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Home > After the storm

After the storm

March 8th, 2018 at 03:01 pm

We got about a foot of wet, heavy but beautiful snow.

I shoveled the driveway in two stages, knowing there would be a lot. Last night I shoveled about 5 inches, and this morning I shoveled another 7 inches.

As I shoveled, I watched as some very large white pine branches tumbled down from the tree in my yard.

The white birch near the foot of my driveway was completely bowed over by the weight of the snow, blocking my path.



I'd rather not cut down the tree if I don't have to, so for now I just trimmed the branches that would otherwise scrape the top of the car.



Maybe when all the snow melts, it will bounce back up. I have 2 other birch trees; one is fine and the other is also bowed down to the ground. I walked around the one to shake off as much snow as possible and it popped up a little, but not totally. I did the same to the branches of a large nannyberry (viburnum). If they remain misshapen, I will have to cut them back.

There was severe damage done to a large, old crabapple in the front yard.



This was bound to happen; there was a very large branch growing at an odd horizontal angle, and that's the one that came down. When the snow melts, I will try to handle cleanup of this tree myself. We'll see.



This is a view of the backyard, from my upstairs bathroom. In the lower left is a really pretty rhododendron which is absolutely covered with blossoms in May. Unfortunately, it suffered some major damage in yesterday's storm. It may take a year or more for it to recover; there are some broken branches.



Here's an old bluebird box in back.



Here's another shot of the driveway (to the right) before I shoveled.

This is another showing the driveway shoveled.



Between last night and this morning, I shoveled for about 2.5 hours.


The view to the north, where a giant hemlock stands. It lost its crown several years ago in another storm. I thought it might die, but so far it's hanging in there. It's a favorite spot for the deer to hang out.


Home sweet home.

4 Responses to “After the storm”

  1. Dido Says:
    1520522586

    Pretty pix. You sure got your exercise!

    We had been predicted to get 14-16" and all the local schools and businesses were closed. At my office, we are set up to be able to work from home, so that's what we all did. And while the precip came down for hours yesterday, it was as much rain as snow, so that we ended up with very little accumulation after all. But I know friends to the south got hammered, and you, to the north were hammered, but the valley I live in was spared.

  2. My English Castle Says:
    1520571226

    My goodness, you've sure had it. I agree with Dido, your photos are lovely. Wishing you strength and stamina dealing with the clean-up.

  3. rob62521 Says:
    1520609111

    Lots of shoveling! I'm not sure after shoveling 12 inches I would still call it beautiful so you are a better person than I am. Smile That one photo makes the tree look like an arch.

    Hope the branches go back after the snow melts. Your clean up looks like it will keep you busy for awhile.

  4. FrugalTexan75 Says:
    1520654998

    Wow! I hope you can save the trees.

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