After the winter storm

Aftermath from a once in a lifetime event: Four days after record shattering snow and cold–nearly ten inches along certain parts of the coast and temperatures in the single digits–the thaw winds down. You know it was cold when 53° feels warm. Under the bright sun, a neighbor fixes a broken water line. Only a few areas of snow can still be seen from the winter storm people will talk about for the rest of their lives. “Yep, you little whipper snapper, I walked a mile in the snow and built a snowman twice your size right here!” “Wow, really?” We figured many outdoor plants wouldn’t make it, but we’re in for a surprise during an extreme cold outbreak a couple of years back. Instead of removing plants that look absolutely destroyed, we leave them alone. To our surprise, they come back to life a few months later. Maybe that will happen again. We cover our young lemon tree this time and hope it comes through okay. Keeping fingers crossed that our satsuma tree makes it. The storm is a good time to find out how well your home’s attic is insulated; homes with good insulation have lots of snow on top (our place, rebuilt after Hurricane Sally, is extensively insulated and comes through nicely). After seeing snow for the first time in their lives, two rambunctious poodles are back at full speed, trying to bring illegal contraband (magnolia tree seed pods) into the house and arguing over who should be able to chew on the frisbee (unless it winds up in the pool–crisis!). This could have been so much worse. While we get heavy snow, it’s what we don’t get–icing–that makes us fortunate. Our power never blinks (can you say thankful?). I suspect the sight of snow under a palm tree on Alabama’s Gulf coast is a long way off from ever happening again. There were so many scenes we will never forget!