Southern Snow Days: Snowmageddon 2014

So, if you have caught the news in the last 48 hours, you probably have heard we’ve gotten some snow down here, prompting snowmageddon 2014 across the South. Which means, here I am, talking about the weather… again. Deal with it or just skip this one.

So, we knew it was coming, but didn’t know exactly what the winter weather would be and where. Some cities were more prepared than others. My wonderful institution and city made the right call and announced Monday night that most things would be closed on Tuesday. Now, the weather ended up not arriving until Tuesday night here, but it was still the right call to make. We have all seen what has happened in Birmingham and Hotlanta (or Frozenlanta at the moment)… I’m happy my city and work place planned ahead and made the call they did. So I was off Tuesday and today… we will be closed until 10 am tomorrow. It is almost 7pm and not a lot has melted today and it is only 31 degrees for a high. A lot of people (myself included at times) like to make fun of the south for freaking out over winter weather, but they (we) have reason to freak out. While some northern cities have buildings full of salt for the roads, we don’t. We also don’t have a army of snowplow trucks available… we have pickup trucks we add shovels to. Not to mention people don’t know how to drive in it, so the safest thing to do is not go anywhere. Even while it has been sad to hear about people stuck in the storm, it has also been great to see stories of southerners helping each other out: pushing cars, delivering hot chocolate, opening their homes and businesses to those stuck. For the record, we got 3.3 inches at my house.

I have been productive… I’ve worked on work stuff from home, I’ve gotten all my laundry done, picked up the house, cleaned and organized my closets, cleaned out my DVR, read two books and made baked chicken fajitas, pecan waffles (finally opened the waffle maker I got for Christmas), chicken noodle soup, and brownies (all from scratch thankyouverymuch). Below are a smattering of photos from the last couple of days:

It started Monday, with a run on milk and bread at the grocery store. Have to have the milk, bread and toilet paper during a snow storm

Above: the mostly empty bread aisle at the store. At least two local news crews reported live from the store.

Kept an eye on MG for a few hours on Tuesday after her school was let out early while her mom worked.

Above: Keeping an eye on MG for a bit

Snow starting to come down on Tuesday night.

Above: the snow starting to come down and stick.

The view from my room this morning… snow!

Above: What I woke up to!

The back

So pretty in the back behind the house!

More snow in the back yard…. I saw a couple of snowmen go up!

Snow, snow and more snow!

the road… it doesn’t look awful, but it was a solid sheet of ice!

Above, my street was a solid sheet of ice.

more snow

Above: snowy house

palm tree and snow… hum

Above: palm trees and snow, that is an unusual combo!

all bundled up and a self-portrait in shadow.

All bundled up

more in the backyard

Above, I’m still kind of surprised that there are still leaves on the trees after all the snow and wind!

I’m from Cincinnati… of course there is a flying pig in my yard! It isn’t covered in snow that often though.

Flip flops and snow

How Southern… as we know, I love my flip flops! Here is a pair I left on the screened in porch… even they didn’t escape the snow. Notice the snow piled up on the other side of the screen!