March 18th, 2008
snow world
On March 8th, I wrote about the rapidly increasing snow around the farm. Over the past couple of days, the mild weather has knocked the snow back quite a bit. However, we’re still left with heaps of it everywhere we look. Yesterday, driving through the parking lot of a large shopping mall, it was as though I was driving through a field of icebergs. Snow was heaped so high that other vehicles weren’t visible until they popped out from behind a tall, snowy crag.
In the comments, I mentioned that I’d try to take a few photos of the snow accumulation for those who have expressed snow envy in the past. This is just an assortment of shots taken in the yard or through the windows of the house over the past week or so. They probably don’t need captions, but I’ve added a few words to identify the scenes.
For the past couple of weeks, the snow around the living room window was so high that it was like peering out of a snowy bunker (top and above photo – click on all photos for larger views).
This was the scene through the front window during the storm that heaped snow on us about 10 days ago. As you can see, the snow lies in fluffy drifts, most of which were about 5 feet high.
This was how the lane looked after the most recent snow. The snow was over knee deep and had drifted much higher in some places.
Here’s the studio building after the snow removal fellow had paid a visit. I’ve stopped trying to keep the path to the front door cleaned out as I’ve been hard-pressed just to keep things clear to the front porch of our house. I’ll let the sun clean things up.
This is the back yard as seen through our bedroom window. The snow has drifted and the surface nicely sculpted by the wind. The fire garden lies beneath the sea of snow, just to the left of the tall spruce tree. As you can see, the adirondack chairs (our measuring sticks) are completely submerged. With any luck, perhaps most of the snow will recede and they’ll reappear by the end of March (ha!!!).
March 18th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
Snow envy, yes!
Regardless of the annoyance, it’s still beautiful to look at, at least from afar. It’s the extreme version of changing seasons.
That represents a huge amount of water!
Thanks for the photos.
March 18th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
That kind of snow level reminds me of accumulations at high elevations. So surprising to see it in your backyard! It does look both beautiful and daunting. So, it’s got 13 days to melt away. Keep us posted!
March 19th, 2008 at 8:06 am
I’ve suffered from snow envy too… only now, maybe not so much! :)
March 19th, 2008 at 8:17 am
Wow. That’s some snow.
March 19th, 2008 at 8:29 am
Wayne – oh, i won’t argue that it isn’t beautiful. it certainly is. however, we’re getting to the point where enough is enough! (-:
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robin – yes, as of this morning, 12 more days to melt away! it’s raining this morning and that will help to knock it down. however, there’s more cold weather and a few flakes in the forecast, so winter doesn’t seem ready to give up its hold just yet.
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Karen – it’s definitely fun to have snow for awhile, but not so much when it’s this deep and winter drags out as it has this year. (-:
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Mark – yup, that’s some snow. i think we’ve only had one other year that rivaled this since we moved to the farm in the late 1970s.
March 19th, 2008 at 9:59 am
The melting and rain today seems to be causing alot of flooding on the streets around southern Ottawa. I hope your basement is safe!
On a side note, I was in Osgoode last week visiting a friend of a friend, my first visit there. The Main street looked like it had some very nice old buildings. I’ll take a better look in the summer.
March 19th, 2008 at 9:04 pm
Oh Bev! Lordy! It’s gorgeous and may the sun’s embrace dispatch it post haste :0)
Spring! Tomorrow!
(I really don’t believe it :0)
March 20th, 2008 at 9:00 am
Peter – I had to drive through the south end of Ottawa yesterday and there were some very large puddles! Our basement should be safe for now — we have a heavy-duty submersible pump down there as groundwater is a problem in our area. Regarding Osgoode village, if you’re back there, take a look around some of the back streets for other nice houses. Many of the homes are built of “artistic stone” (a kind of concrete block) which was produced at the Boyd block factory which still stands on one of the streets a couple of blocks back from Main Street. If you haven’t seen it before, here’s my website about the Boyd block architecture in Osgoode, and the Ottawa region.
http://magickcanoe.com/blog4/
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Cathy – I, it’s gorgeous, alright — but I’ll be GLAD to see the end of it!! Doesn’t look much like spring around my gardens yet! (-:
March 20th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
You can really see the depth where your driveway has been plowed–that’s a lot of snow!!
I guess you’re even more eagerly awaiting spring warmth!
March 21st, 2008 at 7:41 am
I definitely don’t have snow envy this year. Though when I see your photos I fell a bit better about Chicago’s share of this winter’s bounty. Still, it’s tough when we’re in the process of getting 7-9″ as I type this on the first day of spring.
March 21st, 2008 at 3:28 pm
Bev, even though there have been a few milder days, we still can’t see the street when we are backing out of the driveway in the village, and our snow removal person in Lanark has given up trying to plow the lane there – he simply clears a small space at the gate and we snowshoe up to the top of the hill – a distance of about a thousand feet – it’s darn good exercise.
Is the building in the fifth photo a cordwood or “log end” construction? if so, I am slightly envious, have always wanted one.
March 21st, 2008 at 5:15 pm
Nina – We sure are awaiting spring warmth. However, today, the wind has been out of the northwest and it feels more like January!
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Doug – I’ll be you’re a little weary of snow too. We still have so much on the ground here and not much warm weather in the forecast as yet. It doesn’t feel much like spring!
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Cate – The streets around my mom’s house in Ottawa are piled high with snow. You have to be very careful backing your car out onto the street. The studio building is a cordwood building (also known as stackwall). We built it and another barn in early 1980s.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:27 pm
Bev…Yikes! I think I’m cured of missing snow…your photos convinced me there’s such a thing as too much! Beautiful, yes, but way too much volume and subsequent hard labor for my way of life! I found the links to the Boyd block architecture in Osgoode to be fascinating! I’m a student (albeit a C- student) of architecture and the Boyd work was really interesting to me.
March 29th, 2008 at 7:56 am
John – Yes, Yikes! There actually *is* such a thing as too much snow! Glad you checked out the Boyd block architecture. As you might have read on that website, I researched the history and the construction when studying at university. We live near Osgoode village, so these buildings are part of the landscape.
April 7th, 2008 at 10:57 am
Bev, I am today beginning a blog and I stumbled on yours about the Jock — and then I looked at your photos — how beautiful.
Could I use one of Richmond Fen with backside of guy in canoe for my first post? I have taken liberty of doing it, with credit,and posting so you can see how I want to use it, but if you do not agree, I will certainly remove ASAP. I am in awe of your photos.
Thank you
Nancy
April 9th, 2008 at 7:27 am
nancy – thanks! i’ve posted a reply about the Richmond Fen photo on your blog.