1.30.2010

Snowy Saturday

Ah, winter...
First it's cold, then it's warm, then it snows! Last weekend we were chasing down frogs, snakes and even turtles. Today the high temperature was 30 degrees F and we got six inches of snow. Six inches is a pretty heavy snow for these parts. There were lots of closures and cancellations, and folks pretty much stayed off the roads. You hardy Adirondack-types would call this weather balmy and be amused by our inability to function -- but that's okay, 'cause like I said, last week we were chasing frogs ;)

A view from the porch as the snow was falling...
 
Our house looking cold and gray...
 
Our road at around 3:00 this afternoon.  We've had maybe five vehicles pass by today...
 
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The pond is right at the end of our road.  Treebeard and I bundled up and headed out to see if anything was moving on the water...
 
Something had been swimming through the slush...
 
Turned out to be a nutria.  It didn't look happy...
 
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Last week there were turtles basking in the sun out there...
 
No reptiles today!
 
There were a few ducks, but they declined to be photographed...
 
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Me, all layered up for our walk.  Waterproof outer layer and fleecy inside - perfect...
 
The stream that runs through the swamp just below our property.  This is a good spot to find cottonmouths when it's warm out...
 
Another view of our road.  And no, it won't be plowed.
 
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We walked about 3.5 miles through some very fluffy snow. Powder certainly gives one a workout! Good thing we got plenty of exercise -- Treebeard is cooking up baked brie and French bread as I type and I have a feeling he bought a good bottle of wine to go with it.

18 comments:

sweetbay said...

Great snow day post! Northerners may scoff at everything shutting down when it snows here, but the real secret is that Northerners can only drive in snow because there's a budget to plow the roads up there. Things get just as paralyzed up there if they run out of money to clear the roads.

My horses didn't look much happier today than that Nutria -- and they were wearing waterproof blankets.

Wilma said...

I really enjoyed your post of the snowy swamp today. I especially liked seeing the track the nutria made. Hope you are back to finding frogs soon!

cheers,
Wilma

swamp4me said...

sweet bay,
One of my colleagues at work is from PA. He thinks it is crazy that everything shuts down here when the snow flies. I told him to just relax -- for us, snow means a vacation day ;)

swamp4me said...

Wilma,
Glad you liked the snow-covered swamp -- it doesn't happen often here :) I'm sure all the frogs will be relieved when the snow melts and the sun comes out.

KaHolly said...

We have chipmunks, you have nutria. I think chipmunks are better. Less invasive! Loved joining you for your walk through the snow today. Such a lovely area, even under a blanket of snow. ~karen

Randy Emmitt said...

Nice photos of the snowy swamp! Here just north of Durham we got 6 inches also.

ksdoolittle said...

I'd love to spend some time around a swamp! But not in the snow. I get enough of that where I am! Love the frog on your sidebar! ~ks

Hugh Griffith said...

Your neato house looks good wearing a snow hat. Every house should wear a snow hat now and then.

woverman said...

You say five cars passed by today? Is that much different than normal? Haha!

swamp4me said...

KaHolly,
I agree and I would gladly trade the nutria for the chipmunks! The swamp definitely looks different under a cover of snow.

Randy,
It was a relief to get just six inches. For a while they were predicting we would get 12 to 18 inches!

ks,
Snow is a rare thing in these parts -- that makes it much easier to enjoy ;)

hugh,
Hehe...you should have heard the snow hat when it slid off the second story roof!

swamp4me said...

woverman,
:D Why I'll have you know that some days we get as many as fifteen cars down our road!

woverman said...

Does that count the trips of you and Treebeard? :-P

Marvin said...

Here and there looked very similar on Saturday -- minus swamp, plus hills. It's a mile and a half to the county dirt road so we won't be going anywhere until the snow melts.

jason said...

Gorgeous! There's just something about the silent and sudden change created by snow. I'm so glad you had a chance to get out in it and enjoy it. Though I'm sorry it meant no frogs...

swamp4me said...

Marvin,
Around here the primary roads get most of the attention, followed by those secondary roads that get the most traffic. Roads like ours are left in peace to thaw out naturally. We, too, will stay put until it's safe to venture out.

jason,
A walk in the snow is a grand thing. I don't know that I would care for a steady diet of it, but it is a nice treat every once in a while -- even if it means no frogs ;)

Anonymous said...

Beautiful snow. I'm envious. We only got about 2 to 2-1/2 inches. Ratdog got her first outing in the snow. She was not impressed!

SIL and coldfooted Ratdog

sweetbay said...

swamp4me, I lived in PA for 3 years too. lol One winter the townships really did run out of money to plow the roads and everything had to be shut down. The cars were just sliding around everywhere, as they do here because the roads aren't clear.

Ellen Rathbone said...

But ya gotta admit: all that snow and ice and slush is pretty to look at! Maybe not, if you're a soggy nutria, but for a well-bundled human with a good meal waiting at home, it's pretty darn nice!