Saturday, December 15, 2007

Preparing for the winter storm....

The weather forecasts all agree that the Shenandoah Valley will receive some kind of wintry weather today and tomorrow ... and most possibly all kinds of wintry mix including sleet, snow, and freezing rain.

It is the freezing rain that is the most bothersome. It coats tree limbs and vehicles and sidewalks and driveways, making it impossible to open car doors or walk, and causing extensive damage to trees and shrubbery as it weights down and breaks limbs.

It also coats the power lines so we are preparing for possible power outages. With tree limbs coated and sagging onto power lines, along with the expectation of up to 45 mph winds causing ice-coated trees to break off or fall over onto utility lines, there is a very real possibility that we will be without lights and heat.

Living in a rural location, we are always prepared for such circumstances by having a generator on hand to power the well pump, flashlights and radios with fresh batteries, candles, oil lamps, bottled water, and most importantly at this time of year, a woodstove with a generous supply of wood under the porch and covered with tarps to keep it dry. Our woodstove can be used for heat and cooking, if necessary.

It should be an interesting weather weekend....

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