Tuesday, February 7, 2017

The Big Snow

We live in the temperate marine climate influenced by the salt waters of the Pacific Ocean and Puget Sound. We don't get snow often, so when we get lots of it, it's a big deal. 

On Super Bowl Sunday it began to snow in micro climates around the region. For us the snow began about 5:00 in the evening. It snowed all night and into the morning hours, heavy, wet snow falling in temperatures just below to just above freezing. It loaded us up, sometimes to the breaking point. There were power outages as tree limbs snapped and brought down power lines. We were lucky. It looks like we escaped with no major losses, just lots of little branches and bowed down shrubbery.

It was beautiful while it lasted.


 By the time I got out to the street to collect the newspaper, it was about 10:00. A few folks had managed to navigate the hill. Oh, but not the newspaper delivery guy. No paper. 

 Monday is garbage day and Tom had to drag out the garbage can to the street. It made for easier walking for me. Later we got the message that there would be no pick up. Maybe today, maybe not.  

 Green man on the green house likes his new hat. 




 We left this one glass flower out for the winter. The snow has turned it into an exotic orchid. 



 The snow stick (ruler) measured just over nine inches in the lower yard, away from the tall trees. 
 My Muck Boots were required footwear. 

 Hydrangea blooms hang heavy. 
 Forsythia buds say "Not yet."



 There is a nice soft cushion on the garden seat. 

 By now the thick snow collected on the fir and cedar boughs overhead was beginning to fall in continuous avalanches, so I hurried under these and stayed close to the house as I made my way around the yard. 

 Tom had already been here before me to take photos with his phone to post on Facebook. Posting snow photos was the thing for the day. 
 The witch hazel had opened last week. Now it has to peek out from under puffs of fluff. 



 Another heavy hydrangea hanging over the path. 

 Tucked under the eaves, a survivor! Most of the winter jasmine in the garden got fried by an earlier hard frost. 
By the late afternoon, there was a steady drip, drip, and most of the crashing avalanches were over. We shoveled the driveway pad. 

Of course it all froze up overnight. We have appointments this afternoon so we'll try to get out of the driveway and up the hills. Gotta' go. 

19 comments:

  1. Wow! I knew that places in Seattle got a lot of snow, but I didn't realize you were in the midst of it. Love all your pictures, especially the cushion seat and the smiling gardener's hat! :-)

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  2. Looks like our world a couple of weeks ago. Beautiful but I'm happy with it happening only occasionally.

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  3. You got dumped on! At least your won't last too long:)

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  4. Late spring wet snows are so lovely as them make everything new and white. We got one of those, only about 6 inches, and I had lots of fun getting photos.

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  5. Your gardens must look like foreign territory with heavy snow like this. I never get tired of the beauty of a fresh snowfall.

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  6. Snow can be so beautiful, especially if you're not used to seeing it all winter long like we do here in Michigan. Great photos!

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  7. Great shots of the witch hazel! I hear we have a lo of rain coming and warmer temps, which should wash a lot of it away.

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  8. Isn't all the snow crazy? Schools were closed again today. I wonder if they'll be on tomorrow because I heard freezing rain mentioned. That should bring down some of those huge trees hanging heavily with snow.
    Your winter Jasmine is a spot of prettiness amid all the white.

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  9. Beautiful! Mahalo for the snow "tour".

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  10. Oh Linda, did you get it! You did get great photos. Keep safe and I hope the power doesn't go off.

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  11. Wow! What a winter wonderland. This would be a good snowfall for Chicago too. My granddaughter would be thrilled.

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  12. You gave us such a wonderful snow tour, my Grandchildren would love it.

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  13. Wow, your area looks like a New England state. Just beautiful though and aren't you glad you don't work for a living and have to get out in that. So glad you didn't lose power. That takes all the fun out of a snow day.

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  14. Oh it really was a pretty snowfall. The firs and cedars do look weighted down. Nine inches is a lot of snow!

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  15. Pretty winter wonderland. Enjoy it while it lasts.

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  16. Wow, Linda, I think you got more snow than we did out here in Granite Falls. We had about 6" in the open areas, and a heavy load on a lot of trees, but it all went away in about 20 hours when the warm front came through. Everything is green again. Hopefully that was our winter!

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  17. Snow is so pretty but I'm glad we don't get it very often here. Shoveling stairs and sidewalks isn't a fun activity.

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