Thursday, February 28, 2019
If I didn't have date stamps on photos, this week would be a total blur. Actually, I don't remember if it was still snowing on Thursday but, I do know that I awoke to a lot of snow and the temperature in the 20's - a situation that will hopefully kill off all the yellow jackets so I won't have need of unsightly traps this summer.
31".
In spite of daily clearing the kennel roof of it's snow load and shoring it up inside, the tons of snow crashing down from the roof 15' above, totaled a truss last night. Snow removal on the clear, fiberglass paneled, kennel roof is a chore because you need a tall ladder and can't put any weight on the roof itself. I use a cement float to pull the snow off the roof. The float doesn't reach the entire 12' x 12' expanse of roof, necessitating re-positioning the ladder to each side. While perching on the top of the ladder, snow is scraped onto your front and into your boots during the process of tugging the heavy metal float handle and moving the snow over the edge of the roof. A design for a new kennel roof will include a bit more of a slope and stronger trusses.
Vineman with a snow-free head enjoying the scene of...
the frozen pond.
Taking the chainsaw, shovel and hand-tools with me, I decided to make a break for it and see what the world was like beyond my drive.
The trip was akin to cheap carnival ride where the car you are in is abruptly bounced from one side to the other. The wheelbase of the Kubota is narrower than the trucks that had made it in. With 4WD-L and both hands on the wheel, I still found myself needing to move to the high side to prevent the Kubota from toppling over.
I got to the road only to find my way blocked by the four main power-lines draped lower than the Kubota roof. Later when I drove out on the tractor to clear a path under the wires, I found that someone had used black electrical tape to tie the lines to the top of the road sign so they could drive out. The fix had me laughing so hard, I about fell off my tractor. But, I didn't have a camera with me so you will have to take my word for it. (Well, maybe I wouldn't have fallen off my tractor but I did get a big belly laugh out of the sight.) Humor in the midst of carnage.
One of the reasons we were still without power, water, cell, landline, internet or mail delivery:
Two huge Doug-fir trees came down and crashed, dead center, through the ridge-line, on a neighbor's house. Another neighbor had four, big, fir trees come down through the roof of their newly remodeled house. I had been invited to visit just last Saturday to help celebrate the remodel.
The view further down the road. Each of those downed trees is burying the power lines. The future looks discouraging for a quick fix.
Still pretty bleak outside.
Hibernation in a cold, dark house. I had been told that my little generator couldn't power my oil heaters. I did have concern for the possibility of pipes freezing but managed thus far to keep the house in the 50's.
A hungry Junco on the snow pile outside the bedroom window.
Friday March 1, 2019
The local news broadcast (heard from the shower radio, my only link to the outside) reported that the roof on Thurston high school's gym had collapsed under the weight of the snow. The school is about 800' lower in elevation than I am thus had less snow. I took this as a foreboding omen. For some unfathomable reason, one wing of this house was built with a flat roof with a 14" lip surround. Only two small, inadequate drains, drain this roof in the best of times. Frequently it resembles a large wading pool. My primary chore for the day was to remove the heavy, wet snow piled up on the flat roof. The accumulation was over 5' deep in places where the house roof snow had slid off onto it.
Life was not all work. I did take time to enjoy the beauty of my surroundings.
After the flat-roof snow removal, I found myself too exhausted to go out again with a camera to take pictures of my labors. (This picture is actually from March 3, and as you can see by the roof, there had been a considerable amount of snow compaction and melt.)
The recharge hub is only powered when I run the generator at night. Another re-purposed part of the great room is the snow melt, warmth and drying center.
By this time I was 7 days without power, thus no running water or central heat. However, all thing considered, the dogs and I are winter camping at the lux.
