The cedars aren't gonna come out of this one well. One was already bent over from the last time we got a heavy snow, some years ago, and now two more have joined it. Instant weeping cedar! Just add snow!
Lots of ice. Lots of snow. Everything's okay so far, beyond the cosmetic damage on the cedars...and two young pines...but it's one of those where there is a potential to go really bad and you can't do anything to prevent it from happening, so you go about your day and keep looking out the window to see if any of the trees are looking...scary.
There are a kajillion birds on the feeder. They vanish the instant it turns to freezing rain (or this morning's delightful freezing mist!) and return when it goes back to snow. Birds are remarkably intelligent about things that matter to birds.
Lotta sparrows, lotta cardinals, lotta juncos. Yesterday was wall-to-wall doves, more than I've ever seen in the garden at one time--I counted fourteen--but they're gone today. Very few chickadees. I suspect ice storms are hardest on the teeny tiny birds. Thrush-Bob is demanding frequent mealworm delivery and expects his water thawed on demand.
We were on the road for about twenty minutes yesterday, just as things started, getting gas for the generator. It was bad. I nearly ditched the car, even with ten years of Minnesota winter under my belt, because there is no amount of skill that can compensate for the guy in front of you stopping way too fast. I breathed on the brakes, slid, steered some direction that didn't kill us, so it must have been correct. There was a conveniently placed driveway, and we stopped before sliding into the drainage ditch. (Kevin commended my reflexes, which is nice. Apparently "Guided Graceful Slide" is still on the active skill list.)
So we're all still alive. Glad I work at home. (Despite that, I have the urge to scream "SNOW DAY!" and spend the day in pajamas, but y'know.)
Out of curiosity, have you ever done any Andy Goldsworthy-style land art?
Not something you would need all the time, but very helpful at times like this.
Our first winter here in Kansas was pretty exciting, just for teaching my Mississippi born and bred husband the fine art of snow driving. He's into it now, says it's almost as much fun as muddin', and he gets to use his big truck to pull people out of snowbanks now, rather than mud holes.
Meanwhile Victoria.au has raging bushfires all over the place, and in South Australia the Bangor fire has been burning for 30 days, is now contained after burning over 30,000 hectares (~115 square miles), but not yet under control.
Anyone who says "the weather is normal" is nuts...
Shakatany
Something is clearly Not Right with the weather.
Sounds like you did great. With luck you won't need to worry about it for another 10 years or so...
Meanwhile, today I wandered outside in just dress pants and a work t-shirt with no issue. In Iowa. Our weather is being indecisive at the moment. It's been going from -20 to 50 to -20 again.
Sadness of Trees
Glad you made it home safely! Best wishes for your birds and trees. I read a recent article suggesting Atlanta may lose a quarter of its trees to the storm, with heavy icing and strong winds not playing well with drought-weakened trees. Possibly the fewer trees will then lead to a stronger urban heat island effect, weakening trees further.
The cedars may surprise you
And birdbath heater, huh. I may have to get one of those for the outdoor cats water. We have a window with an air conditioner in it that we don't pull (we just cover the inside, its under the porch roof so it is sheltered and on the south side). I could wrangle the cord out under the A/C. On the other hand I hope we won't be living here too much longer, we are planning on taking the outdoor boys with us and an immersion heater would be good at the new place too. AND it might have an outdoor plug-in, it's a modern house. WOOT.