BRRR...round two

backyard

This morning Indiana wakes to a frozen state. Some got it worse than others. We certainly faired better than some.  Hubby & I are pleased to have power, food, and each other.
It's cold out there, but the wind makes it feel ten times worse. I don't hate the wind though, it actually helped protect one of my trees. (more about that later).
I will start you with photos from last evening. The above shot was taken last evening. I love that birdhouse but birds never go in, even when I stick food in it. Was my Aunts and I don't think she ever got the birds to fancy it either.

Aunt Nancy's feeder pleases the birds

They love this one. I have been trying to keep it full.

Home Sweet Home

Last night when the ice started our round two, I was so pleased it was coming down in pellets. Therefore rolling off and accumulating on the ground like snow. It was travelable. And not clinging to my already loaded trees. Our fear was if just a couple degrees warmer, it would turn to rain, therefore becoming thicker ice and more dangerous.

I don't know if you can tell by these photos, but EVERYTHING has a thick coating of ice. Look at my poor Magnolia.
Later last night, around 10ish, it did turn to more of a wet sleet. Not good.
We awoke around 1:30 to the worse sounds. I thought the roof was being shredded. It turned out the wind was slamming some branches into the roof, shattering ice from the roof & tree, and rolling down the roof.

Our bedroom window & the tree that was slamming the roof

Please pardon the lighting on these photos taken today. The wind makes for darkened photos.

chunks of ice from the roof & trees

I don't know if you can see this one well. The side of my house, as well as around all the trees, are tons of small chunks of ice that the wind knocked off. Also makes for safer walking for dogs & me! Better than the slick surface under the chunks.

Backyard, see all the ice chunks around it?

Can you tell it's windy? Poor Bandit

Hubby just came in from shoveling ice. I need to make him some hot chocolate. The dogs are all cozy in bed snoozing. And the cats are freaking out watching the bird party at the feeders.
To my friends across the US that has been affected by this nasty wave of bad weather...stay warm & safe!
Everyone else, be glad you are not here!
Love~

Ice Ice Baby!

Rob Van Winkle aka Vanilla Ice, 1989 hit "Ice Ice Baby" has been running through my head all night.
We have survived Round One, and are expecting Round Two this afternoon.
It is absolutely beautiful!
And it's absolutely dangerous.
So grateful Hubby stayed home.
Haven't heard from my girls so I am not sure if they had classes or not. Annie works on campus and this is a work morning, and Emily would be with her 5th graders about now. I will check on them later.
Here's some pictures of round one.
~~~Enjoy~~~

around 11pm last night

Good Morning Ice

That's Riley trying to walk on the ice

Because it was so "warm" prior to the Ice Storm, much of our snow melted. That's why you are seeing patches of frozen grass, and frozen snow. Imagine a sheet of glass on top of snow, where it is now smooth. It is extremely difficult to walk on.
I thought the dogs would have an easier time walking on the frozen grass, however, the frozen blades of grass hurt the dogs paws. Riley had the hardest time. She is so big. She would slip on the smooth ice, but cautiously try to walk on the painful frozen grass. Poor thing never did take care of business. She retreated back to bed. Little Dakota legs kept slipping out beneath him. Remember he is my crippled boy and having the bum leg, he had a more difficult task. However, he managed. Bandit, seem to fair the best. He seem to enjoy it, and, like a child keep eating the icy grass.

Dakota & Riley

Bandit

Riley

Front of our home

Our street, yep, that's all ice

Round Two will hit us in a few hours. I worry so for our trees. They are fairing okay now, but add another 1/2 inch to an inch of addition ice...that's too much weight on the trees. It is eerie to hear the tree branches creaking in the wind. Sounds like they are breaking. Same with the sound of autos trying to drive across the streets.

Bye Bye January, Bring it On February!

As the eve of the last day of January winds down, we are getting a whopper of a storm.
It has began. It is sleeting now. We expect 1.5" of ice, then 4-6 inches of snow. That is where I live. Just an hour north, my daughters are anticipating up to 10" of snow on top of the ice.
My dogs were a bit confused as we walked outside. They look at me as if, "what the heck Mom?" What is THIS?" I tell them to hurry up, take care of our business & they can go back inside a warm dry house with cozy beds & fun toys in just a few.

I can't help but be reminded of the Blizzard of '78 . Click the link for amazing detail of the largest storm to hit our city. Closing not only the Airport, schools and business, but all Indiana State Roads.

Indianapolis 1/28/1978

We all have a story of that Blizzard. I was only 15 so to me, I didn't worry, like my parents. I thought it was an absolute winter wonderland with fabulous fun memories of my neighborhood friends having fun. The snow drifts reached the rooftops of many of the homes. The crazy brave boys and a few girls (not me) jumped off the roofs into the snow. We kids went door to door through our neighborhood to see who needed what and to get everyone to chip in. We took sleds to a nearby Lender's Shop for necessities we could get for the neighbors. All my photographs are sealed in my memory. I didn't have a loaded camera that day. These I found on file. But they are exactly as I remember it. The Blizzard shut down our city for a week.

this is how most of us saw our homes

To date, we haven't had such a storm since. A few they were intense, but no Blizzard of '78. I wonder if tonight will bring on the same force. My girls are just hoping for cancelled classes but doubt it will happen. I don't know, already several universities are closing and Anderson University is only 20 miles from them. I am thinking they will have a "snow day".

This time I have my camera ready.

To all my blogging buddies out there also expecting to be hit by this storm, I say, stay warm and safe. I rather not read of any of you busting you bum on the ice. Let's pray it's cold enough for this ice to be snow, as we would rather have 10" of snow than 1.5" of ice. The ice is the killer, especially on the streets. So, take care!
FYI~ to those of you that haven't had to deal with this kind of weather, if we do have this bad ice storm, it is highly likely many of us will lose power, thus, no INTERNET.... Now that can be serious for some of us Bloggettes!
Love to you all~
Sweet Dreams & Hope to chat tomorrow♥

Last Indiana Ice In January

No words on this post. Just three pictures.

Pretty isn't it?