 |
Halloween afternoon 1991, Lake Harriet
|
The Halloween blizzard of 1991 that dropped more than 28" of snow on the Twin Cities before it was done 3 days later was one of the top 5 snowfalls of the 20th century in Mpls. I took this photo of Lake Harriet in mid-afternoon of October 31 after the snow had been falling for a while. You can see the faint streaks as the big heavy flakes fell on the water. The ducks were huddled out away from shore, who knows why. The willow tree, partially fallen in the lake, has a thick, frosty coating. What I remember most was the sound (or the lack of it). The snow muffled other sounds on this wintry (though strictly still autumn) afternoon, yet I could still hear well enough to catch the hiss as the flakes struck the water.
I have been looking for the first photo I took on this afternoon more than 20 years ago: Rabbi Cathy's bright red barbeque in her back yard with about six inches of snow accumulated. Can't find it, though I've seen it recently here in one of my cleaning-decluttering exercises. It'll show up.
8 comments:
Yes, it was still and unusually quiet. That is, once I was safely home with car in garage. A very memorable storm!
Rabbi Cathy
Yep, glad I don[t live there. One winter in Wisconsin and one in Massachusetts convinced me that I hate cold.
R. Cathy: I wish I could find that photo of your barbeque grill! That's what got me started on a long walk that day around Lake Harriet taking photos of everything. What an experience.
Darlene: I'm with you....I'd rather be hot than cold any day. Had enough. I was lots colder at +20F in Massachusetts than I ever was in ND at -20F. The air in ND is dry, and if you wear enough layers, you can keep your body heat just fine. In Massachusetts, the air is damp, and the cold penetrates through the layers and chills your bones. Once your bones are cold, you've had it.
What a wonderful picture -- I love the stark beauty of it! I can feel the cold, just looking at it.
I will have to differ with you and Darlene -- as I've gotten older, I love the cold. Nothing like snuggling in under a warm quilt on a cold night with a good book. And I still love the snow. If it's snowing, I want to be out in it -- trudging to the store, shoveling the walk (though the condo has folks to do that), walking the neigbhorhood and taking pictures, or playing with the grandkids. On snow days, my husband says I'm still just a big kid.
linda: that's ok....you didn't grow up in ND. Not only was it cold there, but it's one of the windiest places in this country. wind + cold = wind hill. of course, they never mentioned wind chill when I was there. nobody would have stayed there!
besides, your memories of being cold seem to involve snuggling under warm blankets. ha. i don't remember blankets much. we all had them, but they were mostly army blankets. nothing comfy or snuggly. i do remember the flannel sheets with great fondness, though. and I remember the great shock when i discovered that others did not share my preferences for these.
not wind hill, for pity's sake...wind Chill!!
My memory of snuggling under a warm quilt goes back to last winter -- LOL!
I grew up in the Allegheny mountains in western Pennsylvania. Granted, that is not ND, and mountains break the wind. But I also remember it roaring down the mountains, and we had plenty of snow. They did not close the schools until there was a foot or more of snow. We lived just under a mile from school, so no school bus rides for us. We had to hoof it, so I remember wearing layers and layers too and crying freezing tears by the time I got home some days. That's when I so appreciated the hot cocoa Mom had ready for us. We came in, changed clothes, ate and warmed up, then headed back outside to build snow forts and igloos and sled down the hills.
winter in the PA mountains would be harsh enough for anyone!! we had no hills, but we did have ditches! short sled rides!!
so much fun to remember how we enjoyed being outside in the deep snow. staying in was always either a punishment (get in this house!!) or a case of measles & the like. this was in the blissful days before TV arrived in Fargo.
also, re snuggling under a warm quilt: one of my friends in AZ fosters abandoned cats. she just got a new batch of 7 kittens with some kind of respiratory ailment. they won't stay on the bed, so she throws a down comforter over them to keep them from the draft when someone opens the door.
Post a Comment