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Friday, December 18, 2009

Snow in the Forecast



Snow, they say, is on its way.

Could be true; might be a false alarm.

Plans might have to change.

Every year, the first predictions of major snow cause a flurry of anticipation, dread and preparation, depending on who you are and what your plans might be.

If you live in the country you know what "winter storm warning" means.

  • candles and kerosene-check
  • extra water stored-check
  • snow shovels handy-check
  • firewood covered-check
  • boots and gloves by the door-check
  • tractor chains on-check
  • grader blade mounted on said tractor-check
  • extra gas in cans-check
  • extra toilet paper and animal food stored-check
  • extra gallon of milk and bread in the freezer-check
  • matches-check
  • hot chocolate-check
  • popcorn-check
  • extra quilts ready-check



Anticipation of beauty and quiet-check

16 comments:

  1. hope you are able to stay in all snug in your lovely homexoxoxo

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  2. Loved your checklist. All things that need to be done for all of winter, especially where I live. One extra for us, car and truck at the bottom of the drive and the snowmobile and freight sled ready for action. Batsy in Idaho

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  3. We will, laoi! Wish I could send you some snow :-)

    Batsy, you're situation is surely a bit different from the Eastern US. No snowmobile for me, but moving vehicles--yes, that one I forgot on my list.

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  4. We are all keeping our fingers crossed that we WILL get snow. Stay warm & cozy!

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  5. Lovely chilly photograph g.s. and a lovely and useful list - I feel like printing it out and nailing it to the inside of the back door. We have quite a few inches of snow and all the things on that list are relevant.

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  6. I hear you, Jessica! I'm ready for a good covering of it too. Seems late this year.

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  7. Weaver, my mother used to tell us about the big snows of her childhood in Caldecote. Like you, she remembered ice in the water pitchers in the morning. I think Britain is warmer now than in her day.

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  8. Hey Granny Sue!

    I made my run to the store today while I was out. I should have checked to see how much milk I already had. Seems I bought some on Sunday and then again today. So now I have 2 full and 1 half full in my refrigerator! lol Oh well, my 5 yr old boy eats cereal like candy which is what it almost is.

    Wonder how much snow we will actually get? I'm going to take a wild guess and say 8 inches tonight and another 4 tomorrow for a total of 12 inches! I just wish I could have found a decent sled in the stores.

    Stay warm!
    Angela

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  9. Angela, it looks like Kanawha County, where I work, will actually get more snow than we will here, 50 miles north. And my son in Virginia is pretty well getting hammered. I expect the son in the higher WV mountains is getting a good does too. At home here, it's just now turning from rain to snow.

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  10. Loved the checklist--
    Here are my additions: drain gas meter and make sure heat lamp is on (our gas line will freeze otherwise), make sure well house is heated (our water line froze last year when the heat tape went out--not fun to try to thaw on a 20 degree day), make sure portable DVD is charged (it keeps the kids much happier when the electricity is out)

    We'd love snow here; it'd be good for our wheat. Hope y'all have just enough to enjoy, but not so much it causes problems.

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  11. Wheat? Laura, you grow wheat? What kind and what is it for?

    I love the variety of lifestyles of you readers. It just amazes me to discover the things you do.

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  12. Yes, all those "just in case" necessities.
    That last picture is gorgeous!

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  13. Granny Sue--
    We grow wheat (winter wheat) for cattle to graze, and, if any is left after grazing or we've had a particularly wet year we harvest it in early summer. It then goes into the supply for feed or possibly ends up in some of your flour, etc. I'll post pictures if we ever have a good crop.

    The snow is good for moisture and snowfall "fixes" the nitrogen in the air into a form that can be used in the soil for the crops--so snow is very good for your garden, too.

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  14. Well, Suzanne, we got our snow! We've shoveled the driveway and cars, I went out and knocked the snow off some of our bushes and holly trees because I didn't want the limbs to break, and we filled up the bird feeders. 2PM and it's still coming down.

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  15. Gosh, I hope you ok. We woke up to a very quiet world this morning with not a sound in the world but limbs creaking and breaking every once in a while. it took a while to dig out but the men did our neighborhood proud today. We ended up leaving late this evening. I couldn't take the cold. Plenty of hot water but no heat. AEP says Wed. is earliest.:( We drove thru St. Alabsn to get to my office and half on it was dark! Stay warm!

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  16. Beautifully written post along with the photos.
    Yes, stay warm and snug. Like your photos indicate.
    Hugs, B

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