the snow is now officially overtopped my 4 1/2 foot fence

[magical thyme]

I've dug out the front door. Phew. Next I need to dig the little drainage trenches that will give flood waters a way down and out.

Tomorrow I start freeing the hay shed and the back door. If I can move the snow back a bit and re-open the drainage trenches, maybe I'll be able to forestall flooding when spring comes. Assuming, of course, that there will some day be a spring. And that next week's possible mixed precip doesn't dam it all up with ice.

[KMOD]

1. Just a few more weeks, MT.

Next thing you know it will be T-shirt and tank top weather, and you'll be able to show off those fabulous arms you have from all the shoveling you did this winter.

[In_The_Wind]

2. How long have you lived there? Is this your worst winter?

You really make me not want to complain when I think of what you're going through.

[magical thyme]

4. 11 years. definitely my worst winter here ever. and not just mine...

the natives are freaking out too. It's not necessarily the amount of snow, although that's probably on the record-setting end too. It's the short time span it's fallen in. Normally, we'll get 3 or 4 feet of snow in November/December/January, but with thaws in between. The famous "January thaw" brings the levels way down. Then we get hit in February and March again. In a "hard" winter we'll get 2 storms/week for a few weeks running.

Instead, we had a foot on November 1, which melted. THen another foot in late November (around Thanksgiving) which melted. And then relatively warm weather until the blizzard in January. And since that blizzard in January, we've had significant snows not twice, but 4 times/week. It's been impossible to keep up with it. So we got about 3 months worth of snow within 3 weeks, and with weeks more of winter left to come.

I'm worried because normally I deal with my limited pasture space in one of two ways. Either I keep the horses inside for a few weeks during mud season, which enables the grass to get a really good head start. Or I put up temporary fencing and let them use the small, back "trash" pasture while the main pasture grows in, and then rotate them into the main pasture and seed the "trash" pasture with annual rye which is grazable in 3-4 weeks when there is decent rain.

I do what I can to route the snow melt around the barn to limit or prevent flooding. But with the huge amount of snow we now have, and the kind of rains we've been getting up here, I'm very concerned about my ability to prevent seriously bad flooding in the barn this year. Right now, there are literally 6-7 snowbanks up against one side of the barn. I've been able to push the snowbanks against the other side back about 2 feet. I'm now trying to move them back from the back side, but it's just a massive amount there already. And there is more to come.

If there's serious flooding, I can't keep them in. But the wall of snow in the back will keep them from being able to go out there. So I'm worried about having my 2 acres of pasture wrecked. That would, quite frankly, be a disaster.

Frankly, at this point I'm done with Maine. Between the worsening winters, the horrible work situation, and the nasty neighbors, I'm done, done, done. I'm SO sorry I didn't leave New England when I had the chance. If I get a 3rd opportunity, I'm outta here and never looking back.

[In_The_Wind]

6. Have you started putting out feelers for a warmer place?

January's thaw never happened this winter.

It sounds like you'll be buying more feed than usual this year.

I'm glad the barn roof held. I was worried about you and the houses.

[magical thyme]

7. I'm all set for feed through the winter

I haven't started putting out any feelers. I will need to sell this place first. Good luck with that. I need to get enough to start over, unless I win the lottery or something. In which case, I'll move to Uruguay, lol.

I'm trying to think of where I want to go. I had always planned to go back home to PA, but I can't stand the heat, humidity, bugs and pollution of the midAtlantic region. Couldn't take it 30 years ago and it will only be worse now.

When I was young I had planned to try Colorado. My best friend made it there, but my parents crapped all over that dream when they went there first.

I just wish I hadn't been under such duress when I moved here...

[In_The_Wind]

8. I'm glad you planned ahead.

I'm dealing with things I can't change this way until things get better.


Is your friend still in Colorado? (Rumor has it that it's a big state. Maybe even big enough for your parents and you.) That's a long way to move 2 horses, dogs and a cockatoo.

[magical thyme]

9. ...

[avebury]

3. I remember growing up in Maine and having to dig a path to the oil

intake valve so that we could get oil deliveries.

Plus our neighbors dog being able to look in the Family Room window (which was over 4 feet up from ground level).

[magical thyme]

5. my snow plower keeps snowing a mountain in front of my oil path

I finally was out there in time to stop him the last snow. I'm so tired of tunneling through that pile over and over again...

[KamaAina]

10. Is that all?

In Boston, it would have overtopped your 8-foot fence!