No exercise equipment needed!

February 26, 2007 (3:06pm)
31º F, Light snow, NNE wind 4 mph.

Good afternoon,

It is still snowing! There has been a light snow coming down all night and morning. At the moment the snow depth is knee deep - about 18"! Still expect a couple or more inches before it is supposed to end tonight. The winter storm warnings came down a bit after noon. The snow is coming off of the lake and moving north. The storm warnings continue to be up for Door county and upper Michigan until 6:00 P.M. at least. Might be extended up there. The official snow fall in Algoma is 11.8", but here in the woods there is more. What surprised me, is that the snow is deeper on the ground than on the deck. Normally it is the other way around. Also the farther I get from the house the deeper the snow. Also the reverse of normal. The easterly winds instead of westerly winds make the difference.

The snow is extremely wet. If the snow had been the normal light snow we get, we would literally be eyeball deep in snow. Temperature has been hovering around the freezing point for at least the last 24 hours. It really makes for very tough shoveling. I have to take lots of breaks. Actually it seems like more breaks than shoveling. No exercise equipment needed in this place. Lots of cardiovascular activity right outside of the door. I suspect that each shovelful of snow is about 25-30# and there are a lot of shovelfuls! Since it is so warm outside, I don’t need to wear a jacket. I do wear a vest, but when I am in the process of shoveling I wish I didn’t have it on. On the walk to and from the point of shoveling, I do need it though. Don’t look good with blue skin.

I do waste some time while I am out though. It is so beautiful and quiet. I can’t hear the snowflakes falling, but I can hear a tree branch dropping it’s load of snow and occasionally a branch breaking under the snow weight, crashing down is what sounds like a controlled fall. The only other sound I hear on a regular basis, is the call of a crow off in the distance. I did hear a snowblower being used about a ½ mile down the road. Nothing else. Awesome silence is what really is nice. It is an deafening silence that can only be experienced in the woods. Reminds me being on a stand during deer season, only with a different purpose. Hope to get up nort’ again to enjoy the real woods.

Margriet was to meet one of her friends in Algoma to day for tea. Obviously it was called off. Molly thought that would happen, but objected to my offer of a shovel guaranteed to fit her hand. Don’t understand. Instead, the two gals talked on the phone for the better part of an hour. Guess the deal will be set for the middle of next week or so. Suppose they will have something to talk about?

Time to get a-going.

In Christ My Saviour,

Chris <><