2 posts tagged “snow”

Over night we got about 6 inches of fresh white fluffy snow, lake effect this time.  It is really beautiful right now, something out of a Curry and Ives print.  Everything looks sugar frosted.  The sun is trying to break through and when it does, the sun reflecting off the fresh clean snow will be so bright, even sunglasses will not be enought to protect your eyes.  It is gorgeous right now and especially so because I don't have to try to go anywhere in it.  I can stay tucked inside and admire the beauty of it.

Last night my son and his girlfriend went sledding at 1 in the morning!  Oh to be that young and strong again.  I bet they had a blast.  He is still asleep at 11:30 but I am sure I'll get a full report when he wakes up.  I heard them come in last night to get extra  clothes and pick up a sled and mini toboggan.  It is nice to finally be able to use them this year. 

The farmers in the area are sighing with relief too.  Not many people realize how important a good snow pack is to the water table and the farm land. This year we have had a lot of rain but rain doesn't work on the soil in the same way snow does.  When it rains, the first couple of inches of soil get soaked and then the rain has to run off into the creeks, rivers and lakes.  It can't stay on the surface and soak slowly into the soil.  If we have a dry summer and then get a heavy rain, the first inch or so will get soaked but the soil down a few inches is as dry as the desert.    What is so great about snow for the crops to come this summer is that it melts slowly over a long time and that slow melt stays in place and can soak down deep into the earth.  Without good snow cover in the winter our summer crops are really in jeopardy.  Yes, we have irrigation which pulls up from the water table, but the slow snowmelt replenishes the water table.  Rain runs off into streams and rivers and gets carried into the watershed which around here winds up ultimately in the MIssissippi.

So as much as snow and ice is a pain for older folks like me, it is essential to the food crops and health of our earth.  That said, the possibility of global warming scares me silly.  mmm I think I've said that before.

Winter has finally arrived.  We have 2-3 inches of snow on the ground and the temps are in the teens.  The wind cuts like a knife finding every little open crevice and seam in your coat or hat.  I'm not complaining.  We have had an incredibly mild winter so far.  It is somewhat reassuring to have it cold.  The concept of global warming scares me silly.  Lake Michigan is still unfrozen and if the right conditions set up we will be digging out until May:)  We get what the weathermen call an Alberta Clipper, a strong artic flavored wind that sweeps down the length of Lake Michigan and then hooks east at the south end of the lake.  That wind picks up moisture the full length of the lake and then drops it all on us when it comes east.  We haven't had a real lake effect snow in several years so we keep thinking it is coming soon.  In the cold old days, the lake would freeze over almost completely, just certain places with open water.  We could go out to the beach and see mountains of ice cliffs stretch out as far as the horizon.  Those super cold winters were  not common.  I don't know which was worse: tons of snow because of open water, or a nearly frozen lake because of a winter plagued with single digit and subzero temps.  brrrrrrr.

I went down to feed the horses tonight and gather our TWO eggs.  Chickens don't lay much during the dark months.  They like sunlight.:)  We could put lamps in their coop but we'd rather let nature run as it was meant to do.  After I left the barn, I stood outside and watched the clearing sky.  Orion was overhead shimmering in his place.  Between a little moon light, stars and white snow, I could see quite clearly.  The deer were gleaning the field for corn left behind.  I was hoping to hear the coyotes but they were quiet tonight and I was getting cold.  Some of the most beautiful moments I have had have been during the winter on super cold nights with no clouds and no wind.  crunchcrunchsqueak.