We had a snowstorm yesterday, putting down many tree branches across town, knocking out power, and making my trip to the dialysis unit a bit treacherous. At one point, on Box Butte Avenue (the main street and the road to the hospital), I had to stop and back up because the way was blocked by a broken branch across the road.
For those who live in nice places without snow, a spring snowstorm usually is wet, heavy snow. If the trees have begun to leaf out or are in flower, the snow usually weighs the branches down to the ground, often breaking those with any weakness from rot or rodent damage. (Squirrels eat the bark, killing the branches, which then are vulnerable to breakage….!) It’s these wet, heavy spring snowstorms that cause heart attacks when old, out of shape guys try to clear the walks and driveways of their homes, too, so I’m glad that’s done by my landlord!
Here’s what it looked like up in the north part of the county at my friend Dave’s place just outside of Hemingford. That’s a fancy chicken house he won in a contest for producing a video about why he deserved to win the chicken house — a well done one, too, speaking as someone who knows about these things! — that the makers of the chicken house judged to be the best submitted.
Another friend, Marty, took this photo of a street in Alliance:
Notice the broken branch. Woe be to those who parked under a tree! I saw one pickup with a huge branch across it. April 31st, 2016. Ugh!
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Andy and Dougy stayed inside, of course, though Andy licked up the water from melted snow on the door sill. Mostly they enjoyed a host of pine siskins and American goldfinches at the feeder outside the dining room window. The fir outside the back window kept them busy as well since the birds had to go somewhere when they weren’t at the feeder.
Andy (left) and Dougy like the snow in different ways. Dougy wants to explore it; Andy just wants to taste it.
I did some wash in my new machine. The boys were fascinated by what they saw in the window of the washer, which is kitty level. Andy was especially brave, which surprised me since he is the more timid of the two. Dougy was spooked by any new noises coming out of the machine, though he ran away then came back for more spooking.
I’m doing more washes in my new machine today, Sunday, since I have the time and the loads that need washing. Andy and Dougy, of course, are helping me by observing me and making sure that nothing unacceptable to kitties happens. Nice to know I’m safe from things unacceptable to kitties!
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The first photo was posted on Facebook by Dave Minich. The second photo was posted on Facebook by Marty Jones.
Here’s a new photo of Andy. Notice that his “horns” are up! Oh! Oh!
“when old, out of shape guys try to clear the walks and driveways of their homes” you say but this is me ! Fortunately we did not have any snow this years and the bags of salt from last years have not been used ? For next year ?
I imagine you thee , you, Andy and Dougy ecstatic in front of new wash machine ! 🙂
In friendship
Michel
The snow melted the next day (Hooray!), and Andy, Dougy, and I had hours of fun watching the wash in the new machine! (We are easily amused.)
Sorry you got such a late season snowstorm, Doug. As you said, at least it is mostly gone today, but it isn’t much fun when you are on your way to an appointment!
I was concerned it might continue into Monday and have an impact on me getting to my appointment yesterday. It turned out the road conditions yesterday were ideal!
I won’t tell how nice the weather is around here! Looks like christmas’s coming! Always be safe!
..and today it is warm and the snow is gone mostly!
WOW! Snow… actually it was cold in here but didn’t rain… Does the snow come to us, I am not sure… but temperatures going down. Dear Weggie, be safe on the road… for today. My Best Wishes, Love, nia
Today the snow has melted mostly, and the roads are clear.
Reblogged this on MoéGrrL.
Snow, and its that heavy wet cwap too. Great for snowcats but not much else. We don’t envy you trying to get about. Dougy and Andy, you are behaving like wimps. Even Kali likes snow…not a long time of frolicking in it but some. Then we are delighted with warm paws in the house. We hate the wind though.
Shoko
The late Louie was an outdoor/indoor cat, and he loved snow. Dougy wants to be an outdoor cat and loves snow, though I won’t let the boys be outdoor cats because of safety concerns (major roads nearby and people who are mean to black cats because they are ignorant people….). Andy is a wimp about snow, but Dougy will take off outdoors if I don’t block him.
I love Andy’s horns- so cute. Do you follow Truffle and Brulee or Sweet Purrfections? They are gray persians and one of them has quite the set of horns. 🙂 That was a bad storm, it should melt fast though. That is a great chicken coop too.
No, but perhaps I should look them up! There’s another one called Angel Eyes that features a smoke Persian like Andy and Dougy, though her owners let her go full Persian, with long hair. They must spend lots of time grooming her because she is quite beautiful!
It’s been raining and thundering here
When we had the wet snow
I had to pay someone to help me shovel
My male pride had to step aside
What a learning experience that was
Take care my friend
I know exactly who you feel about letting someone else do the backbreaking work of shoveling snow! I did my time at the house on Mississippi. There was a long driveway and lots of walk to shovel, and I don’t miss it at all!
omg! I would cry if I saw snow again. I’m serious!
I like the big, fat, fluffy snow one gets around this time of year, at least when it is falling, but I have no enthusiasm for getting around in it once it hits the ground and accumulates. At least it tends to melt right away or within a couple days.
Marty’s photo is really great. And thanks for the advice about spring snow. We had some the other day but it didn’t stick, fortunately.
Yes, it really shows the hassles of the spring snowstorm. Notice how the branch has landed on an overhead wire. That’s where the power outages happen!
It is all about spring here in Northern Germany. 18 ° C (64,4° F)
Snow fell last week. But it did not stay, and it was not THAT much.
We had roughly 15,25cm of snow and it was 0°C when I went to my dialysis appointment at 6AM. It’s melting today, though. That’s the best part about early spring snowstorms!
Be safe when you head to your appointment, tomorrow!
Andy and Dougy are so handsome and easy … I suspect Purrseidon would be out there trying to build a snowcat (and Mr. M would be hiding in a box so he didn’t need to watch).
Interesting how close in “purrsonatities” our kitties are!
I wonder if this is typical. I know the kids have opposite personalities, yet are very much alike… that probably sounds really odd, but it’s how they are.
I read about a study of mice pups and how where they were in their mother’s uterus affected their personalities. The gist of it was the hormonal influences (estrogen vs,. testosterone) did the job. More estrogen, and the pup was mild and “nice”, more testosterone, and the pup was more aggressive. Kind of seems obvious, but I imagine part of it is nurture, too, how they were handled as young’uns. Interesting nonetheless!
I hadn’t heard about that, but it makes sense.
That’s how it struck me. Of course, there are shades of exposure between the most of one and the most of the other, based on where the pup was in the uterus.
Makes perfect sense… were Dougy and Andy littermates? Obviously, Mr. M and Purrseidon were not… in fact, I suspect M is old enough to be her great grandpa, which might account for some of the personality difference.
Yes, they are brothers!
I thought so!