What's With The Snow?

So it's April 4th....and the snow was coming down. Not just a light, friendly, good-bye-until-next-winter kind of snow.... it was the heavy, wet, messy, stress-out-because-they-don't-plow kind of snow! Not a big deal because it didn't start until afternoon....or was it?

Bob needed some paperwork and Peter had not-so-gently killed our other (cordless) mouse by running off and dropping it too many times! So, instead of scanning things in for him to print and take with him, I picked up Gabi early and we headed down. The snow was already sticking, but since we were going to be in town anyway, I was bound and determined I was getting a mouse! (And milk and yogurt). So we did just that. In town the snow wasn't sticking when we got there, but it was when we left. I knew that meant trouble back on the home road.

Sure enough, turn onto that nice long road home and it's nothing but wet, sticky, icy, messy, please-let-us-get-home-without-going-off-the-road snow covered! Never mind the fact that the town officers were writing a letter to whomever was contracted to plow the roads letting them know they had done, and were doing, an "unsatisfactory job." Not even a mark of plow! And it had been two and half hours since I had been going out to town!

The special thing was that I told the kids what we were up against and they got really quiet so I could concentrate. And then they each took a turn saying a prayer asking that we'd make it home without going off the road or getting in an accident! I have such wonderful, faith-filled children! I love it!

Our prayers were answered...after the van slid to within about an inch or two of being completely stuck in the mess on the side of the road 4 times... the 4th time being when we tried to turn across the street into our driveway! We managed to get things straighted out even that last time and backed our way into the garage...where the van is resting peacefully awaiting tomorrow's morning adventure to dance class!

I am truly grateful for a loving Father in heaven who watches out for our family! We are safely in home... the power went out (and no yelling or complaints from the kids) and is now back on. And soon, I know the Lord will bring Bob home too...safe and sound....as he does every Friday and Saturday night!

Sugar On Snow

With all this snow, why not find something happy to do? Gabi, the ever optimist when it comes to snow, asks if we can collect some snow and have maple syrup on it. I tell her where to find a couple of pans, and she puts them on the doorstep... later to run around (as best she can in the mountains of snow) gathering the falling snow.

For those of you who might not have ever done this, or might not know what this is....You gather fresh snow... best if you set out pans while the snow is coming down in a place you know animals won't be getting into. Once you gather your snow, you bring it in and pour (or drizzle) maple syrup over the snow. The kids love this as it's a "poor-man's maple candy".

Originally such maple candies were made during the sap season. While the sap was being cooked down to make syrup, snow would be collecting in pans and dishes. As soon as the hot sap was considered syrup quality, a holler would sound out and everyone would run for their dish of snow. Hot maple syrup would be poured over the snow and the dishes rushed back out into the freezing cold night to "set". Once set, they would have maple candy...for the moment.

Modernly, we use the syrup from the fridge, and just dig in.

Summer Complaints

Well, it has been a long winter, and we still have a ways to go yet before we hit mud season, but today I saw the first sign that summer is approaching. As it is, our dooryard is getting smaller and smaller as I clear after each storm. Our poor garage, which is little more than 3 recycled walls from previous structures (most likely not even the same previous structure,) attached to a 100 year old barn, and has a roof that has less slope than Kansas, has really groaned under the weight of the snow. Wednesday we had a snow day, so I got up there and relocated most of the snow. The section where the barn dumps it's snow was pure ice, however, and my will was weaker than the 30' X 4' X 4' iceblock.

Yesterday, it rained all day, which brought more snow off the barn onto the garage, and nearly doubled the width and height of my snow sculpture. The Garage really seemed to be unhappy with the additional weight. Since today brought temps in the 40's, I decided to get up there again and get some exercise.
I was down to the last 15 minutes worth of work when a minivan with out of state plates drove by, slowed, and stopped. They backed up to my driveway, and a woman leaned out the window. "We're from the south" she hollered up to me, "and we've never seen anyone shovel their roof. May we take your picture?"

Had I thought fast enough, I would have invited them into the barn and sold them some "antiques" (that I had picked up at the transfer station, AKA town dump), or a small bundle of firewood, or a made in China Statue of a moose eating lobster at the base of a lighthouse, or whatever it is that the summer complaints must have before they make their way back home. I suppose they got a great "pre-summer" deal on accommodations from a local B&B.