March IS Our Snowiest Month, After All...

This was the scene outside my front door, at 5:00, this morning.  Nice, wet, Spring snow is always pretty.  It's always a bit tough on the trees, as well.

I fed the dogs, including Ruby (whom I am dog-sitting), and put them out on the back porch.  Then, on my way out, I shoveled the walk before taking off.  I was a little nervous about the ride.  The last time we had this much snow, I was unable to ride on my normal route, and ended up on the busier plowed streets.

Conditions were pretty nice, this morning, though.  The snow was so wet that the few cars which had gone through in front of me had left either tracks of wet pavement, or tracks of nicely packed snow in which I could ride.  It was slow, especially at the intersections where the snow was churned up by turning cars.  The farther north I went, the worse the streets got, though.  Seems like fewer people get up early, in the Park Hill area.

As I approached the building, I met Dan Falls driving along in his big Ford diesel pick-em-up truck.

"Hey, Jonny!"  he yelled.  "We're closed.  The electricity is out at the building."

When the electricity is out, not only is it impossible to do any work, but we can't even get in the building.  The parking-lot gate was still closed and, even if we climbed it, the key-card system is inoperable without power.

So, I threw my bike in the back of his truck, and we went to the Breakfast Inn for...breakfast (oddly enough).

"Ghost tree", at the Breakfast Inn parking lot...

After breakfast, Dan dropped me at the house, and I let the dogs in.  The tv news informed me that State offices were opening at 10:00.  I emailed Beverly, at work, and asked her to call me if she was able to get in the building.  I don't really want to ride up there, again, just to turn around and come back.

It's amazing how sticky this wet snow is.  It's like wet concrete, so it sticks really well.  Once on the cold metal of the bike, the snows freezes, then more builds up.  My bike probably weighed about 30 pounds more, when I got home, than it did when I left.

It's a good thing that the Blue Spruce is flexible!

 Before knocking the snow off...

 After.

 Jack

 Ruby

 Oswald

As you can see, each of the dogs enjoys the snow in his or her own way...

As do I.

I just got word that we are officially closed. Woo-hoo!

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