We got hit by a freak snowstorm yesterday and awoke to 9 inches of snow on the ground and everything in sight. A nice ending to the month of February but really freaky, since it was 70 degrees 2 days ago, and we expect to see 70 degrees later this week. What could be really upsetting is that not only is the south not ready for this type of weather, but there was nothing we could do to prevent the destruction that awaited us this morning.
We have a canopy over the patio in the backyard.
Correction: We HAD a canopy.
The weight of the snow weighed down the canvas and bent the bars holding the canvas up. The result is an inverted canopy with lots of snow and ice still on it. Fortunately, we are not panicking about it. Casualties are to be expected during weather of this kind. I related to the boys how the roofs of shopping centers have been known to collapse under this kind of weight, and that we were lucky to have escaped serious damage to our house and garage. In fact, we were fortunate not to lose power and heat.
Memphis is known to be ill-prepared for any type of extreme weather. We lose power in the cold, in the heat, during storms, and for no reason at all. We had an ice storm here February 11, 1994 and it collapsed trees onto power lines. We lost power and heat, but we were lucky. We were only out of power for 40 hours. The rest of the city and suburbs were out for up to 3 weeks. When we found out the extent of the damage from that storm, Steve and I traversed the mangled city streets to get to where he works to borrow a generator. We were able to run 3 things from the generator. We alternated between the tv, lights, heat and the refrigerator. The Winter Olympics were on tv, and we sat watching them, while I made sweaters for the boys with my knitting machine. I made sweaters for both of them during that storm, and when the boys outgrew them, I put them safely away in the attic as memories.
Another storm gave us straight-line winds that toppled several thousand hundred-year-old trees in the city, and took down 2 of our own trees. Again, the city streets were a snarled mess. We were fortunate to escape that storm without damage to our vehicles. Down the street, a neighbor wasn't as lucky. Their large tree rested in the middle of their smashed car, right in front of their house. If the tree had fallen the other way, it would have collapsed their roof. Again we were out of power, but the weather was warm that time, so we could do without a generator for the most part. But we drove to West Memphis to take our showers at my husband's mother's house. The area has still not quite recovered from those winds. The forest at Shelby Farms looked as if a buzz saw had cut off the tops of the trees.
So back to our canopy. This is the second time we have lost a canopy over that patio. Since we tiled over the old broken concrete, the time may soon be arriving when we will put up a solid roof and walls there. It would be a nice addition to the house, and would add a weather-proof path to our workout room (garage) as well as about 200 more square feet. We could add a free-standing fireplace to the room or a hot tub, and my plants would have a nice sunny place to grow without taking up all the floor space in the rest of the house.
Or we could just move.
Nazdrovie'
Paczki Puta
Showing posts with label Snow. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Snow. Show all posts
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Lighting Up The Snow and Winter Fun
We took down the Christmas tree this week. I was really sorry to see it go this year. We had put it up a week late, due to our home being a wreck during the recent redecorating of our office/study and I guess I didn't get my fill of the lights, so I was sorry to see it come down. It's like the light going out of your life (and whatever am I going to put in that dark spot in the living room?) However, we have a way of keeping Christmas in mind through March every year. We leave our lights up outside until after the first snow. Yes, we have snow in Memphis. We just have less of it than say, Chicago, New York or Detroit. We get about 4 inches per year, and if we get it all at once, that's a good snowfall! A snow that big begs to be celebrated. It goes without saying that the city shuts down, due to all the slippin' and slidin' going on on the road. And when it snows those big, wet flakes... ahhhhhhh... there's nothing like it. But I digress.
Snow is big news here. Whenever there is even a HINT of wintry weather coming our way, as was the case TWICE in the past week, you'll hear Dave Brown doing a teaser "Is snow in our forecast? Find out at 5." Uh huh. Most of the time, we don't get it. But when we DO... and it looks like it's going to be a good snowfall... by that I mean that it's the sticking kind, not the "I'm gonna make Memphis look worse wet than it does dry" kind, we hook the extension cord up to the lights that have been patiently waiting since everyone else kicked their Christmas trees to the curb the day after Christmas, and voila! Instant holiday spirit! We go out in the snow and let Tucker get a good romp in it, and watch as the chihuahuas pick up their tiny feet and look up at us as if to say "I don't like it, I don't like it, I don't like it..." We watch as cars go by, swerving all over the road as the driver tries to get a glimpse of our lights and keep both hands on the wheel while trying to avoid the next crazy motorist. A common sentiment here is "I know how to drive in it, it's just all the other idiots don't!" With that logic, it would seem that all Memphians know how to drive in snow. (Most of them can't even drive when it's dry, but again, I digress.)
Last year, we had a 4 inch snowfall, turned on our Christmas lights, took pictures, and sent them to the local tv station with a picture of Tennessee Tucker Blue in it. No surprise that it ended up on the news. Anything with "Tennessee" in it, will usually garner a few minutes of air time. And with the "Great White Death" coming out of the sky... well, you know it's definitely going to hit the news.
I remember one year when the boys were small, that we had a decent storm come through. There was ice, then snow, then ice again. Of course, we stayed home from work and school... long enough to get our sled out and trek over to the nearest hill. The boys had never been sledding before, and as a seasoned Chicagoan, I was anxious to show them the joys and travails of traveling down a frosty slope on two thin blades of metal at breakneck speed. The boys were asking us "how do we do it" so I took that occasion to put my behind on that poor little sled and mushed down the hill. What a great glide! The boys wanted in on the action, and fought over who went next. First was Jason, then Rhys rode with Steve. Over and over again, they took to the hill with gleaming smiles and rosy cheeks. I think I only got one more turn down the hill, but I didn't care. Just watching the guys made my heart glow. Our neighbors caught up with us at the very same hill, armed with nothing but a piece of cardboard box for a sled. Everyone had a blast. And when our fingers and toes were good and frozen, lips numb and noses running, back to the house we went for some homemade hot cocoa and apple pie. Mmmmmmmm.... Sounds good! I think I'll go have some. There's no snow, but that's no reason not to have pie!
So... no snow for now. But it's still January, and the latest snowfall we remember is March 7 of 2008. But those lights are ready, just in case...
Nazdrovie'
Paczki Puta
Snow is big news here. Whenever there is even a HINT of wintry weather coming our way, as was the case TWICE in the past week, you'll hear Dave Brown doing a teaser "Is snow in our forecast? Find out at 5." Uh huh. Most of the time, we don't get it. But when we DO... and it looks like it's going to be a good snowfall... by that I mean that it's the sticking kind, not the "I'm gonna make Memphis look worse wet than it does dry" kind, we hook the extension cord up to the lights that have been patiently waiting since everyone else kicked their Christmas trees to the curb the day after Christmas, and voila! Instant holiday spirit! We go out in the snow and let Tucker get a good romp in it, and watch as the chihuahuas pick up their tiny feet and look up at us as if to say "I don't like it, I don't like it, I don't like it..." We watch as cars go by, swerving all over the road as the driver tries to get a glimpse of our lights and keep both hands on the wheel while trying to avoid the next crazy motorist. A common sentiment here is "I know how to drive in it, it's just all the other idiots don't!" With that logic, it would seem that all Memphians know how to drive in snow. (Most of them can't even drive when it's dry, but again, I digress.)
Last year, we had a 4 inch snowfall, turned on our Christmas lights, took pictures, and sent them to the local tv station with a picture of Tennessee Tucker Blue in it. No surprise that it ended up on the news. Anything with "Tennessee" in it, will usually garner a few minutes of air time. And with the "Great White Death" coming out of the sky... well, you know it's definitely going to hit the news.
I remember one year when the boys were small, that we had a decent storm come through. There was ice, then snow, then ice again. Of course, we stayed home from work and school... long enough to get our sled out and trek over to the nearest hill. The boys had never been sledding before, and as a seasoned Chicagoan, I was anxious to show them the joys and travails of traveling down a frosty slope on two thin blades of metal at breakneck speed. The boys were asking us "how do we do it" so I took that occasion to put my behind on that poor little sled and mushed down the hill. What a great glide! The boys wanted in on the action, and fought over who went next. First was Jason, then Rhys rode with Steve. Over and over again, they took to the hill with gleaming smiles and rosy cheeks. I think I only got one more turn down the hill, but I didn't care. Just watching the guys made my heart glow. Our neighbors caught up with us at the very same hill, armed with nothing but a piece of cardboard box for a sled. Everyone had a blast. And when our fingers and toes were good and frozen, lips numb and noses running, back to the house we went for some homemade hot cocoa and apple pie. Mmmmmmmm.... Sounds good! I think I'll go have some. There's no snow, but that's no reason not to have pie!
So... no snow for now. But it's still January, and the latest snowfall we remember is March 7 of 2008. But those lights are ready, just in case...
Nazdrovie'
Paczki Puta
Monday, December 1, 2008
Clear and 2° in Ely, MN
As much as I love Ely, MN, there are times I'm really glad I live in the south.
Take today, for instance. I have been working around the house, getting rooms cleared out, and generally, I leave the windows cracked open to let fresh air mingle with the old oxygen-depleted air typical of the indoors. But this evening I'm cold. And when I say I'm cold, I mean I had to close all the windows... except the one in the powder room, which I keep cracked open almost all the time. But as cold as I have been this evening, it's nothing compared to the bone-cold of the Northwoods.
The weather report for the greater Ely area this evening is clear and 2°. Brrrrrrr! Whenever I think about how I would love to move up to the BWCA, with its crisp, clear water, unpolluted skies and abundant wildlife, I slap myself around and try to remember how cold COLD can be. Since moving to Memphis in 1982, I have had to adjust to milder weather than I was used to, growing up in the Chicago area. I can count on one hand the times we have had temperatures below the freezing mark, and snowfalls of four inches or more are equally as rare.
Usually, one inch of snow in Memphis is enough to close the schools. I guess the school system doesn't want to be responsible for the safety of their students once it starts to snow. But "White Death Panic" is not exclusive to the school system here. Colleges, churches and community activities shut down immediately. Some businesses close, but most have an "inclement weather policy" in which they outline what to do in case of a snow emergency. This policy generally states that although the employer will be open for business, they caution their employees to take care in traveling to work. Nice. Especially since mass pandemonium ensues once the first flake hits the ground. I remember one winter in particular, when we received 8 inches of snow. Weather forecasters went on the air saying "Do I see snow in the forecast? Details at 10." Just the mere mention of snow in the forecast is enough to cause unrest in the city. Grocery stores were emptied of all bread, milk and toilet paper the night before the storm hit. The city shut down for a week.
I guess I should mention here that there is no snow removal equipment in Memphis. Okay, "no snow removal equipment" is not quite accurate. There are four snow plows in the city of Memphis. Got that? FOUR! And what about salt-spreaders? None! They spread "cinders" here. Cinders = ash. Huh? How am I supposed to get around the scores of idiots who, instead of waiting it out a little, immediately take to the roads to get home before they melt if they are not using something that will give a little traction?
Add to that the fact that Memphis winters are not pretty anyway, and you have a place that has milder temperatures, but all in all, is not worth staying in for the winter. Suddenly, clear and 2° isn't sounding so bad.
Nazdrovie'
Paczki Puta
Take today, for instance. I have been working around the house, getting rooms cleared out, and generally, I leave the windows cracked open to let fresh air mingle with the old oxygen-depleted air typical of the indoors. But this evening I'm cold. And when I say I'm cold, I mean I had to close all the windows... except the one in the powder room, which I keep cracked open almost all the time. But as cold as I have been this evening, it's nothing compared to the bone-cold of the Northwoods.
The weather report for the greater Ely area this evening is clear and 2°. Brrrrrrr! Whenever I think about how I would love to move up to the BWCA, with its crisp, clear water, unpolluted skies and abundant wildlife, I slap myself around and try to remember how cold COLD can be. Since moving to Memphis in 1982, I have had to adjust to milder weather than I was used to, growing up in the Chicago area. I can count on one hand the times we have had temperatures below the freezing mark, and snowfalls of four inches or more are equally as rare.
Usually, one inch of snow in Memphis is enough to close the schools. I guess the school system doesn't want to be responsible for the safety of their students once it starts to snow. But "White Death Panic" is not exclusive to the school system here. Colleges, churches and community activities shut down immediately. Some businesses close, but most have an "inclement weather policy" in which they outline what to do in case of a snow emergency. This policy generally states that although the employer will be open for business, they caution their employees to take care in traveling to work. Nice. Especially since mass pandemonium ensues once the first flake hits the ground. I remember one winter in particular, when we received 8 inches of snow. Weather forecasters went on the air saying "Do I see snow in the forecast? Details at 10." Just the mere mention of snow in the forecast is enough to cause unrest in the city. Grocery stores were emptied of all bread, milk and toilet paper the night before the storm hit. The city shut down for a week.
I guess I should mention here that there is no snow removal equipment in Memphis. Okay, "no snow removal equipment" is not quite accurate. There are four snow plows in the city of Memphis. Got that? FOUR! And what about salt-spreaders? None! They spread "cinders" here. Cinders = ash. Huh? How am I supposed to get around the scores of idiots who, instead of waiting it out a little, immediately take to the roads to get home before they melt if they are not using something that will give a little traction?
Add to that the fact that Memphis winters are not pretty anyway, and you have a place that has milder temperatures, but all in all, is not worth staying in for the winter. Suddenly, clear and 2° isn't sounding so bad.
Nazdrovie'
Paczki Puta
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