Monday, January 15, 2007

Ice, Ice, Baby!

Here at Possum Box Lane we have lots and lots and lots of ice. Every tree, every bush, every blade of grass is encased in its own little ice capsule. The countryside glitters and gleams, even though the sun is behind layers of thick clouds. In our yard, one hugantic tree limb has fallen across the front walk and into the driveway where my car would have been had we not moved both cars well into the lane and away from all trees. Another big limb is lying in the side yard. Both maples are topped with giant spikes where their heaviest and highest branches have cracked and broken off. Down by the creek, I discovered yesterday that my favorite wild plum tree, the one whose white frothy blossoms I loved in the spring and whose tart fruit I nibbled and carried with me on walks in the fall, has snapped off at the ground, its diamond crown more than it could bear.

Our power went out yesterday around 1:00 p.m. We still had heat from the gas heat stove, although its fan no longer worked. As the light failed, Great Scott lit candles, and he and the girls finished their game of Dragonology. We laid out his double sleeping bag and the girls' bags on the floor in front of the stove and closed off the upstairs. Then we sat in the living room, and I read aloud from E. Nesbit's children's book of Shakespeare plays until bedtime. To the girls it was an adventure. The cats loved having them in front of the stove, and before long two girls and two cats were snuggled together in a heap watching the flames in the heat stove flicker shadows against the walls and ceiling. Great Scott and I went to bed with flashlights and read for awhile, The Great Golden Sun Cat curled sleeping atop the covers. It was one of the most peaceful evenings we've had in a long, long time.

The power came back on this morning around 10:30 or 11:00. The phone went out about the same time. As I type this to post, I'm in Great Scott's classroom at his school (the school itself is closed today). Our internet connection at home is dial-up, so I won't be able to post more or to post comments regularly until the phone problem at home is fixed. Since the last phone repairman told us that digging would be necessary the next time the phone went out, that may be awhile. I'll try to pop in as I can via the library computers or here at school.

Many thanks to those of you who checked on us. May your power stay on, and your heat be consistent and cozy!

8 comments:

Beth Impson said...

Despite all the adult hassles, what wonderful memories your girls will have from this year! Even as sad as losing trees is, the beauty of ice coating the branches and twigs, the blades of grass, the winter stubble, cannot be denied.

It's warm here today. But when it's cold here, it's just cold and miserable. I often find myself thinking that beauty would make the cold a little more bearable!

Anonymous said...

sounds very cozy; may you stay warm inside, and safe, of course. perhaps a picture of those hanging ice things? sounds so purty with your description. or maybe you are tied up reading ALL those books...

Jennifer said...

What an adventure! I'm glad you have power again, even if you had a peaceful night without it. I'm also glad to hear you made it through the storm without too much damage.

Apparently, we lost power momentarily at around 3 a.m. Other than that, it was just frozen car doors in MG (or rather at Innisfree, as my mom calls her new house).

Michael A. Wells said...

It truly sounds like you all are making the best of it.

Your writerly descriptions as usual were wonderful. It is sad to think of the toll this storm is going to take on trees.

Fortunately up here, most of our ice case in the form of sleet rather than freezing rain. Hence the amount of weight on the trees was less.

Keep you all in my thoughts & prayers.

Lucindyl said...

Alaiyo--I'd not considered the girls remembering or not remembering this, but looking back on it, I hope they do. They're home again today, although their daddy went back to school. And, yes, beauty does help.

Atticus--I was just thinkin' as how I oughtta get out with the camera. Thanks for asking. I'll see what I can do.

Jennifer--Am very glad MG didn't lose power. You are, I assume, back at school yourself today?

Michael--I wondered about the KC area and how you fared there. Springfield is still a mess--much worse than the countryside. I hate to think how bad it would have been had the ice hit KC and its much larger population.

Lauren said...

We are so very glad you are all okay out there. As you know, we also lost power.. for 36 hours. We got it back at 1:30 this morning. Brad and I headed out to work, only to have both of us sent home. His place lost power.. and we burst a pipe. I was soaked to the skin in ice water in a building with no heat. But I am home, safe and sound and (thankfully) dry again. I am still a bit chilly, but warming.

Fieldfleur said...

Wow, I'm always tardy in responding to your posts, it appears. As if there's a competition to be attentive. :)

Isn't it lovely when power technology restores us to the primordial (er flashlights, candles, elsewhere-internet, Shakespeare, notwithstanding). Sounds cozy at your home. We've had raging power still.

Sorry about the lovely tree. Victims are sad things.

Take care,
Teri

Psyche said...

I love the imagery in this blog. I feel like I'm there with you all once again! *sniff* We don't have so much ice here, but lots and lots of snow, and it's absolutely gorgeous! There is one gigantic icicle hanging from the corner of the house. It's about 2 feet long. The kids thought it pretty neat! Devin lays on the floor inside and pretends to make snow angels when we can't go outside. They love to prance about in the snow, making footprints and indentions. Yesterday Devin informed me that the proper way to finish playing in the snow was to have hot cocoa to warm our insides! LOL! What was I thinking, forgetting the hot cocoa?! :)