We are gonna have a true winter wonderland for Christmas.
That said, we have and will pay dearly with sore bodies and widespread repairs before we can sit back and enjoy the stunning and overflowing blast of snow which fell relentlessly from Monday night through the early hours of this day.
I think once again this year, the amount of white stuff and its effects caught many of us offguard.
We were expecting a few flurries but not two feet of heavy snow. I can't remember this much heavy snow falling this fast in a long time.
Bill just came in the house at 7 a.m. after working outside with the snowblower and plow since 4:45 AND there's much more to move before noon.
At noon, the temperature begins to drop, and we'll be entering a week-long deep freeze with single digit nightly readings on thermometers.
Whatever snow does not get moved by noon will turn hard like cement and remain in place until it warms up again.
Actually, the overall effect is gonna be nice, as long as people's pipes don't freeze.
It's winter, even though the calendar says we don't start the season until tomorrow.
In the past 24 hours, trees have fallen over power lines on numerous county roads. With cause-and-effect, power started going down in a sort of patchwork effect around the county in late afternoon. Some folks this morning still don't have power.
Along with the summer lightning storms, these winter events remind us of truly heroic efforts put out by those folks who keep the general infrastructure going, especially linemen for power companies who go out into the night from place to place, removing downed trees and restoring power.
A big thanks to them and to all who keep our network of pathways open.
I'm also thankful for iphones. As Bill walked around the house in the darkness last night with his head lamp after putting out various lanterns and candles, I slouched on the couch both announcing and monitoring what was happening.
Iphones and Facebook kept much of the community informed of road blockages from downed trees and outages almost the split second they occurred. We also saw postings the moment electricity was restored in different areas.
I also learned through my up-to-the-second monitoring that other Boy Scout/forester types wear their head lamps around the house when the power goes out.
Nice to know we have someone in the house who has never forgotten the Boy Scout motto of "Be Prepared."
Our power came back on after 90 minutes in the early evening and then left us again around 9 o'clock for about 3.5 hours. We had gone to bed by then, so the head lamps were not in use.
The one mystery that I have not yet seen explained is the three colorful flashes I saw out our south window while our power was off the first time. This was during the dinner hour.
We thought it might have been sparks from a power line arcing, but we learned that the flashes were seen for miles around. So, if anyone has the answer to that mystery, do tell.
The snow will most likely stop this morning. It's not quite light enough to take pictures, but it looks like I could enjoy a smorgasboard of photo opportunities once the urgent work of cleaning out before the freeze is completed.
On this morning of Dec. 20, as I listen to beautiful Christmas carols sung by the Morman Tabernacle choir, I'm taken back to a day 33 years ago today when Willie, Annie and I were driving home from school.
Bill was in Louisiana for his father's funeral. It was the day before school dismissed for Christmas vacation. We would have just half a day the next day.
A winter storm had hit. Temperatures were cold. Roads were slick. Our moods were high with the anticipation of the wonderful holiday season ahead, and, for the kids, of course, Christmas would be a highlight.
As we drove down Boyer and turned on to Baldy Road, we saw something, which was, at first almost as unexplained as those mysterious flashes in the sky last night.
The scene was an inferno with flames reaching high into the dark sky. Suddenly, I saw the outline of our red barn in front of the flames.
Our house was burning down.
The trip from Boyer down Baldy to Great Northern Road seemed interminable as my red Ford pickup slid all over the icy road. It took all the discipline I had to maintain my composure.
Long story short, we lost everything, but we gained something invaluable: a lifelong understanding and appreciation for the goodness of human beings and the community which I have called home since the day I was born.
It would take a book to share all the touching anecdotes of angelic, generous, thoughtful, helpful and loving attention our family received from the moment the tragedy began.
And, so on every Dec. 20 since that day when we lost so much but gained such an appreciation of our fellow humans, I like to remind myself and others that goodness in this world is at work virtually every single day.
With that in mind, I found it ironic and meaningful what Pope Francis tweeted on this anniversary day of our family tragedy.
Pope FrancisVerified account @Pontifex 3 hours ago
Heaven doesn’t value what you have, but what you give.
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