More Ice Storm Pictures

Just some quick shots I took when I stepped out yesterday to start digging out. Though it looks like calling this thing an ice storm may be a misnomer - it looks like we got plenty of snow. We did, it's just that under all of it, is up to an inch of ice. No spectacular damage like this time last year in Arkansas so we're lucky. (Click on over to see what damage can really look like. Then stay around for a great blog. Ice storm damage link helpfully provided by Bruce, who has a wonderful blog as well.) Here are my pictures from last year, which will give you a link to my ice storm pictures from two years ago.

The snow piled high on our trash cans gives you an idea of how much we got. Roughly half the amount of last month's blizzard:

Icicles sparkle in the morning light:

The snow before I tromped through it to get to the back yard and shovel a way out for the dogs:

Rachel's car before the big dig. Can you dig it? I did. Dug it out, I mean.

Nope, nothing like it had been, nothing like it could've been. We're blessed, indeed.

Ice Storm 2010

So the ice storm came and stayed around awhile like an unexpected, and unwelcome, guest over the holidays. You kept looking at your watch, wondering when it would leave, and buddy, it ain't going nowhere.

Everyone stayed home on Friday. Clara could work from home; so could I and we did. The girls, like kids on all snow days everywhere, parked it in front of the TVs and the dogs wandered throughout the house, whining occasionally to be let out and then barking to be let right back in. Cold out there, boss. And snow. Did you know about the snow? The day like that, one long smear, punctuated with looks out of various windows to see how bad things were and if it had ended yet.

A good marker? The length of icicles on Miss Betty's house next door. They started out as nothing but just kept getting longer and longer and longer:

The holly tree tips over. I'll tie it back again when the weather clears but it's just not built to take an ice load.

The hummingbird feeder is a hopeful leftover from summer. You can see the sleet and snow stacking up in the in the bird bath. Not too bad. Not just yet.

The maple in the front yard, glazed in ice. Not a soul stirring on the street or in Miss Ronda's house across the street. Nothing to do but watch.

Our own icicles are growing. The gutters are dammed up with ice and we'll have to watch inside when it melts to see if we don't get some leaks. Probably not; it's rarely happened in the past.

Snow dog! I tweeted this picture. Pepper likes the snow more than Lucky but they'll both come in covered with snow dingleberries. when they're done romping for a place to take care of business.

The snow fell heavier throughout the afternoon but finally stopped around 6:00 or so. I'd say we got about 6 inches. A good amount over an inch or so of ice so we got it good. But not nearly as bad as we've had it before. So we're grateful for that.

Nothing to do now but dig out.

The Drive Home

So the much dreaded ice storm finally hit this past Thursday. The weather folks had been predicting this a week out and I was doubtful - they've been wrong so many times and they seemed fueled more by memories of the ice storm from two years ago and last month's blizzard and the hunt for high ratings than they were by a desire to be accurate; the further out your predictions, the more likely it is you'll be wrong. But they weren't wrong this time.

Thursday morning started out as rain. Schools were already closed but I went into the office anyway. By noon, things were getting a little icy. We called it quits by 3:00. I was smart this time and parking with the Sequoia's butt end to the north and my wipers jutting out from the glass windshield. Clara had bought me an awesome ice scraper after the last blizzard and it made short work of the ice on my windshield and windows. I blasted through the staff's cars as well - hey, that's one of those untaxed fringe benefits, isn't it? - and sent them on their way before returning to my car. By then, the heater and the rear window defroster had taken care of what my ice scraper hadn't. I checked in with home and headed out.

The going wasn't bad, much easier than driving through last month's blizzard. There was no blowing snow, no white out conditions, my wipers and heater stayed on top of keeping the windshield and back window clear. The roads were covered with sleet - not too slick and it made for steady, if slow, going. Still, I saw two wrecks on the way home, one where the car had left the road entirely and the EMS folks had just arrived and were picking their way down the slope to the unlucky soul still in their car. I hope they were all right.

Pretty bleak weather though. And fairly crowded. I kept a close eye out as I got my iPhone out and up and fired off a few pictures:

Watch out, I'm really gaining on that car on the right!

I made it home in only a little more time than it normally takes. Fortunately, Clara had planned ahead and had laid in supplies the night before so I didn't have to hit the store on the way home or go right back out. We buttoned up the house after I got home and hunkered down, ready.