available if emergency crash space is needed to avoid dark, snowy winter road-type-crashes - bring sleeping bags and pillows just to have on reserve.

Please let me know here or via e-mail if you'll be coming, and what your contribution to the feast will be!

Some Suggestions:

beverages (Riesling wine goes nicely with Deeper n' Ever, and mulled wine or additional varieties of hot chocolate might help with any cold weather!)
salads (pasta/mayo salads won't go, but tossed greens and a non-mayo dressing would work nicely)
appetizers (minimal/no cheese)
desserts (I personally tend not to eat desserts, but I know there are a few chocolate fanatics out there...)

Current Mood: good
Current Music: Arvo Part - Fratres/Tabula rasa/Sym #3

Watching the Mummers Parade - and people are in t-shirts and shorts.

Shivering and huddled under blankets is the norm.

37 degrees would be a decent high temperature for most years, but today it's expected to be 73.

Current Music: Mummers Parade

Wrote my poem for the holiday card insert last night, and I think Rachel has hers, so we're getting ready here...

If you want to be on the mailing list and aren't already - or if your address changed, or if you aren't sure if you're on the list - drop me a line here, or send off an e-mail to my nick here at Google's mail service. I'll screen comments here, and, of course, won't be replying, so that any personal info remains hidden.

Cards won't be going out until after Thanksgiving.

Current Mood: good
Current Music: Doro - Machine II Machine

Not a bad snow at all.

Only took an hour and a half for Justin and me to clear the driveway and two cars!

I'll up the estimate a wee bit: we had right around two inches.

And yeah, someday, I'll get a snowblower.

Because two inches of snow is still about ~~12,000~~ 1000 cubic feet of snow removal in our neck o' the woods. (I did an earlier estimate in someone's -

dreadpiratetait's? - journal, and I think I left off a zero in the number of square footage of driveway!)

EDIT: Don't do math when it might be conflicting with the activity of breathing - at least one of them will be wrong or won't work. 1,728,000 cubic inches != 12,000 cubic feet.

Current Mood: cold
Current Music: Respighi - Ancient Airs & Dances

Well, seeing how others are reporting decent snowfalls, I won't be too harsh on the forecasters. I will say that our Biggest Storm of the Year is, well, not. And, for the benefit of municipalities and their ~~victims~~citizens, I offer you:

Everett's Guide to Snowfall in the Northeast US

0-4" : Non-event. Shouldn't even be a minor inconvenience. Use care when driving, but if roads aren't clear you should get your tax money back, because they're obviously spending it on catering local government get-togethers instead of where it should be going.

4-8" : Snow. Nothing more, nothing less. Expect delays, but it should be cleared within a couple of hours.

8-16" : Moderate snowfall. Snow warning. Consider not going out unless you have to, and allow a four hour window for clearing things up.

16-24" : Heavy snowfall. Snow storm. Don't go out, especially if you own a 4WD or AWD vehicle and think you're so damn cool doing donuts down the road. Six to eight hours before things are cleared.

24"+ : Blizzard. Snow emergency. Definitely a day off, add another day for every foot of snow beyond.

Please note that this applies mostly to an area from Massachusetts down to Pennsylvania: Cow Hickshire and points north should adjust for more tolerance and areas to the south should panic somewhat sooner. Certain locations, such as Buffalo, should be ashamed if they consider anything under 3' as anything but "Snow," because, well, they should be used to it by now.

~ ~ ~

For the record, my experiences in January in Massachusetts have helped me verify that they are capable of keeping the roads cleaner in a rapid, healthy amount of snow than Pennsylvania is able to do with amounts barely above a dusting (this applies especially to Bethlehem - safer to drive through 6" in Boston than 1/2" in Bethlehem.)

~ ~ ~

Also, for the record, our Biggest Snowfall of the Year is currently maxed out at 1.5 inches or thereabouts. And it's melting.

Current Mood: amused
Current Music: Beethoven - Piano Concert No. 4

Yeah.

A few hours ago, I was on the phone with my mom and dad, and mentioning how all the snow was gone - with the exception of a few bits and pieces, and piles from the plow. Even the deep forest, as it were, was green. Or brown. Mostly brown.

Now, it is white. Visibility is maybe 60 meters or so.

For the record, it was still brown 10 minutes ago.

Looks pretty, but now I wish I went with Deb and the kids - I'd rather be the one to have to drive if it's messy. At least I had time to write a long e-mail to my dad - detailing my ~~plans for world domination~~ spring gardening plans, which probably won't be further mentioned here until actual planting time occurs. It should suffice to say that I'm once again endorsing the most excellent and highly recommended ForestFarm, and I am exploring Prairie Moon Nursery and Musser with some first orders, and hopefully they will suit their purposes just as well.

Current Mood: peaceful
Current Music: Ayereon - Waracle

Snowing... this is unforecasted snow, thus, it is not real, or, alternately, the weathermen who said it wouldn't snow again until later this week are not real, or, at the least, not grounded in reality. Of course, I'm willing to be it is forecasted now that it is happening.

30% chance, apparently, is what they're saying now.

Given that it's approaching complete white-out conditions, I wonder if that increases that chance?

Current Mood: amused
Current Music: Go! Go! Go! (Deb watching NFL)

The plow just came and cleared the street - they came by a couple of hours ago and gave it a first pass, but that was still about 30-40' from our driveway.

Speaking of which, I worked from home today, which was no fun. Today was my team lunch for December, and we were going to Applebees, and I've been dying for some BBQ ribs... mmmm, free food always tastes Even Betterer^TM than that which you pay for... Oh, well, I switched to the team lunch on the 21st, at Gregory's, a local steak place that is, IMO, overrated.

We cleared a single path down to the curb for the trash - which I don't think they've picked up yet, same guys on the trash crew and snow plow crew and all that - in the pre-dawn hours, and that took us well over an hour. The fact that snow was still falling at 2" an hour (according to the weatherman; seemed much faster than that) didn't help.

In all, we received 10-12", with drifts up to 4' - although those seem to be isolated to certain trees in the woods, most places didn't drift that bad.

We currently have about 2/3 of the driveway - roughly 6000 square feet of snow, with another 3000 to go, so, yeah, if you haven't seen my Amazon.com wish list, feel free to stop by and order the snowblower for us (it's a medium priority, but I might up that; if you sort by high cost to low cost, it will be near the top of the list! =) Justin, Deb, and I - not to mention the single shovel we continue to abuse despite it having died last Spring - will thank you greatly!

Current Mood: cold
Current Music: fish tank burblings

We have snow, by the way.

Just thought everyone should know.

We also forgot our only snow shovel mostly died last year.

Ooops.

In much happier news, I am about to eat some homemade pizza. Yum!

Current Mood: hungry
Current Music: Steelers vs. Bengals

The thing I forgot the other day: When you order food that is cooked and served hot, expect it to be hot. If you can't handle that fact and exercise care, pack a cold lunch. Do not sue. Not that this has anything to do with it, despite happening just down the road from me at our friendly, neighborhood Pizza Hut - which *gasp* happens to heat food prior to serving it.

It's snowing. Big, honking flakes. No, seriously. Sounds like there's a highway right outside the window.

I'm on vacation!

Feeling much better nose-throat-lungs-wise, made up for it by tying an intestine or three in knots - a feat I apparently did while sleeping the night before last - although that is finally settling down and almost feeling normal

Christmas shopping today - watch out Toys 'r' Us, prepare to have your stock much more mildly depleted than I've done the past few years!

It's not snowing. Some white stuff still hanging out amongst the leaves and other forest floor litter.

Got to jump in the shower

Current Mood: okay
Current Music: Elmo's World

Okay, done with work - that gave me about 10 hours today, 14 yesterday... ain't the end o' month grand?

Completely random stuff:

The largish (40-50') dead pitch pine lost its top third in the wind and rain yesterday/last night. The Good News is that it missed the selfheal, a Washington hawthorn, and a Colorado blue spruce. The Bad News is that it was leaning about 10-20 degrees away from the direction where the largish pieces fell, and those pieces landed 10-30' from the tree. Why is that Bad News? The pitch pine on the left which looks even more alarming in this photo. It also leans away from the house, it doesn't happen to be dead (yet - I know one third to half of its roots were cut when they did our electrical wiring), but it's only 5' or so from the house. The pictures are from last March - not that much wintry weather here, yet

The Rachel River is running, and it bogged down with about 10 brazillion bushels of leaves, so Justin and I made some effort to clean it up a bit - we used the removed leaves to mulch next to the house (just across Stone Stream from the pitch pine in the pictures above.) Just for reference, and because I was posting the other ones, here's the Rachel River, circa this past January.

Brandon is very close to talking - his babbling is getting much more expressive, and, speaking of expressions, his expressions are hysterical. The kid's got a great sense of humor, even if he's misapplying it at the moment by trying to bite Deb. He's doing the So Big thing, as well as using ASL to indicate that he wants to eat (in addition to 'please' and 'more.')

I had other things to mention, but I've forgotten them completely. Oh well.

Current Mood: accomplished
Current Music: Midnight Sun - Metal Machine

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The Elysian Fields

snowfall

winterstream

Winter Improvements

Ouch

Some Snow

Poetry for the Winter Season

Hippity Happity New Year Etcetera Updatia

I'm Melting! I'm Melting

Updatia and So Forth

Midwinter Feast (Saturday, February 3)

Mummers Parade

Winter Holiday Cards

See! Proof!

Snow Emergency! Panic! Panic! The Sky is Falling!

It's beginning to look a lot like...

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Snowed In

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General Updatia

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