This morning I looked out the window at the snow on top of the grill and there was a face there. Look carefully for the eye and eye brow, the nose is easy.
a face in the snow
The wind has been doing some interesting things to snow. The drifts out by the hedge row are really getting deep.
snow drift
more snow
As you can see the tops of the hedge are just sticking out of the snow. We haven’t had this much snow in years.
Michael
Once again this morning we are faced with blowing snow and closed roads. Today is interesting since the wind is out of the south at over 20 mph. This means that drifts and areas of low visibility will be in new places.
snow packed road
Minnesota winter driving means packed snow on the roads, especially when the wind blows and the temperatures stay below zero for any length of time. You can be driving along on a nice day on clear roads and then, bang, ICE. Travel when there is snow on the road packs the snow and later traffic compacts it to ice. Any further traffic or actions of snow plows just polishes the ice to a high shine. It makes travel very interesting. Those whose attention is drawn from the road will find themselves in the ditch or in an accident. It means that you MUST be watching the road at all times.
Mailbox peaking out of snow drift
Driving in town at this time of year can mean driving on ice for days at a time. The snow pack takes a lot of work to remove and cars parked along the road slow the removal. Stopping becomes an art. Pushing harder on the brakes doesn’t help, even with anti-lock brakes. Slow speeds and greater vigilance is required. You enter a Minnesota state of mind. Each corner is approached with caution. Stop signs mean polished ice, so you must slow long before you stop.
Stop sign and ice
Warmer weather will come to us here in Southwestern Minnesota. When the sun shines and temperatures approach zero we will see ice and snow pack decrease. Until then we must stay in that Minnesota state of mind, ice an be anywhere, caution is the word when driving.
Michael
