Third Storm Day

Today was the third day of the Christmas blizzard here. The wind did go down some at times but by this afternoon we had more snow coming down and the wind picked up for a little while. I bundled up and went outside for the first time in 3 days and took some photos after lunch.

This first photo is a view east towards the apple tree showing the large 5 foot drift across the driveway. You can see how the wind blew all the snow off some places and drifted large drifts in other places.

John used the large snow blower on the back of the tractor to break through the drift. He started cleaning snow in the morning but quit when the wind came up and everything started drifting shut again.

North west corner of our house - the drift stayed about 3 feet away from the house but the entire yard west and north of the house was filled with snow. The fir and spruce trees had a drift in front of each of them that were about 5 feet tall and the rest of the yard had at least 2 feet of snow in it. Those small drifts looked like pointed igloos in a row.

OK, here is a view of the monster drift outside my sewing room. The black thing next to the house is the air conditioning unit that is about 3 1/2 feet tall to give you some idea of size.

The monster drift ended a few feet from the garage wall with all kinds of points of snow. My dead flower stalks are still in the flower bed next to the garage but are now flat. I should have had all of my flower beds cleaned up this fall but just didn't get it done.

Braving the cold wind and blowing snow in my face I walked through the drifts to the highway and took the next two photos of the snow in our back yard. It really filled the yard but if you would look across the road and behind the house the fields are pretty bare since they were either soybean fields or wheat fields last summer and there is nothing to catch the snow. The young windbreak trees are now about 7 feet tall and are starting to slow down the wind but it is too bad the snow blew right between them then stopped in our yard.

Now I am south of the house, south of our Quonset. The snow really filled in and drifted here too. That drift on the left is about 8 feet tall.

Our lighted windmill didn't get snow under it but the horse trailer has a large one beside it. The strong winds blew the star a quarter of the way around the windmill then it did something to the lights too as they are not on at all now.

Here is our monster drift I have taken so many photos of - notice the photo I posted yesterday as the plant hanger with the bunnies on top was showing but by this morning they are no where to be seen and have been covered up with an even larger drift.

Looking north from my sewing room window - notice all the smaller (5 feet) drifts by each tree.

This afternoon John used the skid steer loader to try to pile more snow on the piles to get it out of the way. There are drifts in the lot and the calves have one beside the hay trailer. They were standing on the drift and they could reach over and eventually some climbed inside. John did get the snow cleared around the fence so they could not walk over the fence tonight plus got the snow away from the feeder too.

Think the storm is over, I hope, I hope. The weather people say we still could get another inch or two but think the strong winds will be gone for good.

My brother is hoping to get out to see my mother tomorrow as he will have to drive back to Kansas City on Monday to catch his flight on Tuesday. We have had to postpone our celebration with our kids, grandkids, my mother, brothers and sisters, and John's sister and her family - everyone. Basically we are still waiting for Christmas - glad everyone is safe but will be excited to get together and give them all a hug.

Lynn