I need to get more strategic and look longer in my winter planning. It snowed a lot relatively early in the winter and I cleared it to the sides expecting it to melt a bit as it normally does, but it has stayed. So now, I am trapped in with icy walls of snow and nowhere to push the newly fallen on the driveway battlefield.
Last night, there was about 20 centimeters that fell, which equates to around about 2 centimeters of rain. That isn't a huge amount, but remember that this doesn't soak in anywhere, it just sits. Though, it was also a bit windy, so it hasn't all settled evenly.
Following, are some pictures I took before I did any of the shoveling and ploughing, which ended up being well over an hour all told. It was just after 7 in the morning, so it was still pretty dark, so I went with black and white to take all the blue out of the shots.
While the wind was blowing from the other side of the house, you can see that there is about 20 centimeters depth in front of the garage door - I was up to my knees in some areas however.
Last Autumn I bought a set of Philips Hue "Lily" lights for the garden to point them at the walls of the house. They look okay, but as these are on the ground, when it snows this much they are covered over and when on, they make it look like there is a spaceship emerging from under the snow. These are pretty cool, as while I don't use it often, the color can be changed and with our white walls, it shifts the feel of our house a lot - even if only using the different whites. Sometimes for fun, I put make them pink for when my daughter gets home.
Before my wife took Smallsteps to daycare, the drive had to be cleared and thankfully, the council snow plough hadn't gone past yet, as when they do, they leave a massive lip of ice in front of the drive. Although, this year they do seem to be trying to be a bit more conscientious of the drives. It's only about 10 or 15 meters to the road, but that means there is a lot of snow to move still and, with the "ice walls" it took a little more effort.
Next year, I will know better.
It is piling up in areas and if there isn't warmer weather soon, the mountains will be getting to be near my height. That isn't necessarily that high in the grand scheme of things, but since I am the one pushing it, it matters. I also have to dig trenches around the yard in order to reach the lights and get to some service points, so I am not constantly waist deep in the snow. However, I do have some decent outdoor clothes - at last.
Smallsteps' cottage is looking a little trapped at the moment, but pretty cute. I make sure to dig the path out there so she can reach it, as even though she barely uses it in the winter, I know that if I don't - then she will want to go. Best take care of it, just in case.
Also, I don't think I have talked about this "ladder" on the side of the house before. In the advent of a fire - this is the escape from the top floor. People laugh at it, but I think it looks pretty great - though while functional, I really, really hope that I never have to use it. Ever.
And then, time to clear the doorway so we don't traipse huge clumps of snow inside and so it doesn't look like deros live here.
Though, the snow entering in doesn't matter too much, since our hallway and entrance floor is both tiled and heated, which means that the snow melts and dries pretty fast and we can drop wet clothes there and they will be ready to go back into the cabinet toasty warm in a half hour. It is heated using water heating pipes that run through the old house batteries, but instead of batteries here, we reconnected and ran them through the floor instead. The heating is only on when it is cold enough and it works on an air and water heat exchanger, so it is relatively efficient. Far better than the oil heating the house had when we moved in.
And, just to finish up - here are my pants, jacket and gloves spread on the floor. It has been nice to have proper clothing that is warm, functional and comfortable - but at the "not too cold" temperatures - this kind of snow activity, definitely worked up a sweat. I should probably get out there more. Just for the exercise.
Hopefully this was a bit of a different view than you are seeing out of your windows today :)
Taraz
[ Gen1: Hive ]