Blizzard!

Yesterdays blizzard was great fun. The wind was howling and blowing snow between the boards on the horses side of the barn. Snow sliding off the roof was building large berms infront of the doors they go in and out. As storms go, this was a good one. I sat by the fire in my rocking chair, sipped coffee and read a book. Occasionally I'd look out and see how the storm was coming. It seemed to be doing just fine without me so I continued to read.

At three o'clock I decided to brush the tractor off and get ready to blow the road. The storm was supposed to end soon and I wanted to get most of the snow moved, but didn't really want to be snow bloiwing after dark and, much more importantly, Kris had been cooking all day and a large, menacing pile of dirty dishes had appeared and now threatened to take over the kitchen. It was time for action. "I got a go make a pass on the road before it gets too deep. Be back soon. Love you."

I was expecting a rough go of it. Usually the first snow storm is hard on the snowblower. Any large rocks on the surface of the road are scooped up by the snow blower and clang their way through or break a shear pin. Changing shear pins in a blizzard in heavy knee deep snow is not much fun although I am getting good at it. Still, when you hear the clang of a good sized rock you hold your breath till its over.

I had the blower tilted up so it would slide over a large part of rocks. It worked well enough that I only broke a fewe pins and bit my tongue once after a particularly nasty jolt. With the blower tilted, it leaves quite a bit of snow, but it packs down and covers the rocks you missed. The road becomes a super highway after a couple of passes. If it stays cold, the road will stay flat and smooth and be the best it is all year.

It was dark by the time I had made a pass both directions. This would make it a lot less work in the morning and since the danger of doing the dishes ended after dark (the light for doing dishes comes in the window during the day), I parked the tractor and waded through the drifts to the barn. I scooped just enough to get in the door. Normally there are two steps, but snow had piled up to the bottom of the door and you could just walk in and out. Since it was still a raging blizzard outside and I had just waded through drifts, I looked like I had scooped the road. I might be able to just walk in, grab my book and plop by the fire with hot chocolate. I tried to look exhausted and stepped in the kitchen.

"Ooohie, nasty out there!"

Kris looked up from chopping something and sized me up. "Go brush the snow off and bring some wood in. The horses need water too." My theatrics hardly ever work but hope springs eternal. I probably should have blew on my hands and shivered.

Kris had cooked three or four more things while I was out. If the blizzard lasted much longer our entire winter supply of food would be cooked. We had a stew, bread, pretzels, chex mix, sharing sauce, scones, broccoli salad, a new sourdough starter named fluffy, and cooked olives (I swear, cooked olives). I had said earlier in the day, I would make noodles and when I was done with the wood she remineded me. So I started on noodles and we added that to the soup. Did I mention soup?

I finally convinced her to stop when every pan, skillet, dish and piece of silverware in the barn needed to be washed. She agreed, but picked up a cook book and started reading. I surveyed the shelf with the dirty dishes. Hours of dishwashing lay ahead for someone.

"Looks like the blizzard is going to go on a little longer than the weatherman thought. I'll probably have to blow the road again first thing tomorrow." I pointed out happily. I could see that it would take me a very, very long time to clean up after this storm.