Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Winter in Pictures

It was technically fall when I was born
but winter comes early in CNY.


We have taken many pictures of snow over the years.
This is the house we had when I was born.


Our next house was built into the side of a hill.
Perfect for sledding!


Our house was the place to be in winter.
Do you see the neighborhood kids lined up to take their turn?


As children sledding was pure joy!
This picture of a childhood friend is a favorite of mine.


As kids we thought the blizzard of '66 was great! School was closed and we had huge piles of snow to play in. My parents weren't nearly as happy with the storm. It was at least two days after it stopped snowing until the plow made it to our street. Mom was eight months pregnant and they had a phone list of men in the area that owned snowmobiles. She was very relieved that they weren't needed. You can find more pictures of the blizzard here.


I now find myself living in a place I've dubbed Snowville. The first year we lived here I thought it would never stop snowing but eventually June came ;-) I live south of the east end of Lake Ontario. As the wind blows across the lake it picks up moisture and then dumps it on us, to the tune of 150" or more a year, some years much more. I'm glad we are not on the
Tug Hill Plateau!


I still find the first snow of the year beautiful.


Somewhere along the line I must have lost my mind. My chosen profession is driving a school bus over snow covered roads. I'm the one that gets the bus ready and warmed up no matter how cold it is or how much snow has to be pulled off the hood. Winter is now synonymous with hard work.


As hard as I work, John works harder.
So much for being retired!


While others spend fall raking leaves,
it is usually November when John has to start raking the roof.


The shoveling never seems to end.


Eventually spring does return and
we start to spend time outside again.

The only months that I have not seen snow are June, July and August. We pack a lot into those months to get us through the long winters that we often have.





This was written for the 64th edition
of the Carnival of Genealogy,
A Winter Photo Essay,
to be hosted by Jasia at Creative Gene.

6 comments:

Velda said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Velda said...

What beautiful photos! I live north of the east end of Lake Ontario...we have piles and piles. It used to be pretty when I was young, now I hate it lol

Anonymous said...

Apple,

What great photos! I love the snow...grew up in Colorado and always had great fun in the winter as a kid...much like your first 6 pics. Now I live in a place that gets maybe one minor snow fall a year...I miss it!

Tim

Anonymous said...

Bless you for driving a school bus in that snow.

Great photo essay. Thanks for sharing your winter story.

Taylorstales-Genealogy said...

Wow, I'm complaining about seven inches of snow...look what you get! What a beautiful collection of photographs! I love the narrative too. Thanks for sharing.

Charley "Apple" Grabowski said...

Velda - I think most of us like it less as we age. I always think of your area as the safe side of the Lake.

Tim - You might miss it but I winder if you'd feel the same if you got a good dose every few years. I have a friend that can't imagine winter without snow but he talks of retiring to Pennsylvania so he'll have less of it.

Amy - Thanks! The bus actually does better in the snow than my car but I still must be just a little nuts.

Taylorstales - I'd complain just as much about 7"! lol. Thanks!