Today, Thursday, February 25, 2010

[Randy & Betty in Pa]

It's 7:40am and the snow is falling. Amazing, we are expecting 15 to 20" between now and tomorrow night, the sky is gray, the air is hazy with a foglike quality and the roads haven't yet been plowed but you know, there is something truely beautiful about seeing freshly fallen snow even before the squirels have had time to leave their tracks on it.

I don't know some years back before I spent 20 years living in California I might not have seen the beauty in this but now to me there is something precious and joyfilled about seeing the snow covering the ground. I guess it's just a matter of perspective, all in the way we look at things.

Like the music we all treasure weather is a form of natures art, some we like and some we tend to be revolted by, still it has a meaning to us all, Good, bad or indifferent. Now there are mornings when I'd wake up and curse the snow and cold but for some reason this certainly isn't one of them, this is a day when all of natures best is just outside the door. Nature with all of its fury and beauty has a way of inspiring me and letting me know honestly that even at its worst which this is not, the view can fill our hearts with joy if we let it.

I guess I just want to say to you all, I hope you find it to be as wonderful a morning as I do.

Betty and I send our prayers and best wishes to you all

R.

[Gandalf]

Go ahead, blame him, but even I can't control the weather, and he's not a wizard!

[Chet]

LOL!!!!

Talk about hidden messages and between the lines!!

[Elliott]

I do too... for most things. Including the weather! Lovely thoughts, Elliott :)

[hoops]

neva!!
peace
hoops

[Randy & Betty in Pa]

Well, its about 18 hours later and the snow is still falling... Just much much faster and the wind is blowing. I'd guess maybe two feet of snow where it isn't drifting and where it is who knows... Still very beautiful to look at though I can barely see at times because of the snowfall and other times when I can see I am amazed by what I see. The road out front hasn't been plowed and its a state road so that never happens. I am assuming that the plows have been called off the roads because of visibility. We live at the top of a very slight hill, nothing big, maybe a two percent grade. I looked at the window and there is barely no traffic at all going up the hill and saw why. I watched an SUV trying to climb the hill and even with 4 wheel drive he was just sliding around with no control, Two thirds of the way up the hill he slipped off the unplowed road onto the yard of the business across the street and after twenty minutes or so was able to get his car out and turned around and zipped on down the hill... The guy who plows our parking lot called. He can't make it in until the plows get out but thats alright since nobody in their right mind is going anyplace anyway for a while. LOL this is what I missed so much when I lived in California! Still as severe as it looks outside I'm so thrilled to be here and looking at it, but pray that all remain safe in their homes at this time. The good news is that we are just part of a small patch of the country getting this storm which in reality is three storms that have come together. I would suspect that the other rudies in the area are hopefully enjoying this weather as much as I am with regard to the beauty, though if they are smart will be tucked safely in their beds. What a wonderful night..... I think.

Prayers and best to you all

R.

[Randy & Betty in Pa]

12:42 pm Friday, February 26

The storm has slacked off somewhat as the impact is just becoming a known. Soon this storm will just be another footnote in local and regional history as one of the worst storms in decades. This morning we got the driveway plowed of nearly 27" of snow, the roads are now being plowed and soon will be clear, and 1/2 a million people plus are said to be without power or heat. There were some fatalities because of accidents and other yet to be discovered mishaps. Locally winds gusted upwards of 60 miles per hour knocking down some trees which stood proudly for centuries, in parts of New England there are reports of gusts in excess of 90 mph. Sitting here blessed with heat and power I hear large snow falls slipping from the roof of third floor of the house down to the second floor and eventually off of that roof to the ground. Betty and I came through this storm far better off then many, and to those less fortunate we send out our prayers.... Its suppose to stop snowing completely in another 5 hours or so, another two or three inches... Yet when all is said and done, this "Snowacaine" as some news reports are calling it has been in natures own raw and passionate way a thing of great beauty in a very frightening way.
Our very best wishes to you all

R.