On THIS Day In History....
LOCAL History that is...On February 13, 1994 we awoke to a Winter Wonderland! A very COLD wonderland as we had lost power during the night and the house was freeeeezing! None the less, we bundled up and went out to see what was going ON in our world! (all photos can be clicked to make larger and enjoy a better idea of the beauty... or whatever...) It was NOT easy getting up our driveway - and as a matter of fact, we have videos of the kids trying, and falling and sliding alllllll the way back down! LOL! But finally we did make it!
When we got up to the cul-de-sac we found this forsythia bush that was just covered in the most beautiful, glistening icicles! Little Derek thought they were pretty enough to eat! This was the first time the kids had EVER seen an ice storm - and it WAS pretty mesmerizing! It was for Dennis and I too -- we had never seen one LIKE THIS!
We wandered on down the "big" road just to see what we might see. We were hearing SNAP *crackle* POP all over the place as branches weighed down by the heavy ice were breaking and falling to the ground. As we rounded a bend in the road...
... we came across these amazing trees bowed over the power lines! With all the sounds around us, we weren't sure how much longer they might stand! We proceeded verrrrrrrry cautiously.
It wasn't long before we came across this one! We felt pretty sure we had found "the culprit" responsible for OUR power loss! Other's were out walking on the road too... but NO one was going past this! It was just way too scary! So we headed home from this point.
We went back in the house. We started a fire in the fireplace, being pretty sure that we would not see power again for a day or two! We spent the day inside playing games and reading stories and just huddling near the fire to keep warm! You would THINK that the kids would have been out sleigh riding -- but honestly, it was TOO slippery to sleigh ride! A trip down the driveway was dangerous enough -- but putting a sled on the back hill would have been suicide!!! The ONLY way it would have stopped would be to hit a tree! NO WAY!
That night we set up sleeping bags all over the living room, and put up blankets over the doorways to TRY to keep the heat confined to the one room so we could sleep comfortably (ha!). Dennis and I took turns getting up during the night to stoke the fire and toss on a few more logs. Amazingly, the kids slept like little logs! This was a GREAT ADVENTURE!!!
The next day was more of the same. We all stayed in... played games, drank hot chocolate, soup -- thank goodness we do HAVE a camp stove! We were in better shape than a lot of people! Some had no fireplace AND no campstove! Really it was like a mass exodus from the county! People were heading north to relatives homes and hotels where they could get a hot meal and warm shower! Alas, WE had NO showers. At some point on day two ... I don't remember exactly when... but we had gotten fairly used to the sounds of the trees cracking and breaking by that point. But we were all just sitting around and suddenly we heard a HUMONGOUS *CRACK*, followed very shortly by an earth shaking THUD! We all just looked at each other and went "WHAT IN THE WORLD???" Honestly, it was the kind of thing you couldn't tell if it was an explosion -- or if maybe a power line had ignited -- or WHAT! Hubby thought maybe he would go take a walk and see what he could find out.
Well, he didn't have to walk to far! All he had to do was look down to the bottom of our driveway.
We had this BIG OLD Tulip Poplar tree -- It was probably about 60 or 70 feet tall... and IT was the tree that had our children's tire swing on it. It grew almost at the top of the hill, so they would get on the swing and swing waaaaaaaaaay out over the hill! Oh, they LOVED that tire swing! Many a hour was spent enjoying it! But now our tree was gone. The ice storm ate it. The branches were just too heavy with all that ice! And as it had started to melt a little it actually got even heavier. Pulled a little harder... the tree just couldn't take it -- and you SEE what happend! We mourned that tree. And there was NO other that was suitable for a tire swing... so we mourned that swing too! I'm SO glad my kids have those memories though!
We had NO way of knowing when this storm hit, that we would end up without power for OVER A WEEK! On day 3 Dennis was finally able to get out to go to work. It was a LOT warmer at work! I was very jealous! And we were all getting a little antsy because the Winter Olympics had started in Lillehammer, just the day BEFORE our ice storm! So we were MISSING the Olympics! Our family is huge fans of the Olympics and this was just devastating to us! And besides... if we were all off school, and couldn't get out to play, then we should at least be able to watch the Olympics! Well, on Day 4 Dennis stopped by his Mom's house on the way home from work - his brother had a little generator! He brought that home, and we were able to plug in ONE lamp, and the television! HURRAY! We had the Olympics back!!! We still didn't have a shower -- OR flushing toilets mind you!!! But we HAD the Olympics! (and Dennis had a shower - at his mom's house!) On Day 5, the gym that Amanda worked out at regained power -- and THEY had showers! Amanda invited the kids and I to come up and get clean with her, and we HOPPED on that chance! The owners at the gym were very sweet about allowing us to do this and I will forever be grateful for THAT shower! I don't think any shower has EVER felt so good! On day 8 we were considering another field trip to the gym showers, when finally the lights flickered on - and then out again. About an hour later they came back on for good! And our adventure was over! I think it was Day 10 when school's reopened and the kids got to go back and share their stories and hear of the others! Needless to say - the Ice Storm of '94 was THE topic of conversation for quite some time!!!
posted by Melli at
11:14 AM
10 comment(s):
What an incredible adventure! That is a long time to be without power...! And no flushing toilets...I don't even want to go there...LOL! It's great that you documented that very unusual storm...That poor dear tree...It is amazing the terrible damage that can be done by these heavy duty storms---especially ICE Storms. I'm sure that is a week to 10 days that you and your family will never forget.
By
OldLady Of The Hills, at
2/13/2007 1:13 PM
I loved reading about your adventure! We had an ice storm like that years and years ago...honestly, it's probably been 20 years or so ago...our power wasn't out that long, though...maybe just a few days...I don't know how long I'd make it if our power went out here....no Internet, no heat (except the gas logs)...no cooking...no TV...I would DIE! How did people live without electricity way back when?!?!?
By
Jennifer, at
2/13/2007 1:37 PM
Wow Melli!!! I finally got the blog to load, now I'm crossing my fingers that the comment will 'take hold' too.
What an amazing album of winter's beauty, huh?
And your kids? How cute....I bet this brought back a lot of good memories seeing them all so young.
But, boy howdy, that looks way too cold for this thin-blooded body of mine now!! Perhaps back in my youth I coulda appreciated it all....
Wonderful share.
Here goes....wish me luck....I'm movin' on down the comment box now...gonna click! Here goes-------------
By
Anonymous, at
2/13/2007 5:42 PM
*dancing in the street*....oops, I slipped on that ice---got the fire going, do ya? Where's the hot chocolate.
The comment worked!!! :o)
By
Anonymous, at
2/13/2007 5:43 PM
Wow, hope history doesn't repeat itself. Beautiful pictures though. Stay warm!
By
Lazy Daisy, at
2/13/2007 7:45 PM
Wow! An ice storm! I have never seen one, we don't have them over here at all. Snow storms yes.... *bummer*
Interesting though, when they're long way from me...
By
Anonymous, at
2/13/2007 9:11 PM
Melli - We had a similar ice storm in '92. Sounds just like it, except we only went 5 days without power.
Sorry about that tree.
By
Unknown, at
2/13/2007 10:21 PM
I was really living this with you ! Must have been a little scary but an adventure too ! My son would have loved situations like this and I am sure a few days without HAVING to shower was nice too. At least for once they could stay dirty ! We never had such a cold weather or winter storms, but we once had over 50°C in the house and no airconditionning, so we all moved to the basement and slept there, at least it was cooler ! Your test came out very well ! you are a good child !
By
Ingrid, at
2/13/2007 10:29 PM
Great pics, Melli. I'm glad that was then and not now. Much better to relive, then live.
By
Anonymous, at
2/13/2007 11:15 PM
Fabulous photos!..and a great story !!
Ice storms are scarey for sure...I woke this morning to a thin layer of snow...with ice forming under and over it. Hope our news isn't full of accidents today!
By
Anonymous, at
2/14/2007 8:05 AM
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