Tuesday, February 20, 2007

When it melts

What happens to snow when it melts?

We've had snow on the ground since December 23 or 24th. And, we've had lots of snow on the ground since December 30. That's, what, 60 some days of seeing nothing but snow on the ground.

This is not typical for the High Plains. We have snow blow in, it blows around some, it then warms up, the snow melts, it drys out and life goes on. We get more snow, more blizzards, but it always melts quickly and goes away. We might even get 12 inches, but even it blows around, and melts, and goes away. What we are experiencing this winter is atypical.

Everyone is tired of the snow. I think, that concentrating on the dab-natted snow that folks have ignored the cold temperatures. Until now. It got up to 50 yesterday. It's going to be in the 50's all week. Which is wonderful. Except it isn't.

All that dab-natted snow is melting. And when snow melts, it turns into water. And there's still 2 feet of snow on top of the water. And where we've moved snow to be able to drive, there's now...

Mud.

Lots of mud. Deep mud. Sticky mud. Slick-as-snot mud. Mud that makes your vehicle slide and swerve down a dirt road. Mud that makes you say lots of prayers as you drive down a dirt road. Your prayers sound like this...

" O lord, please don't let me get stuck. Please keep this dad-gummed car on the road, going forward. Please lord, don't let me turn sideways...oops, that was close. Keep the foot on the gas just enough to go, but not enough to turn around. Oops, woo wee! That was close! OK, now, Lord, we are almost there, just a little farther, O crap, there's the corner, OK, let's go, hang on. Kids, leave me alone. I'm concentrating. Oh lordy, lordy, lordy. Whew. We made it. Thanks Lord."

Now, I haven't lived down a dirt road--a real dirt road in years. But our drive is dirt and is long enough for the prayers. Yes, we slide down our drive, and I pray. I pray that I don't get stuck, that I don't bog down, and that I get to the house without 3 inches of mud on my shoes. Well, actually, I pray that I can get to the house with shoes still on my feet! They can get sucked down into the mud or into the snow. I pray that we don't slide into each other's cars, or get stuck in the middle of the one-lane drive and cause a certain-person-who-lives-with-us-and-has-a-short-temper-a-reason-to-become...well, upset.

And that melting snow makes more of a mess. You see, our chicken house is the lowest spot on the place. All that melting water, that isn't creating mud, is pooling in the chicken yard and is freezing around the door of the pen every night. So, every night, the door freezes, as does this pool of water. Walking to the chicken house is now a hazard. Opening the door is either an impossibility, or a hazard (just ask my tailbone). And when it thaws during the daylight hours, then it leaves a pond of water-covered mud. And we find ourselves wading through mud to feed the chickens, water the chickens and to gather eggs. (Why am I taking them water when the whole dang place is nothin but a big 'ole puddle?) Once the eggs are gathered, you have to wade back through the water and the mud until you hit more snow. (And, Lord help me if we get another cold snap now, that water will never thaw and we'll never get back into the chicken house to gather eggs.)

Once you are safely past the mud, to the remaining snow, you hope that the snow will still support your weight. If not, then you'll fall through the top crust and have to break a new path back to the house.

I've read about mud like this. I've heard of it from folks who get lots of snow every winter. You have months of snow, followed by months of mud. I'll take the snow.

But then again, as long as it's muddy, mopping the floor is a waste of time...

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