Drive a stake through the heart of winter, please!

[KathyLauren]

Please, won't someone kill this undead winter?

The gazillionth blizzard of the year is howling across my back yard. I literally lost count after 7 or 8 blizzards.

I had to go out first thing this morning and re-shovel the path to the back door so the hound could go out and pee. The snow plow operator has run out of space to push the snow from our driveway. I'm going to have to get him back later today, if the snow stops drifing. (No point before it stops.) Fortunately, he, like me, is a member of the volunteer fire department: if there is a call-out, he knows to come and plow my driveway before going to the fire hall.

I am sick of shovelling. I have run out of traction sand for the ice. And even when the weather warms up, it will take WEEKS for all this snow to melt.

The worst of it is that, back "home" (the West Coast island where we lived before here, and which will always be my home in my heart), the daffodils are blooming and people have already planted their veggie gardens.

Aaaaaaaaarghhhhhh!!!! I feel like I've been exiled to Siberia!

[Green Aura]

I don't think it's been that good over here either - if that makes you feel any better, Keith. Up here we've had lovely weather for about four days. Sunny and thin fleece warm (if that makes sense). It's been a real break for us as we've been moving our daughter and had loads of fetching, carrying and tip runs. Doing that in the sunshine has made it (almost) pleasant.

But I think it breaks tomorrow and we return to winter again - hopefully it'll be dry on Saturday evening for our equinox bonfire.

[Flo]

Thanks for sharing your snow for a day last week Keith. Totally unexpected - torrential rain on the forecast. People were not expecting to have school buses cancelled from out of the medium way up the hills villages and the snow plough drivers weren't expecting to have to leap into action.

[ina]

I don't dare say it - we've had next to no snow at all this winter... Winter? What winter??? We always seem to have less of it here on the coast. Just a few miles inland it's a different story.

On the other hand - that means we'll probably have a major slug problem again this year, and whatever other pests have survived. Better get the slug pellets in.

[happyhippy]

Ive just come through two winters in a row!Spent 3 mths back in Australia last year during their winter,and returned to the UK.....Just in time for the UK's winter!Roll on summer!

[dustydave]

Man, I've just come back from Olhão, Portugal and i can say with total sincereity that i drove a tannin laden stake through that heart of winter. Spring is coming. Just enjoy the yin a wee while longer. That yang of summer can sometime be just as bad. I've been riding that vibe in preparation: burning off acres at a time of dead grass and brambles that would otherwise consume the summer scene.

[Flo]

Hmm and there's a lovely white frost here - what you sharing Keith?

[KathyLauren]

Here's the snow pile at the corner of our driveway. This was after the snowplow got stuck and we had to bring in a front-end loader to move all the snow. It left this 3-metre high pile. The shovel is there in preparation for my taking the top metre off it to reduce the size of future drifts.

[Flo]

I say, I say that's just too much snow and you won't be out planting till May whilst waiting for the soil to drain and warm up from the looks of it. I'll send you a supply of stakes and garlic.

[Green Aura]

We are having the oddest weather this last few days. It's like winter and spring are doing battle. We are generally having quite lovely, sunny weather (although it's very cold) interspersed every couple of hours or so by hail or high winds and driving rain, just long enough to get my washing soaked again then back to glorious sunshine again.