Well, based on this year's experience, my new aphorism for February is: in with an ice storm, out with a flood. Or maybe: in with an ice storm, out with a thunderstorm.
Not as symbolic, but descriptive, don't ya think?
The night of Feb. 27 we had torrential downpour rains, complete with thunder and lightning and even a little hail. There were more power outages and a few downed trees (nothing like the ice storm, though). It was impressive.
Here's a couple photos of the creek on my campus; first, here's a photo of what it normally looks like, a pleasant babbling brook:
(Notice especially the stone walls that make its banks...)And here's what it looked like at noon on the day after the thunderstorms:
(The water is up to the top of the stone banks! That's at least 3 or 4 feet higher than usual!)
(Over on the left, you can see where the stone wall has been breached and the water's overflowing the banks...)(I'll try to put in a little fimlet I took of the roiling water, but I'm not sure if it will work; see the bottom of the post...)
It was downright scary!
Several friends reported flooded basements--like, really flooded: a foot or more of standing water. We were lucky to have only puddles. Another friend's car got flooded because it was parked on the street near a blocked storm drain. She's going to have to replace it. Woah. And lots of schools had to call a delay or cancel school altogether because of flooding and power outages.
The day before the Big Flooding Rains, Dexter and I took a walk around the block; it was sunny and not so cold, and this time of year those days don't come often. Everywhere we went, we could hear water dripping and flowing, down gutters and downspouts, down the street. The snow was melting. Hurrah!
(Lots of water running along the curb... and of course the sticks & strewn things the snow leaves behind...)With all that snow on the ground, then the torrential thunderstorms, it's no wonder there was flooding!
I've been distracted the past couple weeks with getting ready for our big spring break trip to the rez. I'm gonna miss my guys like crazy (they don't have spring break yet) but I'm excited to go! And it's such a great group of students this year, just like in years past.
How did I get to be so lucky?!
Wishing you sunshine and some signs of spring SOON,
Karen
Snow melting. Yes. Often a mixed blessing.
ReplyDeleteWe've been having thunderstorms -- Betty had to be Given Drugs.
then she felt all better.
We had a crazy loud thunderstorm this past week too. Thankfully, no flood. Today the first of the crocuses opened (to the immense delight of your niece who has been frantic for spring to come) and the first huge fleet of robins descended upon our yard looking for snacks.
ReplyDeleteFebruary: The month of high water and phlegm.
ReplyDeleteI spent the last two weeks of the month hacking up a lung. That's MY memory of this past February.
Oh, and let's add in: angry envy toward those who have the good sense/money to go somewhere warm and sunny for winter vacation.
Not that I'm bitter or anything.
Enough with the ice cold water already!!
ReplyDeleteAnne--I'm glad you had the means to help Betty feel better! :)
ReplyDeleteRT--yay for crocuses! We have our first popping out right now... (more on that in the next post, I think)
KLM--I know what you mean. For spring break I went to South Dakota. Because, you know, that's where all the cool kids go for spring break. Hope your phlegm is back to normal!
Reya--YES.