Big Snow
by Terry Allen
January 11, 2017
We had a bunch of snow machiners get stuck in some fresh deep snow a couple weeks ago, but Tip Top Search and Rescue and associated agencies sprang into action and everyone made it out okay. Then we had a several day run of unusually cold weather a week ago with temps down to 61 degrees below according to a gas field worker I met in Obo's. Then I talked to a guy who had driven through Bondurant and his truck gauge said it was 40 below. A whole slew of folks I talked to said it was around 35 below in town.
For the last few days it's been dropping big wet snow one day and then big fluffy stuff the next, but it was warmer...and the melt has been coming inside. If you go to buy a sandwich or a pair of boots you might have to step over a collection of metal cooking pots set out to catch the drips.
Tonight and for the next few days it's going to be dropping into the double digits below zero again.
Dawn asked me to take a few photos for posterity today. One minute it was shining bright and the next it was almost a blizzard which is why they all look so different. If we don't survive, at least there will be a record of what happened.
Mike Sruoginis was plowing out his long driveway on Lake Street with a 1973 Bronco. He must have scraped into a nest of mice because as I got out of my truck to talk to him, a bunch of them scattered right under my feet and one would have run up my pant leg except I screamed like a girl and shook it real hard. It might be the best Mick Jagger impression I've ever done.
Lisa and Jody were trying to clear the snow from their county maintenance truck so they could get to work.
TJ was digging a spot for his trash cans, and a path to his door.
I met Valerie from Jamaica walking to work past the big pile of snow at the old town maintenance lot. This year is the first time she has seen snow in person and she is loving it.
I went looking for a nice little homestead to take a picture of and Maike was nice enough to let me take one of her place.
The county and town snow removal crews were working like finely oiled machines and I didn't see any stuck vehicles. Second shift comes on at 1:00 am. That's pretty darn nice service.
Give 'em a hand, folks.
Also, if anyone wants to sell their Snow Plane let me know. A guy from North Dakota got hold of me and I said I'd look around. txpartisan@gmail.com
Thanks Dawn for hiring me to do this story. I think it was a good idea and I had a good time.
Photos and story by Terry Allen.
|
