It is not unheard of for it to snow here in Hampton Roads, but it is unusual for us to get more than the occasional dusting. It started snowing around 2 or 3 this morning and is not predicted to stop until sometime overnight. There is at least 8" or more on the ground as I write this, and the weather people are predicting around a foot when it is all over with. According to them, this is a "major snow event". Their prognostications tend to whip the populace into a frenzy, compelling them to drive at great haste, without regard for any other vehicles or pedestrians - to the grocers, filling stations and the liquor stores.
View From The Porch
I love my wife. She braved the madness to get our shopping done, which needed doing anyway, the cupboards being bare. However, she failed to purchase any adult beverages. Did I mention I love my wife? So out I went last night ahead of the storm to pick up a couple of six packs. There were 30 people ahead of me in the express lane. You could have divided the line into two groups: people whose basket included white bread or people who had wine.
Knitting Mill Creek
Since I had already spent the better part of an hour at the store, I figured I might as well see what I could find at
NARO Video while I was out. The guys behind the counter were ripping on the local TV weather people and the frantic crowds stocking up at the grocery store, and it was one of them I heard refer to "Snowpocalypse 2010". I picked up a copy of
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs for early and
Revolutionary Road for later. Plans change and I was in bed before the family movie was 30 minutes old.
Resourceful Neighbors
Fortunately the garden is still fairly sleepy, so I don't think this round of weather will harm anything. I did cut all my blooming Paperwhites to bring in, knowing they would likely get smushed.
Mahonia and
Camellia sasanqua are running through their final blooms, while the
C. japonica are just starting to show a glimpse of color, but still tight enough I think they will be fine. I had not noticed until my morning snow patrol that the Edgeworthia was starting to bloom and it should be quite something in a couple of weeks.
Mahonia x 'Winter Sun'
Camellia japonica 'Les Marbury'
Camellia japonica 'Magnoliaflora'
Edgeworthia chrysantha
Yucca filamentosa 'Golden Sword'
Wherever you are, I hope the weather is just as you like it, or will be soon. If you want to see more of my snow day photos,
click here.
Wonderful photos and great storytelling, Les. I lived for so long in Blacksburg that snow like this became commonplace. Today is like being back in the mountains, but without the good sledding. I just saw some neighborhood kids improvising by sledding down my perfectly flat street with the help of tow ropes attached to an SUV.
ReplyDeleteHope you're staying warm!
Great shots Les, I love the Edgeworthia starting to open. I don't have pictures of the snow but do have two youtubes of the crazy dogs playing in the snow.
ReplyDelete(There is life w/o a beer...!! )
Les, I love your photos... the vibrant snow covered blossoms, but especially Knitting Mill Creek.
ReplyDeleteI'm loving this snow!
ReplyDelete12 inches a good snow even for us Michiganders. Enjoy. That rodent will be out looking for his shadow soon and then spring will be jsut around the corner.
ReplyDeleteWow, you got a lot of snow! We got a few inches here before it turned to sleet.
ReplyDeleteIt's beautiful! I'm envious. We've had pouring rain and a cold wind out - tonight should get down into the mid-20s with a windchill (brutal for us spoiled coastal South Carolianians...). My father got about 8 inches in C'ville - and an aunt got about 12 inches in Richmond.
ReplyDeleteYour 'two lines' at the grocery store observation made me laugh, and reminded me of my first frantic trip to the grocery store with a hurricane looming. I had wine, good cheese, and charcoal (even though I didn't have a grill) in my cart. I got 'caught' by a colleague - who looked at my cart and said 'first storm, right?'. I would have been in your line!
Your photographs are just beautiful.
I see you got your grocery priority list right. I want to see that movie too.
ReplyDeleteWe got 6" here and it's pretty. Looks like it will stick around for awhile with it being in the teens.
I planted a mahonia this year and no blooms. I know that's just cause it's young. Such pretty blooms so I'm looking forward to the mature plant.
Your neighborhood is pretty and nice that you got a swing. Everyone needs a swing!
Crazy weather we're having, I live in the DC Metro area and today we got 4-6 inches! This is the 4th time this season and is very unusual. Really surprising that Hampton Roads got so much snow, I grew up in VaBch and only recall it snowing 1 time throughout my whole childhood. Enjoy for now!
ReplyDeleteHey hey! Looks like Slaterville (except you have about 6 more inches than we do). The storm line story is hilarious (and true). Sounds like my first winter. I hope it's not too cold for Edgeworthia and friends. They're gorgeous in the snow.
ReplyDeleteLes, your photos are absolutely stunning. I love the yucca in the snow, you should have entered in the GGW contest. What did you think of "Revolutionary Road"? Not a feel-good film but pretty powerful stuff.
ReplyDeleteI love the photo of the snow next to water. I have always thought that a good combination...
ReplyDeleteGlad you were able to break out the skis.
Finally, what is it with snow in unusual places and people rushing to the store to buy loaves of bread and cartons of milk? I've always been a little baffled by that...
P.S. They cancelled the Meals on Wheels delivery here for a day, telling people to use their "emergency meals." I worried and worried about that, hoping the shut-ins did all right.
Adult beverage and a movie is definitely where it's at this winter.....
ReplyDeleteMichael,
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a kid in Richmond my dad and his buddies rigged up an old car hood and tied it to a truck and pulled 5 or 6 of us around the snow covered streets. Great redneck fun!
Janet,
I loved your crazy dogs in the snow.
Di,
Thanks for the comment. It is not often I get to take snow pictures.
Phillip,
I can see I was not the only one out taking pictures.
Pam,
I hope your forecast is correct.
Sweet Bay,
I am so glad we only had snow and not sleet or ice.
Pam,
I hope your rain did not turn to sheets of ice with those temperatures. I think your hurricane shopping list was just fine.
Anna,
Your Mahonia should bloom as soon as it gets old enough, and yes, everyone needs a swing.
Crystal,
The paper said this morning it was a once in 20 year event.
Lynn,
The Edgeworthia should be OK, most of the buds were nice and tight.
Phillip,
I did enter the contest, but our snow had not yet fallen. I am only half way through the movie and will see the rest tonight. I usually like movies like this, not being afraid of the dark side.
Susan,
Unfortunately that was not me on the skis. I just saw them going down the street and asked if I could take their picture. I noticed today they were at it again, but their ranks had grown.
Tim,
I don't mind that combination at any season.
Les
Now you know what it is like. I like to shop two days ahead of the storm. It is less crowded and frantic then. Granted I live so far out in the woods, stocking up is the new normal. In Hawaii if a looming hurricane or west coast dock strike was imminent, the items to stock up on were rice and toilet paper.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the video guys got the Snowpocalypse from Ashvegas. that is what he called the Dec 18th storm in Asheville. He may have borrowed as well.
Oh oh oh, the Edgeworthia! I was already with a snarky grocery remark when that showed up! Must keep a watchful eye out for yellow blooms here. Now to the snark, we had to stop at the liquor store, the only place wine can be purchased in our fine state, and none are allowed in our dry county so we have to go to Knoxville or Chattanooga to get any wine. We thought the snow had stopped on Saturday and went to visit daughter Semi and family. It began snowing again and we went home early, but not before the wine run. The store was full of others with the same idea, only most were going for the harder stuff rather than wine. HA Hope you are safe and warm. :-)
ReplyDeleteFrances
Hard stuff, ha! I only had time to go to one grocery store here in Richmond before the storm hit, and Ukrop's was the one. So instead of adult comfort (which they don't sell), I came home with chocolate doughnut holes, chips, and ingredients for an apple pie. The Ukrop family may be looking out for my eternal salvation, but they've overlooked my arteries.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Before I got sidetracked thinking about my junk food binge, I logged in to tell you that I love your pictures! The one off your front porch is my favorite, though the waterfront picture is a close second. Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteAt least you can see some form of life among all that white... here where I live is just white white white... ;)
ReplyDeletecielo
How beautiful! I’m all for the contents of your basket. We stockpile on both food and drink for storms. Your neighbors look so happy. Can you send another storm our way? We only got a dusting of snow and it’s too icy to ski. I hope your garden survives the snow. I thought about you when reviewing a novel set in the south.
ReplyDeleteWow! What a rare treat! We shut down everything when we spot a snowflake.
ReplyDeleteI loved the view from your porch and seeing a bit of your neighborhood. You will be glad you snapped the pix of all that snow on the flowers as it may never happen again. Quite amazing to see such a sight in your neck of the woods!
ReplyDeleteChristopher,
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure where the clerks got it, but they were having loads of fun with it, tying to talk like the guy that narrates movie trailers.
Frances,
We went to Maine in our child free years and I was stopped dead in the grocery store where the liqour was stocked on the shelves near the fabric softener and breakfast cereals.
Caroline,
I wonder if the Dutch who now own or will soon own Ukrops, will be changing the dry nature and no Sundays policy. Thank you for your compliments.
CIELO,
After several days of warmer temps, we can now see more green and brown than white.
Sarah,
I will do my best to send any more snow that heads this way. I have had my fill for a few years.
Joan,
I only had one snow when I lived in Charleston. It was only a few months after Hugo and did not help the general mood. I was trying to get home to Va. for the holidays while the Low Country populace was in wintery panic.
Linda,
I would like to post more of my neighborhood, but people are funny these days about seeing their homes on the internet, let alone their persons.
Les
Les - What great photos of your blooms in the snow. Jealous of the blooms, identifying with the snow. 12" forecasted for saturday. I'll be the lady with the wine in her cart (who likes white bread anyway?) I'm thinking of taking my family to OBX for president's day. Any chance there will be sun in your part of the world then? Thanks! Kelly
ReplyDeleteKelly,
ReplyDeleteNothing wrong with getting an ample supply of both bread and wine. As to your weather question, OBX are usually spared the worst of the winter cold, but they have had snow this year too. I can tell that even though it is generally a little warmer there, the wind and humidity call for sturdy winter clothing, but it is worth any trouble.
Amazing! blooms in February. I am impressed.
ReplyDeletehttp://beyondmygarden.blogspot.com/
Les, your snowy flower photos are beautiful! I know just what you mean about the bread vs. wine lines;-) I'd be in the latter, as well!!
ReplyDeleteBeyond,
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by. I usually have more blooms now, but the weather has obviously played its hand.
Jan,
The lines were forming again last night, even though we are only predicted to have a couple of inches.
Les
The yucca looks typically groovy in snow. I feel sorry for everyone else!
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoyed the six-packs.
Well I shoulda scrolled down more. This doesn't seem so bad. Halloween of 1991 in MN we had 30", AND the Twins won the world series soon after. No school+World Series=happy 15 year old. I can't believe you had some blooms. Sheesh. Revolutionary Raod was a strange, dark movie for me.
ReplyDeleteChuck,
ReplyDeleteI should have posted pictures I took of the Yucca from the next day. There was a lot more snow on them.
Benjamin,
I know what we got here was nothing compared to other places, but it is all relative. Although I enjoyed Revolutionary Road, it was not easy to watch.
Les