Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
tiffy_z5_6_can

Too much ice - had enough of winter.

tiffy_z5_6_can
15 years ago

OK, it's been a different one this year, winter that is. I am now at my rope's end.

For the last few weeks we have been shuffling on ice to get to the cars in the driveway. For two weeks the main entrance to the house was cordoned off with yellow tape and visitors to the house were told to use the basement entrance.

Every once in a while the forecast will call for slightly above freezing temps, but the temps never make it up there. Then we get sucker-punched by another storm which dumps ice pellets on us for 8 hours. Of course they freeze all together and create ice shields that look like snow banks.

Simply going to fill the bird feeders is a chore. Yesterday I gave up and put on DH's spikey rubbers over my boots. Felt like I was ready to hike up a glacier!!!

I got those bird feeders filled, but what got to me yesterday was my DD falling on the ice as she was trying to help us bring groceries into the house. Luckily she didn't break anything but her whole left leg is out of commission for basketball, skating, and such.

I am so angry at this winter. I wish it would stop behaving this way and go back to the normal routine of 'snow storm one week, next week big melt'. The ice is just too much and it's been a long one. Our winters typically start in mid-January, but this year we got hit in late November and it has yet to stop.

OK, I've vented. Time to go sow a container of something and while outside placing it on an ice bank look up to the Gods and tell them "THAT'S ENOUGH!!!!". Think they'll hear me??

Comments (20)

  • mnwsgal
    15 years ago

    I understand your frustration, Nicole, and glad that your daughter's leg was not broken. Will they hear? Maybe. Will they listen? Probably not.

    Sounds like you are having a MN winter. It is not unusual in the spring for us to still have some of the snow from our first fall snowstorm. We look forward to our January thaw when temps get above freezing and some of the snow piles begin to melt. That, of course, means icy sidewalks, streets and paths to the birdfeeders.

    This year January had record low temps and no thaw--very, very, cold. Thankfully, we have had a couple of nice days last week. Temps in the mid-30s. Lots of the snow has melted and the back yard is covered in ice. I walk very carefully to the bird feeders and bird bath. I expect to fall a couple of times during the winter and have learned how to twist my body in ways to minimize injuries. I moved one of the feeders to avoid the bit of inclined path to the other feeder.

    Snowfalls have been light this year. Hope that does not indicate a drought for the summer.

  • PVick
    15 years ago

    The weather all over the world seems to have gone nuts!

    Sorry to hear about your daughter, Nicole - hope she's all better soon. Do be very careful on that ice.

    Here in NYC, we've not had that much snow (mostly rain or "snain"), but this cold-warm-freezing cold-warm-cold cycle is beginning to get on my last nerve. We had a 63°F day a few weeks ago, preceded and followed by temps in the teens, with serious negative degree windchills. If it's winter, then it needs to stay winter until it's not winter anymore. My containers are really going thru the freeze-thaw thing this year. I'm just fearful that when temps should be warming up, we'll get walloped with a freeze! Needless to say, the whole darned city is sneezing and coughing all over itself.

    I do have much less to complain about than others - no slipping on ice (BTDT), shoveling out from under tons of snow, etc., etc., etc. But, I'm definitely ready for spring -- I think ...

    PV

  • playintheyard
    15 years ago

    I so hear you!! The ice was 6" deep on walkway no way to get rid of it and I went down. Thankfully over the last week most is gone. I have never had such spring fever!! If we end up w/ all rain this spring I'll be a grade A _itch!!

  • nancy_drew
    15 years ago

    This winter has been rough! I can't get over how long we had ice and snow without a thaw. We had a 10 foot snow mound near the exit of our complex, that still hasn't gone away... it started in early December! I did notice that the snow plow ran over a few very old and ugly bushes... thank goodness they're gone. The perfect opportunity for a little guerrilla gardening!!


    Now if I can just find a chain saw somewhere!

  • jspeachyn5
    15 years ago

    Oh how funny.
    I had two old dying cedar trees that needed to be whacked down last year after the ice. You know the kind that get those bag worms, yuck! Kept asking people w/chain saws to do it. well that didn't, so...
    I took a cordless reciprocation saw to them. (I think that is what it is called). Had them down in now time. : )
    Now have nice new flower beds I built last spring.
    Some one asked how I got them down. I just smiled, where there is a will there is a way.
    Hope it thaws out for you all soon. Be careful. Just up and down temps here last few weeks. An very windy.
    Bonnie

  • nancy_drew
    15 years ago

    Oh wow! Bonnie, I am so impressed! I can handle one of those just fine! We have at least half a dozen trees tilted in every direction, just waiting to come crashing down! Yes, I had been hoping with the winter we've had that they would fall, but so far... nada!

  • jspeachyn5
    15 years ago

    Well it might not have been the best choice of saws. but it was that or a hand saw. Knew that would kill me for sure. Or a circular saw. Nope bad choice. so I used what I had. They were only about 10-12". So had to work around the trunk to get them down.
    Be careful w/those limbs. I'm tired of the ice.
    Bonnie

  • tiffy_z5_6_can
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Bonnie... You are giving me ideas. DH left a whole bunch of branches on the lawn in the fall which will need cutting.

    DD recovered well. Lots of nice purple/red bruises but the priorities of a 14 year old are the dances at school and there's one this week so she was back on her feet limping and getting off to school on Monday.

    We are heading into another ice storm on Thursday so it's definitely not over yet. I keep reminding myself that March is on it's way with Daylight Saving Time happening on the 5th. Yay!!

  • floodthelast
    15 years ago

    With all the ice and wind lately we have a lot of branches down. I have been collecting the big ones to use as pole bean teepee's. I may make a couple of trelis' for the MG's too. There are still quite a few I'd like to see on the ground, too much shade and all that. I have a limb chopper but it's manual and hard for me to control for the high stuff.

  • barefoot_contessa
    15 years ago

    The changes in the weather is actually silently freaking me out a bit. What do the years ahead hold in store for us?
    I am sorry about your daughters leg. I know your pain of wanting to go out and kick the crap out of that ice because it hurt your daughter. If I were to move, surely I would miss the snow, but I wouldn't miss the wind and ice. Who knows what warmer states winters will be like eventually either. I have family in Oklahoma who are very confused about their winter this year.

    Come on spring! We NEED you!

    Wishing you all warmer weather,
    Carrie

  • retiredprof
    15 years ago

    UGGH! Rain, sleet and snow predicted for northern DE this afternoon and into tonight. This latest forecast really has bummed me out.

    Prof

  • nancy_drew
    15 years ago

    We're expecting more snow and ice, right now it's raining.

  • brandymulvaine
    15 years ago

    Well, I have fired winter, but he just won't leave!!LOL!!

    We got some freezing rain last night pelting the north side of the house, I fell asleep pretending it was just rain...
    -B

  • jspeachyn5
    15 years ago

    We were in the 70's here wednesday.
    Now we are to get some snow on saturday. It is 29 out right now.
    Too cold to go out an check for new babies?? Yep, I got a taste of warm an now don't want to go out today.
    Bonnie

  • brandymulvaine
    15 years ago

    I know there is a rain dance, does anyone know if there is a warm<?font>sunnyday dance?
    -B

  • floodthelast
    15 years ago

    I was sad about the rain this morning. My yard flooded again of course. Then I taught my toddler to look under rocks for worms and put them in the compost bin. Worms are my silver lining for the day. :)

  • nancy_drew
    15 years ago

    brandy: "I know there is a rain dance, does anyone know if there is a warmsunnyday dance?"

    Yeah there is, it's kind of like "The Chicken Dance" except there's no clucking.

  • tiffy_z5_6_can
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    'Worms are my silver lining for the day. :)' You are too cute Floodthelast!!

    OMG!!!!! Here we go again! We had 1, yes ONE, nice day last week where things went a bit above the freezing mark and now the forecast is calling for three days of snow and ice.

    I am now in a permanent fetal position...

  • jspeachyn5
    15 years ago

    Hummm the chicken dance.
    That brings to mind a memory of making an fool of my self to please my 3 yr granddaughter. In full view of any one who was near the city park. We did this for my fathers birthday party. She had one of those singing/music b-day cards. Yep total fool.

    But hey I don't mind watching someone else for a change : )
    We had 18 for the temp last night after it snowed yesterday. Now it is 40 an to be in the 60's by thur.

    It's a wonder everyone is not down w/phenomena.
    Bonnie

  • drippy
    15 years ago

    Grumble, grumble, grumble...I'm coming back as a bear in the next life...enough winter already.

    And Tiffy, you must be getting today the $#%^ we had yesterday. My sympathies.

Sponsored