Friday, January 20, 2012

The Four Horsemen of the Snowpocalypse

The Four Horsemen of the Snowpocalypse: Snow, Wind, Ice, and Ice Rain.

We had a much worse winter storm here in December 1996, but as I recall as bad as that was, we didn't lose any major public buildings. Yesterday the auxiliary gym/storage shed for McCleary School had the roof collapse. I only live a block away and was able to snap some phone photos as the authorities cordoned off the area with police tape.

Ice rain is almost unknown here, so when it happens the whole area gets hammered pretty bad.

Our loss of power here in McCleary has been sporadic. We have been much luckier than our neighbors in Olympia.




The photos taken below were shot this morning as I walked around the neighborhood.





Slushy spinout





Normally standing ramrod straight elm now completely bent



My yard is filled with medium-sized pine, elm and black walnut branches.

And now the thawing starts which means deep slush and floods, so it isn't over.

Phone photo 1093


On the map this place is designated as Whites, Washington but all the locals know it better as White Star

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Phone photo 1086

Frosty the Inappropriate Snowman


This morning I walked to beautiful downtown McCleary to get some breakfast since we are all snowed in up here in the hills. And in front of the only tavern in town is a snowman that was constructed, I somehow suspect, with alcohol being involved.

Why is this snowman inappropriate? It is as plain as the nose that used to be on his face.

Phone photo 1085

Phone photo 1084

Phone photo 1083

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Phone photo 1080

Winter Kept Us Warm, Covering Earth In Forgetful Snow

VFW Hall, McCleary, Washington

Charlie and Buster soak up the radiant heat of the woodstove






OK, so maybe T.S. Eliot was a snob, but he was a damn fine poet anyway.

Phone photo 1079

First Snow of the Season, McCleary, Washington











Dreamer contemplates the changed scenery

Charlie checks out the scene