The End Is Almost Here
The Joy Of The Lovely Of It All ~ Part XI - The Aftermath- More Up Close Looks At The Difficulties of Snow
One of the joys of large snow storms, is that they tend to be very persistent. Not UN-like some authors we know on Steemit. And this being said, I shall now plow ever-forth in discussion with more latent aspects of our monumental, SnOwregon 2019, extrava-snowa-ganza.
Yes, summer is almost upon us, or at least officially a month or so away. But there is still MORE to discuss about deep snows, before the sweltering heat of the season settles down upon us. After all, once it DOES drop like a woolen, 40-point Hudson Bay blanket, people will no doubt be crying out to yon Internet screen, "Give us some more SNOW. PULL-EEEZE! We NEEEEEED it." All extraordinarily unnecessary, hindsight drama aside, I'm going to give you a few more looks into the downside of a large, snowy event. Mainly because I still can ( :
So, once more, WITH further ado:
The Aftermath of SnOwregon 2019: Of Downed Sticks, Flattened Bushes AND Buildings, And Some More Train Difficulties
Enjoy away...
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Previous SnOwregon PAIN and PLEASURE Posts:
The Aftermath Part II: Smaller Scale Difficulties
The Aftermath: Highway Freefall TreeFall Madness
Puffy NightSnows
Industrial Magic and Light ~ Part II
Industrial Magic and Light ~ Part I
Goin Out The Country ~ Part II
Goin Out The Country ~ Part I
Drive n' Around The NightSnows ~ Part II
Drive n' Around The NightSnows ~ Part I
Whispy NightSnows
SnOwregon 2019 THE PAIN-Post II
SnOwregon 2019 THE PAIN-Post I
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For Every Action There Is An Equal and Opposite RE-Action-Revisited Close Up
"Missed It, By THAT Much "
The heavy snow pulled down branches all over town. Though calling this a 'branch' is a bit of a misnomer. I'd call it about 1/3 of the tree! Luckily it missed the front porch. I think this one came down a bit after our first snows. The water weight added to the damage after the snowfall. It was cleaned up pretty quickly.
I guess if you live in a pretty large house, you can afford to pay someone to come remove it. Other's weren't so lucky. There are STILL branches in some yards, months after the storm. It's expensive paying someone to come cut up and haul away the mess. I should know, I'm still cleaning up some of mine. The good old one person, DIY chainsaw, ax and bow saw crew in action. Makes one feel rather studly, in a much smaller, stick-person, Paul Bunyan-esque sort of way.
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Way Beyond My Little Stihl 038
A rather large Douglas fir that fell during the snows. This is a local park, a ways down the highway from home. I wonder how long they will leave it? Downed trees ARE an important part of the natural forest ecosystem, but I'm betting they'll cut this up. Some day. Like the highway we discussed in previous posts...it takes a long time to get to every problem area.
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Take A Little Off The Top, Please
These freight cars had just come down from the mountains. Like those in the background. The railroad was a MESS up through the passes, particularly in the full teeth of the storm. We talked earlier about Amtrak getting stuck with all the people on board, and how they got to spend a few quiet days in the snowy woods on the train. Going nowhere fast. Was probably quite fun, for awhile. Or at least till the food ran out and toilet tanks all filled up. Then it would be time to come home.
This freight train sheared off a bunch of snow-heavy, low hanging branches as it rumbled through the forest. They're even stuck down below in the couplers and such. I guess not much except a FULL-sized tree stops a train. There were branches all over the boxcars and lumber flatcars both during and after the storm. Snow is hard on the trees, and then hard on the trains that pass through, after it's done.
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Whataracket
I wonder if any branches poked through the tops of the cars? I wouldn't be at all surprised. I once discovered a HUGE, 200 foot tall, 5 foot in diameter Douglas fir tree that recently slid a LONG way down a steep mountain to the road below. Punched a hole THROUGH the thick gravel road, then into and through the top of a 6 foot diameter steel culvert. Impressive forces. I'm sure some of these rail cars had tree branches sticking through the rooftop from within, like a bad haircut.
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Cousin What's-It's Got NOTHING On The Stickpile Monster
Biking past the local, vacant utility company lot, I was initially spooked by this creepy, HUGE apparition in the waning light. First DD thought? "What in the blue blazes is THAT thing?!!
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A Day Or So Later...
Oh, it's a monstrosity of a stick pile. I'm guessing all the downed branches and trees of our fair city were dumped here. Day after day after day. That's a LOT of branches. I suppose the cleanup crews have to put them SOMEWHERE. Not sure what they were going to do with them after this. But it would sure make a stupendous bonfire for roasting some tasty S'mores. If one were so inclined. Though you'd need a LONG roasting stick. It would be a rather large fire.
~ § ~
Schteinn School of the Sophisticated Sciences (S.S.S.S.)
Scientific Pile-Size Comparison Study
Exhibit A
The Deep Science Of A Pile - Photo No. 1
March 22, 2019 @ 2:56 P.M.
Notice the small stick protruding from our pile at arrow right, and the general height of our pile on March 22. This is a BIG pile of sticks. Surely it cannot get much larger?
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Exhibit B
The Deep Science Of A Pile - Photo No. 2
March 27, 2019 @ 6:44 P.M.
The same pile, much LARGER, five days later. A whole lot more stuff has been added to our original stack of sticks. The protruding branch at photo right (arrow), is the same as in Photo Exhibit A above [↑]. They added 20 or more feet of greenery to the pile. Not something you see every day.
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And Just Like That...
...It's Gone
But not forgotten. April 25, 2019 @ 8:08 P.M. One day I rode by, and our pile had mysteriously disappeared. Where the heck did they put all of this? I have no idea. This seemed like a good place to chip or burn it. How many trucks or train cars did it take to haul it all away? Where DID they take it? Food for thought, and possible future scientific sleuthing.
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What About The Little Trees?
Dr. Seuss Would Be Proud
As for the smaller trees of our fair city...they got hammered pretty good too. This one growing in the park is splayed out like a sad fish fillet. I think it'll take a long time for them to recover. If they ever do. These damaged trees are all over the place in town.
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An Arborvitae Only A Mother Could Love
Another tree that got heavily splanched (split-branched -dds). These ornamental shrubbery seem to take it the hardest. Followed by the wispy Birch trees. Deep, heavy snow is thoroughly enjoyed by we photographic humans, but no doubt disdained by the smaller trees and shrubs. Much like some cats we know.
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Back To The Country
The older buildings out in the farmland seem to be hit the hardest by the snows. At least when compared to our city buildings. As my dad used to say: "that barn is old as the hills, and TWICE as dusty". It looks to be slowly disintegrating over time, but I think a few more parts fell off or down during this storm. Not sure, could have happened before, but I'm voting on the recent snow doing all this newer damage.
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On Down The Road Apiece
Yikes!!!
This poor farm building REALLY took it in the shorts. The whole thing is gone. Well, it's still THERE. But gone from usefulness. Amazing. Not sure you could have done much all-night snow removal to prevent this. Then again, maybe you could. Would have been a TON of hard work though. Maybe I SHOULD be teaching those Late Night Snow Removal 101 classes at the Community College!
~ § ~
Blackberry Crrrrrruush!
"Well Hello, Wilbur" (Crooned in a wavering horse voice)
Thanks to our deep snow smashing things down to the ground, I got to see areas of the city I've never seen before. This view along the highway has always been blanketed by huge blackberry bushes. But they were smooshed flat by the heavy, snowy blanket. Who knew? There's been horses right on the other side of these bushes all along! What else have I been missing around town?
The blackberries are now growing back. Fast. So I won't see my new horse friends, or other expanding urban views for much longer. Or at least until SnOwregon 2020 or beyond returns. Seeing these horses for the first time: proof positive once more, there are many silver linings to the dark clouds of winter weather.
Well, that about wraps up another segment of this riveting look at our recent snowstorm.
Stay tuned for more SnOwregon 2019- The Lighter Side Of The NightSnows. Coming soon to a post near you.
~ Finto ~ (Temporaritudinale')
Thanks for stopping in and viewing SnOwregon 2019: The AFTERMATH - Part III. If you have any thoughts about snowstorms and train travel, large mountains of sticks and other storm detritus, collapsed buildings and bushes, discovering new horse friends, or anything else this post reminds you of, please feel free to comment away in the spaces below. I'd love to hear from you.
Please UPVOTE, COMMENT and FOLLOW if you enjoy my works.
And go to @ddschteinn -- There's a whole lot more...
Posted: 05/22/2019 @ 09:28
Excerpts From Late-Night Conversations With A Mechanical Cat
Fact Number 145
More Stinky the Cat Classics from Catfacts of Yesteryear
Well the thing is in Michigan, even in summer, one is never far from another snow it seems. Summer is so short and fall quickly falls right into winter.
That pile is a mystery. Probably paid some mulch company a pretty penny to come and get it.
I have to admit we are much alike in a not wanting to waste a shot kind of way. If I snap it, by golly I am going to use it, sometime, somewhere. Even then I have folders where I catagorize them in case of a future need lol. It pays off sometimes but mainly is probably a waste of time and hard disc space lol.
A huge snow storm in the 80s collapsed the roof of our old dairy barn. What a mess that was!
I would have hated being stuck on that train. It's not like you could get off and go for a walk in the woods.
I hope they chipped and composted that monsterous pile of branches.
That is a huge pile of sticks! I bet you'd get in a little trouble for it, but think of what a fun bonfire that would make! You would have to wait a couple days before roasting the marshmallows, though.
We actually had a couple barns get flattened by it here in southern MN. There's one that I found half-collapsed under the weight!
Can you imagine how large the flame lengths would have been? And how singed your eyebrows would be with a 3 foot weenie stick with marshmallows on it? I was kind of surprised no one lit on fire. Though it IS behind a fence. Or was. Wherever DID it all go? I have to find that one out.
I think I saw that post of your barn, but might have been late for voting. Yikes, I'm delinquent at times. But they are fascinating, if not a bit sad to see when they start to sag or fall. Speaking of photos, @cognoscere used to do a lot of old, decayed and bombed out buildings. Not sure if he still is. I need to go check. But they are fascinating to explore and photo, as long as the roof stays up. Thanks for stopping in for a chat.
I'll see that stranded on Amtrak train during a snow storm to stranded on a Greyhound bus ... not the glamorous life of Prince lyrics that is for sure. They did call out the army however to take care of us and so there you go. Canadian tax dollars at work.
DD, I am starting to think all these snow posts are a ploy to get us to chip in and buy you a tropical island holiday. LOL Serioulsy though. You got some great shots ... you must have been on a hill for some of them ... the hill of sticks? And I chuckled all the way through.
That does sound a bit like no fun. The bus would be very confining, compared to a train. The army came and got you. Classic. Though that's what tax dollars are for, the people. I wish you could convince our wonderful Gov of the same thing. Yikes, I fear we're run by a circus of Bozos here. Though no humor is anywhere in sight. Did you get stuck on the bus recently. Do tell the story on this one...
Oh dear, you've figured me out. Ah yes, a nice, 3 month trip to the Isle's de Tropic'. Steem fully accepted. Oh, how I do wish I could say that, but truth be known, I just took a LOT of photos in the snow, and once I get on an idea, I'm like a snapping turtle. "Good luck getting him to let go". I will run them out till the end, no matter HOW tired of them the world of Steemit gets ( :
Though ANOTHER truth be told, they are almost done. Just the humor ones to go, I think. The gift that just keeps on giving, and giving and giving and giving and giving and giving and giving and giving and giving and giving and giving and....(That was kind of fun to type...).
Glad you are still enjoying the series, at least a little bit. I just hit a baker's dozen. There should be some sort of prize there. Maybe a trip to the store for some maple bars or 13 doughnuts, at least.
Cheers, to you and a bonny nice Wednesday night in the Northland
No, it happen decades ago now. There was so much snow that the underpasses were snowed it.
I think you should do a story post on it. Sounds rather exciting. Though being on the bus forever, would be less than exciting. But as a grand adventure of sorts...back to exciting.
It was so long ago that the memory is getting foggy on the details. Mostly it was boring. I watched Anne of Green Gables again. That seems to be the most poignant memory:0
Exhibit B is a volcano! Someone stole the volcano!! 😮
Don't you just hate when that happens? I was very surprised when I rode by, and there it WASN'T. Where DID it go? I have to do some more looking into this. I smell a new post coming out soon about the big pile of missing sticks...
Is all a conspiracy against sticks! I bet the government have an area 52 where they hide all the sticks and make experiments with them! Find the truth DD!
Oh dear, the dreaded Area 52 of the branchletts. I want to...but what if they turn me into some sort of odd, twiggy 'thing', or run me through the full-sized playdough machine for a serious dingle spang-ing. Yikes, this Sci Fi research is scary. But someone has to do it.
Maybe is time for Wilson2 to be an undercover agent.... just don't send cousinthat there... that will be too dangerous!
Ooh, I like that. I can dress him up for undercover work. Maybe as a pumpkin, or large squash. Maybe a puffball mushroom. And good idea, we'll leave CousinThat out of the mix. Not exactly the smartest tree in the orchard.
Oh! You found a lot of damages after the snowstorms!
WOW! Amazing "Schteinn School of the Sophisticated Sciences (S.S.S.S.)"! You always have great theory and good observation on everything indeed.
Yeah! Among the dark side, I can see the light side from your photos; i.e. the wonderful mountains covering with snow in the background of the freight cars' photo, the greenery in the farmland, the horse standing among nice nature, etc.
Well said! "there are many silver linings to the dark clouds of winter weather."
Thanks for sharing these with us. ;)
There was a lot going on during and after, that's for sure. It was a lot of fun. Now you all get to read about it until NEXT winter ( : Actually, it's almost done. Just another one or two. The gift that just keeps on giving and giving X 50. But I have to keep the Schteinn School busy and active, or their minds will turn to oatmeal. Hate when that happens. Thanks for stopping in for a chat. Have a nice day and keep on smiling, D
You're welcome! Oh! I'll be happy to read more than two.... Hope they are coming soooooooon!! ;D
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