Ice Storm '09

hippywife was worried about me and posted my predicament here
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=236&topic_id=54197&mesg_id=54197

I thought I would post pics here so I would kinda be on topic. I lost power to my greenhouse when the main power shut off and the generator has more important things to keep warm. I moved in as many plants as possible but finally quit once the tropicals were inside. The flats of vegetable starts had to perish as there was no room left inside. I haven't had the heart to look inside. I'll wait until we get power to assess the damage.

This is what it looked like Sunday morning at dawn from my front porch


Here is the same view this morning


So much for the wood staying dry


You are looking up our private road to the gate. Maybe the jeep can get through here!


These poor cedars got hit in the '07 ice storm and never stood straight after that


The willows took a beating

:hug:

I know it's just miserable. I don't know about you but I can't take much more cold and brown before I lose it altogether. I just don't winter very well anymore, I guess.

Glad you guys are making the best of it and staying warm down that way. Any idea when the power will be back on?

:hug:

Beautiful photos.
Very hard on living things, especially the tender greens.
Sorry abut your losses.

We are very close.
Amazing the difference a few miles can make.
We (Hatfield/Mena) were just south of the freezing rain line, and missed most of the bad stuff.
Just up the road things are very nasty.

Stay warm.
Spring is just around the corner.
Love to you and yours.

Bob & Kirsty

The ice is melting rapidly this afternoon as the temperature is 34 degrees and the sun is shining. The commercial power is still off but the generator is doing its job nicely. We have not tried to make the trip to town yet as there is no need to go and the first hill you have to conquer is all twists and turns with lots of cliff edges and is always in the shade so melting is slow. Easy coming down, not so much going up. The electric coop said we would probably have power by the end of the day.

I really hate to see my emergency mini-vacation come to an end.

:applause:

Laundry time!

Thanks to all for your concern. :yourock:

I just followed your link from C&B. So glad all is well and you can fire up the washing machine!!!

Power back on, isn't that just the best :-)

Our power goes out pretty often, but it's never out for more than a day. We live in northern MN so the power companies have alot of experience. We don't have power lines in the air anymore - they are all buried underground.

Glad you have the means to survive! Winter storms don't suck so much if you really don't have to go out, eh? Warmth, food and friends to share it with - that's what makes good neighbors/friends.

The pics you posted are spellbinding. Thanks for including them.

:hi:

in Norman, we had a heck of a lot of ice, but no power outages.

All the roads but our own were mostly melted this morning, but still a little slick from refreezing. I haven't obeyed a 4-way stop all week! LOL

Congrats on weathering the storm with real aplomb once again! :hug:

we once again dodged the bullet in Stillwater with just a dusting of ice and sleet. Today it is 61 and climbing. Hope everything is back to normal soon for you.

Did you lose a lot of trees? It's sad the amount of damage an ice storm can do to beautiful old trees.

I estimate we lost a total of 20 trees. This was not as bad as the '07 storm. We lost at least 50 trees that time. Whole trees will fall over but the real problem arises when the tops of trees are broken off. Even though you have trunks still standing, the tree will eventually die after it has lost it's top.

6 flatbed trailers (4'x 10' with 6' sides) was hauled to the chipper shredder over the weekend. The '07 storm took out the two 30 year old pines we had and many many cedars. The cedars don't sadden me at all as they are taking over this part of the country. They kill out the other trees through an enzyme they put in the soil. I am replacing trees with ones that are drought tolerant and break resistant.

My "lemonade" out of this lemon situation is firewood for next year.

That is a good thought for certain!

I used firewood heat for 30+ years. You have that now. Best to ya!

Just an aside...store the wood outdoors...NOT next to the house. Mice, rodents, and nasty insects and critters infest that wood and even might come indoors if the wood is stored semi-warm next to the house.

My worst was dealing with oak wilt. That kills cats if they lick the bark/wood. It first drives them absolutely insane, then kills them.

OAK WILT KILLS PETS.

That is where we store our wood. The tree tops that broke off caved in the roof. We have raised the roof and supported it with angle iron. This is 50 - 60 ft away from the house.

We have enough critters outside without developing habitat for them.:)

Just wow.

Stay safe and warm.

Wonderful pics!