I think the snow is melting already, but we are supposed to get more of the stuff today. That, or maybe a mix of snow, sleet, and rain. So it's going to be a slushy mess, as the half-melted mush re-freezes and more falls on top of it. I'm not sure when the real thaw is supposed to set in.
This looks like a sepia-tone photo, but it's actually in color. It's the kitchen window view.
This is the time to enjoy how pretty the snow was yesterday, and to be happy if you don't have to go to work somewhere. The lead story on the news is what a hassle getting to work in the Paris region will be for commuters this morning. Paris had as much as four inches of snow in places, and it stuck. That's pretty rare, they said on last night's news report.
Bare grape stems in the snow
The snow ended yesterday, early in the afternoon. At that point, only one car had driven by our house, and it was headed down the hill, not up it. The car had come in by way of the gravel road through the vineyard, which doesn't involve climbing a slippery slope. Later in the day, the village sent a little snow plow through, making our road slightly more passable (I guess).
That's Walt in the back window, watching me and Callie come back from the morning walk.
We called the friends in Saint-Aignan who had invited us to dinner and expressed our regrets. It was still snowing at that point, and it looked like getting the car out would be difficult if not impossible. The problem is that just getting the car onto the little road means getting up a slippery little slope. In past winters, we've had a lot of trouble getting the Peugeot out through the front gate. Once we went sliding sideways and nearly rammed into a fence post.
The back yard yesterday morning, 20 January 2013
We're going to survey the situation and see about going out tonight. However, the weather report on TéléMatin just said that we are still in the winter weather warning zone for more snow or sleet and icy conditions. My guess is that it will be better to stay in unless we absolutely have to venture out, or the temperature suddenly rises and the ice and snow melt away.
Conditions are pretty much the same here, with heavy snowfall yesterday all through the day. This morning, when I left for work, the main roads were snow-free though and getting here (at the office) wasn't too bad. Hope this is this winter's last snow ;). Keep warm! Martine
ReplyDeleteSame here, although it began to thaw late yesterday... and looks to have continued slowly overnight... currently plus four centipedes outside and grey... a day for cooking/baking perhaps?
ReplyDeleteHi Martine, we have decided not to go out today at all. We just had a heavy snow shower, and now the wind has started blowing. I think all the slush is going to re-freeze this evening, and we don't want to be on the slippery roads after dinner tonight.
ReplyDeleteTim, we have a pot of chicken and rice soup steaming on the stove. The wind is blowing pretty hard, and are expecting more snow later today and this evening. Cabin fever is setting in.
An article in the NYTimes
ReplyDeleteyesterday about snow-related
problems in London/Paris,
implied that this may be
the new norm. Maybe it has
something to do with the
Gulf Stream cooling off.
That new insulation you put in upstairs is paying off. The snow is staying on the roof, not melting from the heat lost through it when there was no insulation.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your chicken soup, I'm making chicken curry today because it's chilly here, only about 65º.
Ken
ReplyDeleteWe had the same weather that you had yesterday. It snowed on Saturday and it was supposed to be +1 C with rain yesterday but at 3 AM it started howling and the rain turned into sleet . That was our story yesterday: sleet, snow, rain , sleet again ... you get the picture.
This morning crunchy crunchy everywhere and the temperature minus 19C. When the heat pump stops ( cut off temp - 15C) and the furnace does all the work , we know it is COLD outside :-)
Good idea to stay inside when it is slippery. Enjoy your soup.
Ken, the driving rain stopped.... so I went into the meadow to fill the "field" feeder with tournesol seed... cabin fever very rapidly cured!!
ReplyDeleteIt is 7.9 centipedes here... but with the wind chill I reckon minus that!!
Ahhhhh, thanks for the photos :)) Stay safe and warm and well-fed :) I guess Bertie and Callie are putting up with each other inside the house?
ReplyDeleteHi Judy, Callie is getting a little better with Bertie, but we still have to intervene all the time to keep the peace. Bertie spends as much time in the house as he wants. He spent the afternoon in front of the hot wood stove today, for example, while Callie stayed upstairs with me.
ReplyDeleteBert's real home is still down in the garage, where he has his bed, his bowl of kibble, his litter box (which he seldom uses), and his always-open window for easy entry and exit. He is free to wander. When it's cold in the garage at night, he can retreat into the warmer utility room, where he also has a bed.
It was snowing when we got off the plane during our last trip to Paris during the winter. Luckily, the streets were easily managed for the taxi drivers. It was gone by dinner time.
ReplyDelete