Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Shovel Me A Mountain

Woot! I got the second to last snow shovel in the new shipment at Lowes today. I went in and grabbed it then went to get some new water filters. By the time I got to the checkout area where the display was set up, no more snow shovels for you.

The next winter storm approaches and the diagnosis calls for three days of snow in a row. I got me a big scoop now.



Way up there on the other side of Crabtree Bald I got close to six inches of the finest powder snow you can imagine in the last two days. It looks like down here they didn't get diddly. When the diagnosis calls for a couple of inches of snow down here, it can be doubled or tripled up there.



I will be ready to shovel me a mountain.



Interestingly, this last snow was such I fine powder I swept the driveway off this morning to be able to get out and go to town between weathers. Sweeping was a much more pleasant motion than shoveling. As the nuances of snow become more apparent here in Arctic Carolina I may find different tools work better for different qualities of snow. That and the gravel driveway is not what one would call a flat surface which is what the snow shovel looks to be designed for.

That big scoop is still bound to make things easier. So much for a southern style winter.

10 comments:

Lola said...

HOORAY. I'm so glad you were at the right place at the right time. Now you can shovel to your hearts content. lol
Do be careful, don't want to over do. Stay warm.

Anonymous said...

Well allright! Glad you grabbed it when you saw it. Shoveling on gravel must be weird, can't go all the way down. You will be giving lessons on how it's done, as you always figure the best way to do things. They have closed multiple schools and offices already here in preparation for the big storm to come. That usually means it totally peters out. They sprayed the stuff on the street in front of my house already too, that means there will be nothing at all. We did go to the store to stock up on essentials, like every single other person in town today. We're good with toilet paper and milk, the necessities. HA
Frances

Lisa at Greenbow said...

We are in that snow band too. No big shovel here either. WE should invest. I will be whining tomorrow morning. It is supposed to be powerdy so maybe we can blow it away. Your new shovel looks like a fine soldier standing at attention in the snow just waiting to be commanded.

Siria said...

A snow shovel ~ Yeah! Be safe and stay warm.

Siria said...

By the way...I went to send you an email with the name of the guy who cleared our roads if you want to call him and see if he can clear your driveway if it gets to be too much for the shoveling. He is down in the Crabtree Valley, so not too far from you. I lost all my email addresses when my computer broke so I don't have your email anymore. Let me know if you want me to send you his name and number ... I think you have my email address.

Christopher C. NC said...

Lola it may be crazy but I am enjoying shoveling just a bit. It gives me something to do.

Frances I am already seeing how the shovel action on the gravel may need to be from the high center towards the side which in a way will prevent a sideways fling. I'm sure you want it to snow. Just think of the photo ops.

Lisa how can you not have a big scoop snow shovel up there? I did consider cranking up the leaf blower, but could not bear the thought of the noise.

Siria I will e-mail you so you have my address again.

Anonymous said...

Well I guess I shouldn't be whining about 38 degrees down here in Florida, huh. Although I have missed snow for several years, and now that we finally have a snowy winter,guess where I am. I know what you mean about shoveling, Christopher. There comes a certain Zen with it. Good luck everyone with the coming weather.

bev

Becky said...

WE have snow this year, but it's being rather civilized for a change. It's interesting to watch those who are new to the stuff deal with it.This is not a snow comment, but have you ever been to Sandy Mush Herb Nursery? Years ago, before herbs became mainstream, I used to order from them and always wanted to visit there. I was told you have to ford a stream to get there.

Mr. McGregor's Daughter said...

Welcome to my world! I'm intimately acquainted with all the nuances of snow, from the powdery to the "heart-attack" varieties. I do not envy you trying to shovel a gravel driveway. I actually enjoy shoveling snow off a paved driveway, but Lola is right to warn you. I try to warm up first inside to loosen up the muscles, then I shovel for about 20-30 minutes at a time, depending on the temperature. Always drink more water than you think you need, as it's hard to tell that you're sweating when it's cold. I have to admit, the right tool/shovel can make a world of difference.

Christopher C. NC said...

Bev the single worst thing about the cold is if the wind is blowing. It is totally doable without the wind. This coming storm is supposed to be packing big winds. Goody.

Becky I googled the Sandy Mush Herb Nursery. It would make a nice scenic drive come spring.

MMGD my mail lady said this was what winter was like here when she was growing up. I should expect and be prepared for a mega cold snowy winter once in a while. I'm learning and taking notes. Lots of different kinds of frozen precipitation for sure.