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Thursday, January 24, 2008

Winter - then and now




Here are a few pictures I took this morning out the side door at work. It was nice to look out and not have snow falling. It has been quite a wintry week here in Michigan. Snow has been falling in fairly large amounts every day. (and our snow blower decided to take a rest!) It has also been very cold. While I enjoy the changing seasons, I think I have had enough of winter for a while!
Yesterday, the local news was talking about this winter being bad and then started talking about the blizzard we had in 1978. This was one of the worst blizzards on record for Michigan. I am now going to date myself and tell you I was a senior in high school that year. It was quite a storm! My Dad worked for the Road commission and was working (attempting to plow roads) with just a few rest breaks for about 5 days. For about 1 day, they gave up and only made runs to get people out in case of an emergency. Much of the state lost power, including us and my family all stayed in our family room to keep warm by the fireplace, for a few days until the power was restored. The roads and highways were closed down. After about 5 days, someone came down our street on a snowmobile and got a few groceries for people. Our school was cancelled for a week and because of the week it fell, we ended up not having exams that winter. When the blizzard finally passed, people were putting tennis balls on the antenna's of their cars, because the snowbanks were so high, you couldn't see the cars coming without them. It was a tough week for the adults, but for those of us lucky enough to still be in school it was fun. We played lots of games that week and did a lot of reading. It isn't often that a family spends that much time together in one room!
Compared to that, I guess I can't really complain about this winter! Do any of you have winter memories? I'd like to hear them.


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25 comments:

Jean said...

We had a lot of snow in 1978 also. I was at home with two young children, but I also babysat for a 2nd grade girl. I do absolutely remember how much she had off school and how high the snow was in our yard and driveway, and that the kids made a tunnel in a snowdrift.

But our all-time big snow was in January 1996 when we had three feet in one day, and a few days later we had 8 more inches. I remember driving between snowbanks that were higher than the car, the road was completely covered with snow as well, and I could not see where the edge of the road was because everything was completely white. Quite scary, but I had teenagers that had places to go and things to do!!!

A Stone Gatherer said...

We haven't had a blizzard like that since! I was younger, maybe middle school, can't remember! We were completely snowed in! By the 3rd day though a neighbor came down the street in a bulldozer and my dad had everyone of us girls out shoveling! He was tired of being cooped up with all girls!!! Poor guy!

girlymom said...

I'm not even going to "date" myself with that storm- you don't want to know. :) Hee hee hee
We used to ride on a sled behind a snow mobile and I remember thinking it was so much fun and very cool- now I can't imagine putting my kids on a sled like that with snow and most likely ice being flung at them. How did we ever survive these crazy things?

Cherdecor said...

I recognize that moon! I took some pictures of it too, but because I was shooting through the glass, I got a flash on the window. It was at 5:30 pm while I was getting supper. I looked out and couldn't believe the moon was so bright already.

Then in the morning it was on the other side of the house. I was too sleepy to take a picture. Enough about the moon.

I don't remember a blizzard in 1978. I was teaching kindergarten that year and I don't remember being off. Of course, that was Ohio.

The only blizzard I was in that was really bad was 1950. The snowplow was stuck in front of our house. The grocery store in town had a drawing for a basket of groceries every month. My dad won the drawing so my brother got to ride the horse through the snow drifts into town to get the groceries. We did some high fiving that day!

Anonymous said...

When I was a kid in the 80's we had a record-breaking spell of weather in the below zero category, which is quite rare in Georgia! Our best family friends lived in an old farmhouse and their pipes froze. They spent most of the week with us, and we had fun in our little 1500 sq ft house full of 9 people! No school, all week long (oh, our poor parents!). We played outside with breadbags rubber - banded around our feet to keep them dry and cookie sheets for sledding. Like I said, we're not prepared for such weather here!

Your neck of the woods sure is gorgeous...

Monkey Giggles said...

I do remember the BIG storm.

Now don't hate me...but I remember playing in it...building tunnels, snow angels, snowmen and having no school for a week. smiles...

Smiles and hugs
Hope

Bonnie said...

I remember being snowed in once in Colorado ... just before Rory and I got married. It was wonderful being "trapped" with him ! :)

Chelle' said...

Mari- GORGEOUS pictures. Thank you for sharing them.

On a sidenote- allow me to give you my "release" in this post... any and all posted information on my blog is available for your "repost" at any time you see fit. Whether for humor, insight, education, etc... particularly if it furthers the gospel... it is yours for the taking.

Blessings to you, my new friend!!

Casdok said...

Wow what a lovely view!

Zaankali said...

I was 9 and I completely remember it. We lived at the end of a mile long dirt road with my Gpa and Gma and my Uncle and Aunt (different houses all on one road, 2 track). We had a drift form against our garage door so that when my dad opened it there was just a wall of snow. Luckily when we started getting a lot of snow my family left our vehicles at the end of our long dirt road and took snowmobiles to and from the cars so they weren't trapped in the garage. Anyway me and my sisters had more fun building tunnels in all that snow. My grandpa had a lorge farming type tractor that he plowed us out with and that year the snow banks were so high that they were over the height of the tractor. My folks still have pictures from it. They also closed down m-40 (lived in Hamilton folks worked in Holland) for like 2 weeks. We rode snowmobiles (with covered sled type things being pulled behind them) into Holland to my dad's sisters house for Christmas. Oh the memories.
Smiles!

Nise' said...

We were talking about the blizzard of '78 last night, telling the "younger" ladies who were too young to remember all of the hardships we suffered (most of us were in high school and remember the fun as well!!)

Anonymous said...

Woohoo, I was just telling a high school student about 1978 and how we got out of taking our exams. That was amazing!

I remember Dave was living in Bauer and my brothers took snowmobiles to get him and bring him to our house. We were young and in love and thought we couldn't live without each other.

Glad we are still in love and can't live without each other. So much for being young, hehe.

Lorie said...

I remeber the 78 storm. I got Chicken Pox. I was in 2nd grade and they called off school for a long time. Too bad I gave the chicken pox to all of my other sisters and brother.

I have given you some awards on my blog, come and see!

Terri said...

I loved it - and still do. I mostly remember climbing the roof to the shed and sliding off it. Our kids hardly believe that was true!

Laura said...

So sad. I never had any of those memories. Although technically, I suppose I was half there in egg form... :)

We never got any good storms like that when I was growing up. Man, I would love to have a snow day or two now and get to be snowed in from work for a while! :)

Anonymous said...

My winter memories are made up of trips to the beach, playing outside and riding my bicycle.....

I was 18 years old when I saw snow for the first time.

Can you tell I was raised in Florida? :)

Rebekah said...

tennis balls? thats funny

Sandra said...

I love the pictures Mari, boy I would give anything to see something like that now.

I'm sick of the Arizona weather, the constant sun and no snow....I'm a four seasons gal, I like the snow and the cold, the fall and the changing leaves and the summer.....not just hot all the time LOL

Pennies In My Pocket said...

Wow - GORGEOUS photos! The moon is amazing! I live in a not-so-cold climate so we never have 'big storms'. I can't imagine what it's like to be somewhere like this. I crave snow sometimes, but get spoiled with the fact that we don't have to prepare for such weather, but miss the quietness that snow brings. It looks so peaceful!

~melody~

Cheri said...

I remember that. I remember never seeing dad for days on end.
I wish we'd get a good blizzard again- there's just something special about not being able to go anywhere and just staying home and enjoying your family!

A Stone Gatherer said...

Hey Mari! It's me again! Just thought I'd let you know I tagged you for another meme!

Melissa in Mel's World said...

WOW...that is a whole bunch of snow!

I can remember one time it snowed so much out in the sticks where I lived in Kentucky that they cancelled school for days and my sister and I built a snow HORSE (yep, I said a Horse...hey, what would you expect, we lived in KY) in the front yard. It was pretty stinkin' BIG that horse!!! ;)

LeslieW. said...

That is insane. That's a great way to keep perspective on life. The only way I can relate is from hurricane aftermath. It is similar in its inconveniances but sweltering hot. We were out of school 2 weeks for hurricane hugo when I was a kid.

Sarah Markley said...

This is sooooo beautiful! No snow here, I'm afraid! Nice to see yours, though.

The Birds Nest said...

Absolutely beautiful pics!! I can remember building tunnels and "igloos" in the snow drifts by my house, breaking my tailbone sledding down this enormous hill and playing under the pine trees in my yard. Those pine trees would have so much snow on the branches that the branches would bend to the ground. You could go under there and it would seem like you had your own little house. I loved that.