Well...
After I posted the last blog post, here is what happened the next few days.
I hardly got sleep that night. It sounded like small bombs dropping all around us.
The crunching-crackling-creaking sound that would last for about 3 seconds or so... followed by a loud POP... a loud crackle-scratch... and BOOM-thud, as the branches and trees fell near and far. I dreaded what I would find as the light came in the morning and feared where the next succession of noise would find it's destination.
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| some of the results of the night before |
The power went out that morning at about 5:30 and I had been awakened by another pre-recorded call from the schools, reporting another closed day.
I was kind of expecting it, with the way the weather was forecasted and what I gathered from watching the news. I was, of course hoping it would stay on. But, with all the trees around here and the ice and snow expected, there was bound to be a break somewhere. So, the day before, I had filled up a jug of water and did laundry, brought in some wood, which would later prove to be not enough.
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| the coop |
We had doughnuts and milk for breakfast. I started a fire to keep the house warm and cook.
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| powerlines in ice |
I went out to check on the chickens and the world was covered in ice.
Check out the post before this to see what the coop tree looked like before loaded down with hundreds of pounds of ice and snow.
I remembered that the forecast said it was not supposed to warm up till Friday. So, I carefully ventured out to the wood shed to get at least a few more bundles of the maple I split a few weeks ago.
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| orchard in ice |
Listening very carefully for the sound of the fall and ready to drop everything and run out of the shed along my path of escape to avoid the falling snag that loomed above the shed (hopefully). I managed to get 3 bundles and called it good-enough for today.
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| cooking soup for lunch |
We didn't have a space-heater and there was only a half-tank of gas in our little generator. So, I opted to use the generator only once a day to charge up anything that needed it and to re-cool the garage fridge and do anything else that needed electricity. I was not about to got out to the rock-shed and get the measly little gallon in there (that would require to traverse along a path of tree-bombs with no escape route).
The crashing of branches and trees continued through the day and into the night.
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Day 2 - Friday
Another sleepless night of branches and trees falling.
This morning I make delish mesquite-smoked turkey, egg and cheese toasted sandwiches in the fire. It takes WAY LONGER to cook in a fireplace with no cook-top (a wood stove would be SO NICE! And would heat way better!)
The snow and ice are still all over but it is supposed to heat up today (mid 40's). the van is coated with about 1/4 inch of ice sheet.
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| fallen orchard |
This morning the orchard fell.
I wanted to take most of the trees out anyway except the big apple.
A glimmer of hope shone briefly with the sun over the mountain this morning and for about 10 minutes it was beautiful to see the sun glint through the ice.
Did I mention my husband was out-of town in D.C. for a business meeting since Tuesday morning? Yeah. Just me and the kid and 5 pullets. He was supposed to come back yesterday but, got stranded in Detroit till tomorrow. Luckily (if that's' what you want to call it - in a way) he works for a great company that takes care of their people and they took care of his extra hotel at the airport, food and transportation. And, the International car show was still going on, something he has always dreamed of going to! So today, he is getting to spend as long as he wants (no having to drag our "not-so-enthusiastic-about-cars-ness" tired bodies around) without distraction at the biggest and best car show in the world! And, gets to sleep in a nice warm room, food cooked for him, hot shower, running water, hotel (although he said he would rather be home in the storm with us). Awe..... how sweet.
Here is a short video with sound of the crashes.
The crashing of the trees continues - although not so enthusiastically today.
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| our slushy gravel road |
It snowed, then warmed up enough to put a nice layer of ice on top, then sleeted, then snowed light soft snow, then freezing rain that soaked into the snow and sleet and formed a nice thick layer of ice on top, then snowed wet big flakes on top of that before it started to melt. yeah.
After noon, there is slush all over the roads but the main ones are clear and neighbors said it is ok to get up and down our hill as long as you dodge the tree limbs and go single file. We have some great neighbors with cool equipment. I saw a snowplow with treads and a guy on an ATV with a tiny plow runs up and down pushing branches to the side. Folks with chainsaws and cones helped clear the big stuff and mark dangers. And someone banked the paved hill so it was less-likely to slide off the cliff.
We had lunch and let the fire go out and got out of there! It took over a half hour for the van to warm up and for me to de-ice it.
The 2 towns we went to had no power. Just the major stores like Wal-mart and Safeway with big generators.
It did take us a while to get there because of all the detours and u-turns at road closed signs, back-tracking and dodging downed trees and powerlines.
We got some water and a few other things, touched "civiliation" again and headed back before it got dark to get things done.
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| detailing the duck and hen |
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| generator gourmet consolidation |
I had to plug up the generator again to charge things and cool down the garage fridge (where I had transfered all the perishables) and cook dinner on the waffle iron. Sabrina made improvements to her snow duck.
I fired up the fire again to get the chill out.
That night the clouds in the sky lit up from underneath like fireworks from the powerlines.
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| a huge branch almost took out the line to the pump |
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Saturday 21st
Yeah! Decent night sleep - no crash and booms. And my Hubby gets to come home today!
Things are melting from the rain and wind last nite.
Power still out but hope for turn-on in a few days because the clear roads.
Apples and his family even came over to look for food - they survived the storm. He even got closer - about 2 feet this time.
Hubby got home for lunch.
He kept the fire going most the night.
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Sunday 22nd
Power came back on about 2am. this morning. YEAH!!!!!!
I took a shower 1st thing! Never felt so good to take a shower!
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| tops snapped off |
We put out the fire - Yeah! I am so sick of tending the fire and house and everything else smelling of smoke.
We cleaned the house! Feels so good to get back to the modern conveniences!
This house is just not equipped properly for power outages.
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| orchard down |
We walked the property line along the street to see what needed to be done. There was a neighbor "crew" cleaning up the branches along the roadside already and we pitched in along our line. And we made notes of some areas that we needed to keep an eye on.
Then we carefully walked the west side of the property (where we could). The forest paths were blocked with debris and will take months to get cleaned up again. (and we just took the past summer cleaning up the place). Oh, well... more firewood for next year.
Here we go again!
2 - eliminated the vegetation between rows and in adjacent areas
Yeah, moles were an issue but got them under control. Never a shortage of moles in the area. Blueberry hill got 3 varieties. I ended up having to amend the soil. Normally, the soil here is ideal for blueberries except, this area was used as a storage area for gravel and made the soil way too alkaline and rocky leaving the bushes dried out and sad. I un-planted them, dug out the top 4 inches (the pile of gravel in the front). Then, I added a 1:1 ratio of peat-moss and compost and worked it in to the remaining top 3 inches deep and about 4 foot diameter. 2013 will show us how it does.
