Let It Snow 2.0
Thanks to all for the positive comments. I should write about the weather more.
The fact is, the snow has really hit since my last post. There is close to three feet of powder around my house. The plows haven't been by all day, and the road is so deep S called in to work. The woman who was filling in for her (after staying up to celebrate the Eve) had her husband try to come up here and get her. He has a big diesel pickup with chains. He wouldn't even come all the way up the main highway. Power lines down and cars stuck in the snow all over 50. And trees across the road. Guess it's a good thing we stayed home.
But last night, madly, we went out. We left about 9 to head down the hill a few miles to celebrate new year's with a couple we know. I've never driven in snow that dense. I don't know what the technical definition of a blizzard is, but on the radio they often warn of 'blizzard-like conditions.' Usually, that's above us, over the pass. But I'll tell you, I couldn't see six feet in front of my car for the blowing snow at some points. I had no idea where the white line in the highway was (the center has a divider most of the way); I'd drift too far toward the shoulder and hear the thumpthumpthump tires make when they run over those indentations caltrans puts in the road to wake you up if you begin to slide off the highway. That's the only way I knew when I was going too far to the right.
That was only for about twenty minutes, though, and then we got down into the rain. But I couldn't relax the whole time we were there and we left about 11:00. It was still snowing as we climbed, but not as hard. And then this morning, at least a foot of new powder. I can shovel out the drive behind my wife's car, but the plow has to come by to get a subaru out in snow that deep.
This all makes me want to get a higher vehicle, a four wheel drive pickup maybe, with big cool tires. Ooh. Boyness.
***
I see it's still snowing. The blower my mom got us for Christmas wasn't put together right, and I got part way through with it before I just got too cold and wet. We don't really need it, probably, but it would be fun and cut some of the work.
I will recommend a new year's day lunch however: my wife made home made cornbread, collared (sp?) greens and black eyed peas. The greens and the peas have something to do with money and luck in the new year, but oh how good those greens tasted, covered in bacon and onion and vinegar, as I lifted my spoon with frozen fingers. And I will tell you something I discovered you probably won't hear anyplace else: cornbread with butter and honey goes exceptionally well with Schramsberg's Cremant demi-sec. You can get Schramsberg at Trader Joe's of all places: since they've been vending the stuff so long; it's cheaper at Trader's than even at a good wine store. Schramsberg is a wonderful sparkling wine house in Napa, and perhaps the finest sparkling producer in the US. Their Cremant is decadent, slightly sweet, almost chewy-creamy...nasty I want to say, with a strong California flavor. Very smooth. Have that with warm cornbread and honey, and you will be in new year's heaven. I think it's about twenty five bucks, no more than thirty I think (though S bought it this time). Worth it if you have the cornbread.
Well, S is sleeping on the couch, Mikey is bored and playing Madden video football, and the snow is beginning to fall harder. I see it's nearly to the bottom of my office window.
We still have electricity, which is amazing me. Great for the Monk and Twilight Zone marathons if nothing else.
Thanks again to all who read. Every comment touches me.
The fact is, the snow has really hit since my last post. There is close to three feet of powder around my house. The plows haven't been by all day, and the road is so deep S called in to work. The woman who was filling in for her (after staying up to celebrate the Eve) had her husband try to come up here and get her. He has a big diesel pickup with chains. He wouldn't even come all the way up the main highway. Power lines down and cars stuck in the snow all over 50. And trees across the road. Guess it's a good thing we stayed home.
But last night, madly, we went out. We left about 9 to head down the hill a few miles to celebrate new year's with a couple we know. I've never driven in snow that dense. I don't know what the technical definition of a blizzard is, but on the radio they often warn of 'blizzard-like conditions.' Usually, that's above us, over the pass. But I'll tell you, I couldn't see six feet in front of my car for the blowing snow at some points. I had no idea where the white line in the highway was (the center has a divider most of the way); I'd drift too far toward the shoulder and hear the thumpthumpthump tires make when they run over those indentations caltrans puts in the road to wake you up if you begin to slide off the highway. That's the only way I knew when I was going too far to the right.
That was only for about twenty minutes, though, and then we got down into the rain. But I couldn't relax the whole time we were there and we left about 11:00. It was still snowing as we climbed, but not as hard. And then this morning, at least a foot of new powder. I can shovel out the drive behind my wife's car, but the plow has to come by to get a subaru out in snow that deep.
This all makes me want to get a higher vehicle, a four wheel drive pickup maybe, with big cool tires. Ooh. Boyness.
***
I see it's still snowing. The blower my mom got us for Christmas wasn't put together right, and I got part way through with it before I just got too cold and wet. We don't really need it, probably, but it would be fun and cut some of the work.
I will recommend a new year's day lunch however: my wife made home made cornbread, collared (sp?) greens and black eyed peas. The greens and the peas have something to do with money and luck in the new year, but oh how good those greens tasted, covered in bacon and onion and vinegar, as I lifted my spoon with frozen fingers. And I will tell you something I discovered you probably won't hear anyplace else: cornbread with butter and honey goes exceptionally well with Schramsberg's Cremant demi-sec. You can get Schramsberg at Trader Joe's of all places: since they've been vending the stuff so long; it's cheaper at Trader's than even at a good wine store. Schramsberg is a wonderful sparkling wine house in Napa, and perhaps the finest sparkling producer in the US. Their Cremant is decadent, slightly sweet, almost chewy-creamy...nasty I want to say, with a strong California flavor. Very smooth. Have that with warm cornbread and honey, and you will be in new year's heaven. I think it's about twenty five bucks, no more than thirty I think (though S bought it this time). Worth it if you have the cornbread.
Well, S is sleeping on the couch, Mikey is bored and playing Madden video football, and the snow is beginning to fall harder. I see it's nearly to the bottom of my office window.
We still have electricity, which is amazing me. Great for the Monk and Twilight Zone marathons if nothing else.
Thanks again to all who read. Every comment touches me.
Comments
t