Hilltop Star

Okay, okay. I'm sure you are tired of looking at photos of snow. Hopefully, there won't be many more of them to come. I'm hoping that we won't receive much more snow, even though more has been forecasted for Monday.

From yesterday during the blizzard, while I was outside shoveling out my door again.

I'm not sure how hard it was snowing.

I think the wind was blowing more snow than was actually falling.

The remains of the gutter above my door.

I believe there was an ice dam on the edge of the roof,

because there were some BIG ice junks that I had to remove with my hands.

I'm just glad my door windows didn't get taken out when they fell.

From today:

Now there's a sight I haven't seen for a few days, the sun and clear wet pavement in the street.

The snow plows have obviously been out working.

Also, you can see some of the drifting that happened in my front yard.

The snow on the sidewalk was pretty much even with the raised front yard.

Look at that blue, blue sky!

My car hasn't moved, and it's not likely to in the next few days.

I'm considering hiring the YM from church to dig it out.

My friend T's car is in worse shape than mine, but at least her street was plowed.
Photos here.

Look closely, and you will see a large branch that fell into this tree.

It's in the middle of the photo and covered with snow.

It's about 15 feet long and about 4-6 inches wide.

If it falls, it will take out the fence and half the tree.

Hopefully, the city comes to take it out soon.

The breakfast of this snow shovel champion:

Homemade whole wheat, cinnamon waffles with raspberries

and maple syrup with bacon on the side.

The cinnamon, raspberries and maple syrup combined

for an absolutely divine burst of complimentary flavors.

photos by me

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

snowpacolypse 2... again

I walked over to my friends, the B's, for dinner this evening.

It was snowing pretty hard already, and I knew I would be walking in the street at times.

So, I pulled out my reflective belt

so that I would be more visible to the crazies who were driving in the snow.

(Thanks KGB.)

The snow coming down isn't really visible in this photo,

but it's really pretty.

Lots of snow.

More snow!

This is how the fire hydrants were marked near the middle school.

The Fox News truck canvassing the neighborhood for snow news.

My stairs were clear of snow earlier today.

This is all we received since about 5PM today.

I had close to half an inch of snow on my head when I got home.

It's coming down out there!

photos by me

in between the next snowpacolypse

Thankfully, there was a break in the snow today. But it has started snowing again. There is a light dusting already on my steps and the path I shoveled earlier. More to come...

I most of today out and about. I needed to be out of my house for a while, and I needed to be around other humans. I walked down to the Eastern Market area, and got my nails done, went to the library and CVS, got some lunch at Le Pain Quotidien (yum), and went grocery shopping at Eastern Market. There were no lines there, and I always feel like the prices are better. Plus, it's the only place I know where I can buy only four strips of bacon at a time, and instead of change at the produce stands they give oranges. Yay for Eastern Market!

There is an igloo in Lincoln Park today!

Everyone was out enjoying the break in the weather,

including exhausted parents with stir crazy kids.

The route around the inside of the park is ice from all the kids with sleds going round and round.

I almost fell several times, and started walking on the snow instead.

A snowy view of the Library of Congress dome.

My treat from bakery at Eastern Market.

A Red Velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting. Yum!

Let it snow. Let it snow. Let it sn...

Enough already for this city.

photos by me

Monday, February 8, 2010

snowpacolypse 2 - the day after the day after and more to come tomorrow

From weather.com:

... WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TUESDAY TO 7 PM EST WEDNESDAY... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING... WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TUESDAY TO 7 PM EST WEDNESDAY.

* PRECIPITATION TYPE... SNOW.
* ACCUMULATIONS... 10 TO 20 INCHES.

Seriously, 10 to 20 MORE inches. Where are we going to put it?!?!?! The news is saying the city is dumping snow at the old hospital grounds. That's just up the street from me. But seriously, 10 to 20 more inches... uh, okay. I'm waiting to see if Metro will be running before I decide if I'm going into work tomorrow--no word yet.

Snow day today--the first of this year and the second for this winter which have been declared by the Federal Government. As a federal employee, I'm thankful I didn't have to try and get to work today. My car is still buried. I didn't even try to dig it out, because there's no way I'm going to be driving on these streets.

I went for a walk around the neighborhood, because I needed to get out and get some fresh air. I helped push out two cars that were stuck on A Street NE, where not one snow plow had passed by. One Honda was high-centered on the snow and it took four passers-by and the two women in the car to dig out the snow and then push it out. Fun stuff!

Maybe there was a snow plow that came through this street.

On the roads where the snow plows did their job,

this is what it takes to dig your car out.

Here's what the car above probably looked before it was dug out.

Imagine 10 to 20 more inches on top of this!

Digging out is a neighborhood affair. This guy hired the neighbor boys to dig his car out.

The owner of the car talked to me as I went by, and said he needed to get to Baltimore tonight.

Okay, sure. Be stupid and drive--good luck and be safe.

This is A Street NE where dug out the Honda.

Amazing that this street hasn't been plowed yet.

Cross country skier going through the intersection.

I should order some skis, it would be easiest way to get around the neighborhood and get to work.

Plus, my thighs and butt would look AWESOME.

Looking down East Capitol Street, I can finally see pavement

and the Capitol in the distance.

Lots of trees in the neighborhood have storm damage from the weight of the snow.

I'm just glad none of the big trees around my house have had problems.

My friend CSB said the streets near the schools have been plowed in her neighborhood.

But this street is right next to the middle school, and only two blocks away from me.

As you can see, no snow plow.

Well, Mother Nature is showing her great power this week.

I really hope the storm tomorrow rolls right by without dumping on us.

Other friends from church have also been blogging about the storm.

Check out their new puppy in the snow here. Very cute and fun!

photos by me

Sunday, February 7, 2010

snowpacolypse - the day after

Church was cancelled today, again.

That's two weeks in a row.

It now seems silly by comparision that last week we only had

six inches of snow, and church was cancelled.

I didn't make it to the potluck brunch this morning.

I didn't sleep well last night, and so at 0330 I cancelled my alarm for this morning.

I slept until I woke up on my own at 1130.

I love sleeping in.

Thankfully, I am not one of the 200K people without power or heat.

I am almost caught up with laundry as well.

Did I mention that I got a new washer!

The Hallmark Channel is showing 48 hours of I Love Lucy re-runs.

I think Lucy is the perfect antidote for the Superbowl.

Plus, I have the whole Jeeves and Wooster series on DVD, which was a Christmas gift from a friend.

Another perfect antidote for the Superbowl.

I did venture out to do some shovelling.

My back is in rebellion now.

As I was shoveling, this guy came down 19th Street.

He lifted the bucket to go through intersection.

I'm glad to finally see my un-represented tax dollars hard at work.

I think my car is a hopeless cause today.

Yep, it's hopeless.

I'm parked around the corner, and we haven't had a snow plow pass by there yet.

Lots of tire tracks from other cars, but no plows.

See my wind shield wipers poking up from the snow on the front window.

It keeps them from freezing to the window.

I have cleared a place to walk.

I even did part of the public sidewalk.

My back won't take any more this afternoon.

One of my neighbors borrowed my weapon of choice to clear their steps,

the back patio and do part of the sidewalk.

I might go out in a few more minutes to help out.

But in the meantime, I have a hot date with Lucy and my heating pad.

My friend T has been posting about the storm too.

Click here to see her photos.

photos by me

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Snowpacolypse 2 on Saturday - ii

This is an awesome snowstorm. I'm amazed at how much snow there is out there, but I'm always amazed at the great snowstorms. I'm even from northern Utah and I've seen snowstorms.

The walk to Eastern Market for lunch was fun. It was easiest to walk in the street, as there were indications that at some point a snow plow had passed through.