Winter wonderland, finally

So this was the scene outside Casa de Ragamuffin this morning. This is looking out our garage, at Sue's car, with about 18" drift, and a 3-foot drift across the neighbors' garage area.

It was hardly a blizzard - that's defined as "a violent snowstorm with winds blowing at a minimum speed of 35 miles (56 kilometers) per hour and visibility of less than one-quarter mile (400 meters) for three hours."

But here in Waterville, it became a level 3 snow emergency briefly - where if you're not a law-enforcement, rescue or medical-facility staffer, you are not supposed to be on the road. Highways were closed due to icing and snow-pack, and wrecks were everywhere.

The weird part, though, was the way the snow got blown around. In our neighbor's driveway, right next to the car, there was a pure bare spot in the middle - no snow at all. There were several places where bare pavement was set right next to 2-3-foot drifts.

Thank God, no commute, all the comforts of home. The 15-35 mph winds are showing us where our windows are in need of repair or recauling, though...

People like Poor Mad Peter, my blogging brother from Thunder Bay, Ontario, will just scoff. Peter has already recorded actual temperatures lower than -40 C (at -40, Fahrenheit and Celsius scales actually cross!). But at -3 F, I'm glad I'm here, and they are there...

We are safe, warm, and tucked in for the night. For what it's worth, Happy Valentines' Day.