The ice started Friday night. All day Saturday there was a freezing rain that coated the couple inches of snow (remaining from the previous storm) and proceeded to encase whatever surfaces outside on which it fell. It made for an icky, weird day. Fortunately, the power stayed on and in my yards there were no sizable falling limbs. Later that evening I heard the cracks and crashes of breaking branches nearby, though. Early Sunday morning, while I slept, the power eventually went out.
So, Valentine's Day 2021 was spent continuously feeding the wood stove, bringing in more fuel at times, shaking off some of the ice that still weighed down plants, and generally hunkering down. Thankfully the temperature warmed enough to get a good melt going. In the afternoon I took Avery for a walk, both to get some fresh air and also assess the damage around the neighborhood (not too bad). It was raining small chunks of congealed snow of various sizes as we meandered our local streets.
This was a new experience for me. While there has been some freezing rain fall since I've lived in Virginia, there hasn't been a significant ice event. I can't complain for myself, our little homestead remained relatively unaffected. That being said, ice is nasty and I much prefer snow!
On a more personal note, I didn't think too much about the "holiday" yesterday. After the fact however, on this gloomy Monday morning, I do notice a sense of melancholy and longing. But I'm okay. I feel great joy for those who live in healthy relationships and love to see and hear about their experiences. I remain a fan of love and deep relationship as well. Whether or not that will come to me going forward in my older years, I can't say. But I have had at least some experience in that regard in this lifetime and choose to feel it live within me.
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