Would You Believe More Snow?

2-4-14 SHORT HILLS: After a warm weekend, we got more snow. This batch fell in somewhat warmer weather and so was heavier and wetter and stickier. It coated and stuck to all the branches, weighing them down, and bending them over, especially the evergreen trees and shrubs. Yesterday, when I was outside, I could hear branches snapping, but now I can’t tell which branches are damaged because they’re all bent over. When it all melts, lots of broken branches will not pop back up like the unbroken ones, making pruning work for the gardeners.

Yesterday, Monday, was a snow day for everybody. It stopped snowing in the late afternoon, and we were plowed out in mid-evening. Today is bright and sunny, but barely back to the freezing mark so there is not much melting and not much snow falling off the trees. I did shake off a few small trees, being careful not to damage them while trying to help.

I think that the best thing to do, most of the time, is to let the trees deal with the problem. Trying to clear the snow with a rake or shovel does more harm than good.

The forecast calls for another storm tonight and a third on the weekend. I’m ready for a few weeks of no precip.


Wrestling in the snow.

Yesterday, eight inches of white out.

Today, sunlight and snow.

Bright and white.

Bamboo taking a nap in the snow.

It's beautiful but will do a lot of damage if the trees don't shed the snow soon.