Winter’s Last Hurrah?

tanjabrittonwriter 77 Comments

When I open the shades in the morning and gaze out over our deck and back yard, I know that the meteorologists’ predictions were vastly exceeded. Our bench holds more than the forecast 4 inches of snow and our trusted measuring stick confirms that 10 inches fell overnight. This on top of the 8 inches the day before, which fell on top of rain that lasted for several hours, before the temperature transformed the rain drops into snow crystals.

Colorado’s Front Range is no stranger to March snow—or to April or May snow for that matter—but the storm between the evening of March 13 and the morning of March 15 broke a number of records, with totals ranging from several inches to 3 to 4 feet and closing down schools, city governments, and airports.

The first order on this wintry March morning is to clear an area around the bird feeders for our feathered friends to alight. As I make my way across the covered lawn repeatedly, the snow reaches to my knees and I can feel the cool substance ooze into the top of my boots, slowly soaking my socks. After hanging the feeders filled with seeds and suet and sprinkling more seed for the birds who prefer to forage on the ground, I open the garage door and take in the view of the street.

A few tracks bespeak large car tires and strong engines but no plow has made it here since the storm arrived. Unusually, no wind has disturbed the calm and the trees are densely flocked, each bough heavily laden with a cushion of white. It’s early and quiet, the masses of snow swallowing all sounds. Except for the vocal expressions of the awakening birds who sound surprised, as if to say, “What happened to our world?” Which reflects my thoughts perfectly.

Such quantities of snow do indeed transfigure the world which takes on a pure uniformity and serenity. The speed of everyday life is decelerated and unless one needs to leave, it’s best to keep the car in the garage and allow the snow plows to do their work. Luckily, we don’t have any obligations and watch as the sky adds layers to the already thick blanket.

In time, the sky closes its sluices. Fortified by blueberry pancakes, we grab our snow shovels and proceed to clear the driveway and areas around the house in an attempt to keep snowmelt from seeping to the foundations. Today’s snow does not contain as much moisture as yesterday’s, making each shovelful slightly lighter. But after an hour-or-so of scooping snow, our muscles are abundantly warm and slightly fatigued and perspiration saturates our garments, with the thermometer hovering around the freezing point.

As is often the case here, major snow events are followed by rising temperatures, especially this late in the season. Once the clouds have lightened their load, the sun regains the upper hand and we hear the drip-drip-drip of thawing snow under the eaves as early as the afternoon. It only takes a few days for most of the white matter to soak into the ground, where it bathes the roots of the plants who are dreaming of spring. Some will sink deeper still, finding little channels that connect with Fountain Creek which will flow southward toward its confluence with the Arkansas River which, in turn, will convey it to the Mississippi and eventually empty into the Gulf of Mexico.

As my mind pictures the snowflakes’ journey to this distant place, closer to home my titular question begs to be answered. To “Winter’s Last Hurrah?” I have to reply “I doubt it.” And though any precipitation is usually welcome in this region in the midst (or toward the end?) of a twenty-plus year drought, I hope that any future snows won’t stifle and smother our emerging flowers and leaves.

After all, equinox is behind us, and spring has officially started.

77 thoughts on “Winter’s Last Hurrah?”

  1. It was quite the snow fest up here in Woodland Park. Over 3 ft and it took me 5 outings of shoveling to keep up with it all. We still have many roads that have only been plowed with one single lane.

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    • I knew you had received even more snow up there than down here. All of us got a good workout thanks to that storm! Most of our snow has melted by now, I’m always amazed at how quickly that can happen.

      You might get another snow-shoveling work workout this weekend, if the meteorologists are right!

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    • Ich lebe nun schon lange genug hier um zu wissen, daß es im Frühling oft am heftigsten schneit, doch bin ich auch immer wieder zutiefst von den Schneemengen beeindruckt. Meistens schmilzt die weiße Pracht relativ schnell und wenn es nicht zu kalt ist, können die meisten Pflanzen überleben.

      Genieße Euren Frühling!

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    • This wintry episode was followed by springlike weather this week, but more snow is in the forecast for this weekend! That’s what we get for living at 6,000 feet at the edge of the Rockies! 😊

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  5. Beautifully described and photographed. Those weather gods like to have their little laugh, don’t they? Snow is in the forecast for Maine, too. We shall see how much we get.

    On another subject…I am reading Whose Names Are Unknown by Sanora Babb. Riveting! Especially the descriptions of the dust storms. I was struck by how the first part of the book was also used in An Owl on Every Post. I suppose Babb must have figured that because Whose Names was rejected, she might as well use the material in another book. Thanks so much for introducing me to Babb.

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    • Thank you, Laurie. I guess Mainers and Coloradans have to be prepared for snow well into springtime. We never mind the moisture, as long as the snow doesn’t come with really cold temperatures which usually wreak havoc on the vegetation.

      I’m so glad you enjoyed Sanora Babb’s writing. I also noticed how much of “Whose Names are Unknown” made it into “An Owl on Every Post,” or vice versa. But since she wrote her novel first, and her memoir much later, she might not have expected to get her novel published decades later. Reading both books confirmed that many writers use autobiographical material in their “fiction.”

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  6. So much beauty, and so much shoveling. I remember the Iowa farmers of my youth liking a heavy late snow, especially if it arrived with a gentle melt. That water seeping down into the earth always was a blessing. I laughed at your last photo. My mind combined the snow on the mailbox and the snow on the large branch just above it, creating the image of a mountain goat. I assume a goat would have no need of a snow plow to get around.

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    • For dryland farmers, being dependent on just the right amount of water must be very challenging because of the weather’s usual ups and downs, even without superimposed droughts or floods. Most people here don’t mind that the moisture arrives in the form of snow, especially if the temperature isn’t dangerously low.

      When I looked at the last photo again, I also saw your goat. Since the snow reached to my knees, depending on the size of goat, some smaller breeds might need snowshoes to get around. 😊

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  7. Those multicolored bird cutouts are welcome patched of color in the otherwise black and white world in your second view, just as the bit of radiant yellow was in your first one.

    Happy new coinage to you: a Google search just now turned up no match for the exact phrase “fortified by blueberry pancakes.” It did reveal, however, that a company called Krusteaz rates its Blueberry Pancakes 100% in fluffiness and 100% in deliciousness.” That first part matches your snow.

    As for the equally novel wording “the sun regains the upper hand,” it raises the question of why we never hear about anyone or anything regaining the lower hand, which surely must also have its advantages from time to time.

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    • I also liked the little touches of color in an otherwise rather monochromatic setting, emanating from the yard art as well as our neighbors’ deck light.

      Fluffy snow and fluffy pancakes are a pleasure, but I’m glad to report we didn’t have to resort to a boxed pancake mixture–my husband always makes ours from scratch. 😊

      It’s hard to imagine that the expressions “fortified by blueberry pancakes” and “the sun regained the upper hand” haven’t been used before. As we know, “there is nothing new under the sun” (that wording, on the other hand, has been used many times over, and I have no trouble finding countless mentions).

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  9. What a beautiful description of the reality of a snow event! In our Southern California mountains this year, snow has been nearly non-existent — but gladly, much rain. (Our elevation, 5,500′ Los Padres National Forest, Mt. Pinos district — we also have pinon pines.) Last year in Feb, we had two storms, back-to-back, with four feet plus. Plows broke. Shovels were shared by neighbors, horses had to get just one large feeding a day, as the dirt roads were nearly impassible . . . ruining the steering unit of my Jeep . . . Thank you for the “weather tour”. I’m glad you had the blueberry pancakes! Stay warm :)) Dawn

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    • Thank you, Dawn. The beauty of snow is unsurpassed, and one of its potential benefits is a slow melt, which is so much better for the reservoirs than flooding from too much rain. But as your experience proves, too much snow all at once can also cause serious problems. I always feel sorry for the animals who get caught in storms and can’t find enough food. Thank goodness you were able to get to the horses, if only once a day.

      This week feels like spring, but more snow is predicted to return this weekend…

      Happy springtime,

      Tanja

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    • It was a memorable snowfall, Neil. And your prediction has come true: basically all of the snow has melted by now. The thermometer has climbed to the 60s this week, but the meteorologists are predicting more snow for this weekend…

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  12. Du meine Güte.
    Ich kann es mir kaum vorstellen bei den hier herrschenden Temperaturen und der Blütenfülle.
    Aber als Schnee Fan bin ich von den Bildern begeistert.
    Wow !!!
    Liebe Grüße Brigitte

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    • Liebe Brigitte,

      ich mag den Schnee auch sehr gern, doch würde ich mir wünschen, daß er zwischen Dezember und Februar kommt, anstatt im März oder April. Aber so ist das hier halt mal.

      Wir hoffen nur, daß es nicht wieder zu einem Kälte- und Schneeeinbruch wie vor zwei Jahren kommen wird, wo die Bäube bereits ausgetrieben hatten und ganz viele Äste abgebrochen sind.

      Genieße Deinen Frühling.

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    • This much snow might shut us down for longer periods also if it lingered, but I’m always amazed at the power of the sun at an elevation of 2.000 meters, which makes short shrift of these mounds of snow.

      Happy springtime! 🌷

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  16. So. much snow! But at least its quiet and peaceful for now.

    Glad to hear you were able to feed some of the birdlife.

    (I’ve been watching YouTubes of the massive snowfalls and I don’t know whether it’s good or bad. I suppose the worst would be for emergency vehicles trying to reach their destination).

    As a snow lover, but not living in it, I can’t help but enjoy the beauty of the pristine landscape.

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    • The peace and quiet after a massive winter storm are unique, Vicki, and I always enjoy them especially if I’m safe and warm and don’t have to travel.

      For those who have to be out in the weather, the road conditions can be very dangerous, including for emergency vehicles. It’s always best to stay home for a day or two, if at all possible, until the roads have been cleared.

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  18. Delicious photos of the snow on your street Tanja, especially the trees covered in it. We are finally getting some snow tomorrow, after a rather dull winter. I have been living vicariously through your images up until this point. ❄️

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  19. Yikes! Such a morning view! I loved your description of snow oozing into your boots–that feeling is totally familiar to me. 😉 And I loved the pic of your pine trees. There is something so calming, yet wild about the sight of them.
    Thanks for posting,
    Happy Spring!

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    • It was definitely a memorable winter weather event, Julie. I’m always torn when snow arrives so late as I’m ready for spring, but I still love the experience.

      This week was very springlike and I saw my first blooms today. Nothing like your beautiful crocuses, but it’s a start.

      Enjoy your spring!

      Tanja

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  20. Wow, that is a lot of snow! I haven’t seen anything like it since I lived in the north of Scotland. (We get very little here in the east of England.) I love the second photo, with the bird cutouts on the fence and the snow behind them.

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    • You are right, Brad, water has never been taken for granted here. Luckily, the mountains have had average or above-average snowfall, and the reservoirs are as full as they are supposed to be for this time of year. But as you know, in order to refill Lakes Powell and Mead, precipitation will have to be above average for many years, since the drought has been going on for the last twenty-plus.

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      • We were just at Lake Mead. Hiking in ravines with recent flash flood evidence, but still well above the old waterline levels. Looking at the expansion of housing I wonder where the water is going to come from.

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      • I just read a fascinating book about the Colorado River, “Where the Water Goes,” and learned how much water can be saved with intelligent measures. The seven states that depend on the river are trying to figure out how to deal with today’s realities which is proving extremely challenging.

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  23. That looks a bit grim, but at least the birds in your neighbourhood will be well fed thanks to your efforts. I love your description of “the masses of snow swallowing all sounds”, something I always regard as one of the eeriest aspects of a snow-covered landscape. Stay warm, Tanja!

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    • Your choice of the words “grim” and “eeriest” makes me think that you are no fan of masses of snow, Mr. P. 😊
      We enjoy a good snowfall and know that it won’t linger long, especially at this time of year. But we always hope that it won’t come with really cold temps and freeze whatever vegetation has already emerged. Believe it or not, all that snow is gone by now.

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      • From my perspective, snow is lovely when viewed from inside a warm and toasty house! The problem is that the UK doesn’t cope well with snow, due to a chronic under-investment in the necessary infrastructure. Anything more than a light covering causes chaos, with grave mutterings about the imminent end of the civilised world.

        On a personal level, about 12 years ago I broke my ankle after falling in the snow while out birdwatching. This has made me particularly cautious (I’m not very brave!) We made a return visit last week to the nature reserve in question (not a snowflake in sight, luckily), and the management still hasn’t erected a plaque in my honour at the spot where this happened. Huh! 🙂

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      • I agree that snow can cause big headaches if the infrastructure can’t deal with large amounts and people don’t know how to drive in it. Even here one gets the idea that some drivers have forgotten how to from one year to the next.
        And the risk of slipping and falling adds an unpleasant reality to winter. It’s understandable that you are extra cautious in snow and ice after your ankle fracture. I hope it has healed without aftereffects.

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      • Most people here don’t really know how to drive in snow – it isn’t taught as a matter of course, so we each have to work it out as we go along. And because snow is less frequent than it used to be, opportunities to learn and refresh our techniques are fewer (most winters these days we don’t see more than a day or two of snow each year, but when I moved to Derbyshire in the late 70s heavy falls were certain each winter. That’s climate change, I guess).

        The ankle’s fine these days, thank you, but the rest of me hurts instead…it’s an age thing! 🙁

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    • Thank you, Takami. Snow is part of springtime at the foot of the Rocky Mountains and there will likely be more. But the grass is starting to turn green and a few blowers are starting to bloom, so we can see that spring is working her magic.
      I hope you are enjoying your springtime.
      Warmly,
      Tanja

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  31. Sitting here in southern Texas, that snow feels doubly cold. We have had a few snow events back home since we left, but nothing has really stuck per our security cameras. I try not complain about the snow as they fill our wells that will hopefully make it through the hot summer months as a result – but I do prefer it to snow at home …when we are down here ha. Now time to go hit the beach. Assuming things are warming up there now (I am a bit behind on my post reading thanks to a bad streak of weak Internet). Take care.

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    • Thank you for taking the time to read and comment, Brian, but if I were in Texas right now, I would put the computer aside and try to spend all my time with the birds! 😊
      I hope you won’t encounter any more wintry weather during your trip; instead I wish you many more exciting avian encounters.

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