Tuesday, January 23, 2007

A snow day

We've had a pretty mild winter so far, with warmer-than-usual temps and only snow flurries now and then. We live in the boonies of WV and have to drive over a mountain to and from work.

Strangely enough (at least, to me it's strange) the WV DOT is usually on top of any bad weather, even when it comes on suddenly. Rarely is that side of the mountain icy or have much snow on it at all. The Virginia side, in comparison, is like an unplowed driveway.

One morning last winter we left home at the usual time (before 6). By the time we got to the mountain, it was snowing heavily (I bet it's all of two or three miles), but the road on the WV side was relatively clear. At the top of the mountain, at the Virginia line, it became a ski slope. There'd been no plowing, no salting or sanding, and just around a curve, a tractor-trailer had jackknifed and backed up traffic. Cars had slid all over the road trying to avoid hitting it, and there was no way that we could stop. Even though we were going maybe 10 mph, we slid and turned and bumped into the guardrail (thank goodness that Virginia at least has those) and bounced off that into a small car. Somehow Tom got us turned around and headed back home, where we waited until things started melting, around 10:30. Well, he waited; I went back to sleep.

Unfortunately, the damage to the truck was on the side that I hadn't bashed in the year before.

It snowed most of the day Sunday, one of those heavy, pretty snowfalls that doesn't leave too much on the ground. We watched the birds going after corn that the deer had left behind, then we threw out some bread and popcorn.

Two male cardinals (only one female that we saw) really stood out in that snow.

Really gorgeous day.





P.S. School was actually closed yesterday. We had snow in WV, but VA got ice.

2 comments:

rita said...

It really was pretty. Ice is pretty when it first forms, but then it's just a big pain.

Zippy's packing his toys and can't wait to see you all!

rita said...

Oh--I need to talk to you! Tomorrow morning, if that's all right. I am so ready for some sun. My back hurts, and warm sun will help.