2019 Snow Pocalypse

 

This year started out here in the Pacific Northwest with quite a mild fall and winter.  We were having a great time enjoying that weather and commiserated with our extended families about the historic Arctic Blast (Polar Vortex) of cold that invaded the Midwest and brought even that section of the country to a halt with temperatures of -28 degrees F for our families. Then came February 2nd --  Groundhog Day where Punxsutawney Phil (the little rat) assured us of an early  Spring. The next day (Super Bowl Sunday) it started snowing. It started accumulating and by 10:00 in the evening we were getting some significant inches.  I discovered that my phone has a mind of its own regarding stills and videos!!  So I ended up with lots of teeny videos and no stills. So I can't use the photo taken Sunday evening!

On Monday morning the 4th at 7:30 we continued with the first round of snow until we had a full six inches by the end of the day.

Feb. 4th at 7:40 in the morning - quite a first snowfall of the year,

On the 5th at 1:00 in the afternoon we got a little break and some sunshine!  I planned a work trip up north for the 6th and the roads to the freeway turned out to be a bit of a mess but the highway was clear.  Usually about this time we get those nice warm breezes off the Pacific and soon our snow melts away.  Rather than the typical cycle this time we got more cold and more snow.  A lot of the original snow had melted or settled but round two was on its way.

   My husband woke me up at 2:00 in the morning on the 9th and said I "had" to get up and take a look! A couple of days before he had suggested the same thing but I figured it  would look the same in the morning so what was the rush!  But this time I cooperated - like to do that every now and then.  "Out of My Window I can See" across the row of backyards.

At the same 2:00 AM summons --, across the cul-de-sac.  The large Japanese maple is very weighed down with the snow.  

 Five hours later on the 9th - another brighter view of the soft fluffy flakes. 

 Another view of the front yard 9th at 7:30 AM 

Around the neighborhood on a snow day!

 Since there was no trash pickup that week because of the snow, the whole neighborhood has photos of the garbage cans waiting in vain on the curb.

Another view of  the 9th in the morning

9th - temperature gauge tucked out of the way.  this was at my parents home for decades and it still works very well! 

My Husband's picturesque Weeping Japanese Maple Art 

 

The snow system kept on coming and our church cancelled services for Sunday because of the steep  hills to try to get up to get to the building AND an even more  precarious concern of stopping at the light at the bottom of the grade when driving back home. So we stayed  home and stayed safe.

By Sunday evening the 10th the blanket had become thicker and thicker - around 10 PM

 10th in the evening -- the snow is not built up from shoveling snow.  The footprints are mostly the dog and cat and occasionally the husband.  It was still snowing!

Feb. 11th in the morning

11th at 5:00PM

 

 

11th 7:30 PM - looking at the snow in the driveway waiting behind the car tucked nicely inside the dry garage.  I often say that my favorite room in the house is the garage.  I never have to scrape the windows or get rained on while unloading the groceries. 

 Across the cul-de-sac

 11th -- well look at that.  Super Bowl was over but our Seahawks Wreath was still up!  The only color in this series!  Lots of little icicles hanging there above the wreath.

Feb. 12th at 7:30 AM

Obviously we've had a little melting here and there!

Snow covered backyard view.

 

 Truck with an all-around berm of snow! 

Pretty much the height of our snow.  A lot of work to remove it!

 12th at 7:PM.  I had been considering the 13th for  my weekly trip north but I think not.  I think this was the full depth of our snowfall.  Just shy of 16 inches in the center and this does not take into account some melting the week before, settling and evaporation.  I put a contract out on Punxsutawney Phil and started hoping for spring. He really is cute but  his job skills are abysmal!

After this things slowly began melting. Actually, was very happy that it stayed chilly and that we didn't have flooding all over the region!  We've done that on occasion too!

 

 

The deck had been shoveled off as it began to melt -- 13th in the afternoon.

February 15th - slowly the snow disappears!

The squirrels even seemed to get into the act and created a snow-squirrel of their very own design! This was completely undesigned or touched by human hands.

15th - snowmelt is picking up speed

After ten days I venture out.  The rest of my family had been coming and going but I just worked away with all the heat blowing and coffee dripping in the pot!  Why risk life and limb when you can stay home and get just as  much done. 

 Finally the mossy yard is restored to it's splendor and the regular spring bulbs continue to find their way to the surface with hope for the warmer days ahead.

 Now it's the 22nd and there are more predictions of snow for next week.  I hope the forecast is overblown.  NOO SNOOOOW

This  may be the first time that I EVER recall a February without at least one warm weekend.

 

George Stevens Sherwood Writes Home from WWI on February 10, 1919

I thought I would double post this to this blog today as a reminder that those who are interested will find Uncle George expressing his thoughts and feelings a 100 years to the day when he was "Somewhere in France"  during WWWI.  It doesn't hurt that he is a good writer as well!  This blog rather than the other  seems to get the most traffic from France so for anyone who is interested -- enjoy!!  In that blog you can scroll backwards to summer of 1917 and all points in between.

 Regt. Hdqt Office

         Echternach, Luxemburg  

February 10^th  1919

Dear Father, Mother, Sister, Brother:
            Just received a grand surprise when the orderly brot in 6 fine letters from HOME, 2 from Jo and 1 from the Rasmussens.  Those from the first two sources were dated the 20^th and 24^th Jan so you see they made real fast time.  But Rasmussens was sent Dec 31^st.  Must have been held up a long time somewhere.  I also rec'd three Sat Evening Posts.  1^st I’ve received.  I’m just wild to get time to read them, but guess it will be quite a while before I get said time as we had all Day Sunday off yesterday for the first time since I can remember except of course when we were on leave.   We spent the day sleeping till noon.  Then we ate dinner and played and read till about 10 PM  Johnnie brot over three Chicago Dailies and two Keystones.  I skimmed thru them (the Keystones) and they brot up so many memories of Home I was almost homesick so thot I’d find relief in writing a letter too.  But after scribbling a page it sounded so very tragic I tore it up and went to bed instead. 

            By the way, I’m still groping around in my mind trying to figure out what to do when I get back.  I reckon I can make a living but at 22 ½ years I’m getting to be an old man! And have got to settle down to something with future prospects and immediate financial returns.  By the time they get us back that will be a tough riddle to solve I fear.  But I guess it is hardly fair to even suggest a fresh problem to you folks so forget it; that’s what I’ve done with about all I ever knew, or at least that is the way I feel.  Another grievance against Bill Hohenzollern[1]!

            Now Sister as you write most of the letters you lay yourself liable for most of the “Bawlings Out.”  I’ve stood your self depreciating and Soldier Brother Idolizing about as long as I can so here goes, for with all my faults, I try not to be a hypocrite. And dear, I know that even in the old days you were a better example, a truer Christian than I.  As for the present, you have continued to grow, while I have in many ways deteriorated.  True, I know the war has given to me as well as you a broader conception of life or service, a keener sympathy but it has also had its weakening phases and has taught us all so much we can never forget. 

            But your letters today have got me started again so I may as well rave on and you can take the consequences. I was just prepared to throw a wet blanket on your hopes of seeing me the 4^th of July for one thing when my own hopes got a fresh boost so will just let it ride, live in hope, and we will see what we will see.  There is no accurate dope but bucco rumor.  At least we can’t get home much before that.  I can’t compree why you haven’t been receiving at least a letter a week as my memory and letter record show an average of better than one per week dispatched since we struck Luxembourg the middle of December.  But here is hoping you have started to get them again now.  So I take it Evans is home?  How did he make it so soon?  Our papers show the 22^nd Div still in Deutschland.  But your dope about making a big splash every time a fellow gets back is straight, at least as far as I’m concerned.  Of course, most of the boys probably saw real encounters and hair raising stunts with the Dutch so there is some excuse.  But I’ll have to take a back seat on the hero stuff, as all I did in this war was take care of plugs, build roads, carry messages and dodge Fritzy shells, or cuss ‘em for waking me up.

            It’s almost time I got to my residence or I’ll be locked out.  Say, they have the biggest liars up here. Someone told me they started to sow oats the last of Feb and the winter was so mild before we went on leave I believed them.  But since we got back I’m undeceived.  The ground if froze up, we have a little snow, and the nights hit very close to zero.  If they cover those oats, they will have to get the pick and shovel artists of the Engineers busy. 

            If you don’t lay off talking about pork, beef and fish in your letters, not to mention honey, biscuit, etc., etc., I’ll be trying to swim the ocean.  Oh, well, you haven’t got a corner on all the good eats because the oldest daughter of our landlord brought in some crullers covered with sugar this Sunday Eve. And that after we got to scuffling and mashed a bed, which by the way the boss had fixed yesterday and never said a word. 

            Did you read “Suggestions for a Mother’s Letters” on the 3^rd Column, Front Page of Jan 16^th Keystone?  Whoever wrote that had sensed present situation very vividly.  And it reminded me so very much of the letters my own dear Mother and Sister send me, it rings so genuine and true I almost think it was written by a Mother who had at least one boy “Over Here.”  I’m afraid at times in the old life while I knew of my many failings which no one else seemed to notice, I was guilt of a certain sense of satisfaction and self pride that I had overcome certain temptations which associates yielded to.  I have learned that I never knew what temptation really was or at least the grippe it could have on one.  Especially since the Armistice was signed, there are times when the homesickness, loneliness, the desire of companionship, entertainment and life are almost unbearable. I’m not excusing myself, or any of the rest for that matter, tho many have not had the wonderful home example and training I enjoyed.  But I can’t stand it to sail under such false colors, so try to forgive my faults and love your Son and Brother as he is, not as you wish or thot he was.  And keeping this in mind, I hope you will not worry, but will still be glad to prepare and look forward to the time when “Johnnie comes marching H O M E,” and I in turn will still keep up the battle and return to you your own loving son who understands and will return at least as physically clean as when he left.  I don’t know as you’ll understand, perhaps I’ll only succeed in making you feel bad, but I hope you won’t do that. And now, let’s try to get away from this which I seem to make sound so tragic. 

            Now all the boys have gone home but me so I’ll close up shop and go along too, for there’s no chance to get “Over the Garden Wall” without an extension ladder.

            With lots of love to Dear Old Dad, My Sweet Little Mother, My Lovingest Little Sister and the Big Beloved Brother she gave me.  May God Bless you all and keep you safe till my return and long after.  Mizpah*.

                                                            Corp. Geo Sherwood

                                                            108^th US Engineers

                                                            American Exp Forces

* The Lord watch between you and me while we are apart from one another.

---

[1] 1888-1918 William II von Hohenzollern, King of Prussia and Emperor of Germany  (b. 1859  d. 1941)

http://www.remmick.org/Hohenzollern.Royal/

 

Jane Hibbard Clark Healy

Jane Hibbard Clark was the wife of my great-great-great Uncle, Joseph  Warren Healy.  His sister, my 3rd great grandmother, was Rosina Healy Richardson.  Their (Rosina and Joseph) parents were Nathaniel Healy and Jane Tabor. Nathaniel Healy was a school teacher and provided his children an excellent education.  He loved to write  poetry.  Joseph Warren Healy learned first from his parents and then he and his wife later attended graduate school in Burlington, VT. Both Joseph Warren Healy and Jane Hibbard Clark attended seminary and they both taught at the schools at which they later worked.  They taught at Bath Academy in Bath, New Hampshire and later at Topsfield Academy in Topsfield, Massachusetts.  Joseph Warren Healy went on to be first a professor, then a minister and later became a medical doctor as well.   After the Civil War he

became the first president of Straight University, a school of higher education established for Black Americans. In 1870 Joseph and Jane were raising funds in Europe for the University. 

Joseph Warren Healy and Jane Hibbard Clark Healy were devoted to each other.  They weathered many storms together including infertility followed by the very short life of the one child they conceived and gave birth to, Jane Corinne Healy.  Later they adopted a son named Frank Joseph Healy who later became a journalist.  He sort of disappears after working in Indiana and then Cleveland in 1897.  Nothing about him so far after that. He would have been 23 years old when his mother died.    

 

In summer of  1880 Jane Hibbard Healy took a trip to Corinth, Vermont to visit family and friends. She had apparently been suffering from overwork and stress and took the trip to relax and renew her strength.  She had a great visit and was feeling much better.  However, in September while planning her return home she took ill and died rapidly.  When Joseph arrived, it was all over except for the grief.

This little booklet was published as part of the celebration of her life.  Her husband, Joseph Warren Healy, was initially prostrated by the loss of his life companion.  A few years later (according to the Topsfield Academy book) he moved to San Diego and taught medicine and other classes and was President of Sierra Madre college at its incorporation.  He married a widow Ellen White in 1884.  He died in 1887 and is buried in San Diego, in a cemetery down by the airport.