leftover snow stories
When they looked outside this morning, the boys were delighted: "it snowed! and it's still snowing!" Isn't it lovely how they can keep a positive attitude? Actually, I was totally on board with their excitement, because the new snow was beautiful: big flakes sparkling in the air and soft whiteness covering the craggy brown and grey wreck left behind from last month's big snows. So we went for a delightful wet walk.
There was a lot of snow this winter, and I kind of got tired of writing about it (maybe after some of you got tired of reading!). So there are a few stories of this year's snow that I didn't get a chance to tell. Like the day I went up to shovel the roof!
the view from up top
It was pretty awesome. When I was painting the house I was terrified up on the ladder up near the eaves, but with my snow gear on and piles of snow all around me I didn't mind it a bit being even higher, up to the very peak of the roof itself. Plus it was nice to move all that snow without having to lift any of it above my head. And there was plenty of snow to move!
shovel provided for scale
In between then and now we had some pretty warm days, and it suddenly occurred to me that one day it would be spring... and I should be thinking about starting seeds! So I had to find the cold frame. It took a little work but I was able to discover it, with only one pane cracked by its heavy blanket of snow (it's probably a really good thing I got it cleared before it rained!).
very cold frame
But mixed in with the warm days have been lots more cold ones; some of the coldest days of the year, in fact, in terms of perceived temperature! Which means that there are definitely no plants outside yet, even under the cold frame. The positive side of the temperature fluctuations is that, on the cold days, the snow is finally firm enough for kids and dogs to walk on top of. Which means that the backyard became a place to play again for the first time in a month!
when you can walk you can dig
The chickens could also walk on top of the frozen snow, but that has no appeal to them, so their day of backyard enjoyment had to wait until there was some actual dirt visible. When that day arrived they were so delighted to get out!
chicken in the snow
Well, most of them were delighted... two of the young hens flew halfway across the yard only to land in a patch of soft snow where they stood still for half an our before I took pity on them and carried them back to the coop. They're going to wait a little bit until they can take their whole outing on dirt. Not, of course, that there's any dirt showing any longer, after this morning's snow. But not too long now!