Need rain

[wetzk]

Not to water the plants, we need it to clean the oak pollen off of everything.
This is my truck, I washed it Friday afternoon. Today it looks like it has sat out for months. I bought one of the covers folks use up north to keep snow and frost of their windshields to try and keep the pollen and oak flowers out of the cowl vents.
I hope Alabama is not doing this too or it is over by GE&H. I am allergic to the pollen and it is doing a number on me.

[cpaharley2008]

after the 50 mph winds this weekend and 3-5" snow expected mid week, Springtime can not be here soon enough. I'd rather wash with a hose than a shovel......... Going to open the corral in 2 weeks for the horse to get free....

[emers382]

Jim agree with you, but at least spring will come quickly for us when we leave next Sunday for GE&H, from snow to perhaps pollen, oh well. Tonight and tomorrow we're getting hit by a Colorado low bringing up to 25cm of new snow. Fortunately I dug the trailer out of it's storage spot by the garage last week when things were melting and one wheel was getting buried by ice.

Adrian

[steve dunham]

We have 25 MPH winds with gusts and we are predicted to get 10 to 12 inches of snow tonight with falling temps . We need the snow cause ground moisture levels are low . There is something beautiful and peaceful about a heavy blanket of snow. Spring and Summer will be here soon enough.

[rbryan4]

It gets bad in South Texas and the Hill Country too Ken. The different types of oaks here also mean they drop their pollen not all at once, but over the course of a couple months. One year at our old property in San Antonio we had about 8" of pollen in the yard. Lucky for me I can rake it up with no ill effect, but it makes my wife miserable. Yep, a good gullywasher will knock the rest of it down for you. Hope you get some rain soon. Our oaks will be starting to drop their pollen probably around the end of March.

[wetzk]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

It gets bad in South Texas and the Hill Country too Ken. The different types of oaks here also mean they drop their pollen not all at once, but over the course of a couple months. One year at our old property in San Antonio we had about 8" of pollen in the yard. Lucky for me I can rake it up with no ill effect, but it makes my wife miserable. Yep, a good gullywasher will knock the rest of it down for you. Hope you get some rain soon. Our oaks will be starting to drop their pollen probably around the end of March.

This is just starting out, by the end of the month the pollen will be so thick that when it rains it looks like mustard puddles in the yard.
We used to only get heavy amounts during mast years but it seems the last 4 years have been mast. The squirrels gotta love it.

I would not mind it as much if I was not hammered by the pollen.
Are what you rake up the catkins? They are rapidly covering the yard.
I usually wait until late April or May then go out and rake up the remains , hopefully not stirring up the pollen again.

[rbryan4]

Yep, the catkins pile up. We wait till they've mostly all dropped before raking. Some years it hasn't been needed but like you say, it varies. We don't even see the catkins in the trees yet. I guess our season is about a month behind yours.

[Vermilye]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

We have 25 MPH winds with gusts and we are predicted to get 10 to 12 inches of snow tonight with falling temps . We need the snow cause ground moisture levels are low . There is something beautiful and peaceful about a heavy blanket of snow. Spring and Summer will be here soon enough.

So, you haven't yet reached the end of the "Diary of the New Snow Shoveler"?

"Diary of a New Snow Shoveler:

December 8th 6:00 PM It started to snow. The first snow of the season and the wife and I took our cocktails and sat for hours by the window watching the huge soft flakes drift down from heaven. It looked like a Grandma Moses print. So romantic we felt like newlyweds again. I love snow!

December 9th We woke to a beautiful blanket of crystal white snow covering every inch of the landscape. What a fantastic sight! Can there be a more lovely place in the whole world?
Moving here was the best idea I've ever had. Shovelled for thefirst time in years and felt like a boy again. I did both our driveway and the sidewalks. This afternoon the snowplow came along and covered up the sidewalks and closed in the driveway, so I got to shovel again. What a perfect life.

December 12th The sun has melted all our lovely snow. Such a disappointment. My neighbor tells me not to worry, we'll definitely have a white Christmas. No snow on Christmas would be awful! Bob says we'll have so much snow by the end of winter, that I'll never want to see snow again. I don't think that's possible. Bob is such a nice man I'm glad he's our neighbor



December 14th Snow, lovely snow! 8" last night. The temperature dropped to - 20. The cold makes everything sparkle so. The wind took my breath away, but I warmed up shovelling the driveway and sidewalks. This is the life! The snowplow came back this afternoon and buried everything again. I didn't realize I would have to do quite this much shovelling, but I'll certainly get back into shape this way. I wish I wouldn't huff and puff so.


December 15th 20 inches in the forecast. Sold my van and bought a 4x4 Blazer. Bought snow tires for the wife's car and 2 extra shovels. Stocked the freezer. The wife wants a wood stove in case the electricity goes out. I think that's silly. We aren't in Alaska after all.

December 16th Ice storm this morning. Fell on my ass on the ice in the driveway putting down salt. Hurt like hell. The wife laughed for an hour, which I think was very cruel.

December 17th Still way below freezing. Roads are too icy to go anywhere. Electricity was off for 5 hours. I had to pile blankets on to stay warm. Nothing to do but stare at the wife and try not to irritate her. God I hate it when she's right.
More shovelling. Took all day. Stupid snowplow came by twice.
Tried to find a neighbor kid to shovel, but they said they're to busy playing hockey. I think they're lying. Bob says I have to shovel or the city will have it done and bill me. I think he's lying..

December 22nd Bob was right about a white Christmas because 13 more inches of white !@#% fell today, and it's so cold it probably won't melt 'till August. Took me 45 minutes to get all dressed up to go out to shovel and then I had to go to the washroom. By the time I got undressed, went, and dressed again, I was too tired to shovel. Tried to hire Bob who has a plow on his truck for the rest of the winter but he says he's too busy. I think the guy is lying.

December 23rd Only 2" of snow today. And it warmed up to 0. The wife wanted me to decorate the front of the house this morning. What is she...nuts? Why didn't she tell me to do that a month ago? She says she did, but I think she's lying.

December 24th 6". Snow packed so hard by snowplow, I broke the shovel. Thought I was having a heart attack. If I ever catch the SOB who drives that snowplow, I'll drag him through the snow . I know he hides around the corner and waits for
me to finish shovelling and then he comes down the street at a 100 miles an hour and throws snow all over where I've just been! Tonight the wife wanted me to sing Christmas carols with her and open our presents, but I was busy watching for the snowplow.

December 25th Merry Christmas. 20 more inches of the
@#$%%^&*(!-slop tonight. Snowed in. The idea of shovelling makes my blood boil. I hate the snow! Then the snowplow driver came by asking for a donation and I hit him over the head with my shovel. The wife says I have a bad attitude. I think she's an idiot. If I have to watch "It's A Wonderful Life" one more time, I'm going to kill her


December 26th Still snowed in. Why did I ever move here?
It was ALL HER idea. She's really getting on my nerves.

December 27th Temperature dropped to -30 and the pipes froze.

December 28th Warmed up to above -50. Still snowed in. SHE's driving me crazy!!!!!

December 29th 10 more inches. Bob says I have to shovel the roof or it could cave in. That's the silliest thing I ever hear. How dumb does he think I am?

December 30th The roof caved in. The snow plow driver is suing me for a million dollars for the bump on his head. The wife went home to her Mother. 9" predicted.

December 31st Set fire to what's left of the house. No more shovelling.

January 8th I feel so good. I just love those little white pills they keep giving me. But why am I tied to the bed??"

[rubicon327]

[gbaglo]

[Iowa Dave]

I’m forwarding this to a fellow who worked for me as a park foreman for many years. Upon retirement he moved to Embarrass, Minnesota. Coldest average winter temps in the Continental US and snow to go with it. The difference is that he truly loves it up there and is better equipped than Jon’s shoveling buddy. I’m going up there sometime this year to check out his set up. We’re going to wire up a pedestal so I have a hookup while we’re there.
He said “I knew it was serious when there was a heat tape on the fuel oil line.”
Iowa Dave

[emers382]

Gee Jon when I first started reading the snow saga I thought it was your story when you moved to Oswego as know you can hit with a lot of lake effect snow.

Well, just wish we had left this past weekend for GE&H, hope we can now leave next Sunday. I moved the trailer out of it's spot by the garage since the snow off garage roof was melting and refreezing causing one tire to become more embedded in the ice. So now it's parked in front of garage meaning nothing in garage. So car truck and trailer now covered with eight inches of wet snow and it doesn't end until this evening. Cleared some snow off with plastic roof rake but here's how things sit now. Will have to clean off the trailer yet again

Adrian

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by emers382

Gee Jon when I first started reading the snow saga I thought it was your story when you moved to Oswego as know you can hit with a lot of lake effect snow.

Well, just wish we had left this past weekend for GE&H, hope we can now leave next Sunday. I moved the trailer out of it's spot by the garage since the snow off garage roof was melting and refreezing causing one tire to become more embedded in the ice. So now it's parked in front of garage meaning nothing in garage. So car truck and trailer now covered with eight inches of wet snow and it doesn't end until this evening. Cleared some snow off with plastic roof rake but here's how things sit now. Will have to clean off the trailer yet again

Adrian

Adrian,

Sitting on my front porch, nice breeze and 75° F at the moment 3:31 pm EST. Yep, Jon Vermilye dialogue is the reason I moved from NH to FL back in ‘85, and haven’t regretted it. I’ve forgorten what a snow shovel looks like and haven’t been chilled to the bone in years. Shivering just looking at your photos!

[cpaharley2008]

Interesting read
https://247wallst.com/healthcare-eco...est-and-why/5/

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by C&G in FL

I’ve forgorten what a snow shovel looks like.....!

I was given an unpleasant reminder today, clearing out 2 feet of settled snow from our back patio and walks. (fortunately our house sitting niece had done most of the drive and front walks) Quite the change from the last 5 1/2 weeks in Arizona. It certainly is a great workout though.

[Vermilye]

While it isn't my dialogue, (the story even has a Snopes page) I have to say the last February I spent in Oswego had me shoveling the roof. Decided Quartzsite was a better idea. Here is a photo from a couple of years ago. I wish I had one of the time the snow in the driveway was level with the bottom of the front door...

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

I’m forwarding this to a fellow who worked for me as a park foreman for many years. Upon retirement he moved to Embarrass, Minnesota. Coldest average winter temps in the Continental US and snow to go with it. The difference is that he truly loves it up there and is better equipped than Jon’s shoveling buddy. I’m going up there sometime this year to check out his set up. We’re going to wire up a pedestal so I have a hookup while we’re there.
He said “I knew it was serious when there was a heat tape on the fuel oil line.”
Iowa Dave

I've spent many enjoyable days in the Embarrass Mn area and on the shores of the Embarrass River when Summer temps got too hot for my liking. It would be a great place to live except jobs are scarce.
I should be out shoveling but the wind is blowing so hard I can't see to shovel . Something to look forward to in the morning.

[War Eagle]

Rain is moving through central Alabama as I type this. We've had over an inch of rain at our house, and the pine pollen is out of the air and washing down the gutters and creeks. Yay!! But I'm sure there will be more....