Snow breaking my Dr. Seuss Juniper

I thought that we wouldn't have a repeat of last year's heavy snow which broke many limbs on several holly bushes and a juniper tree, all of which eventually got cut down and went into the fire.

This year the snow is breaking the other juniper.

That limb on the ground used to be attached at the top and point straight up. It seems to have taken out to other limbs on its way down.

A closeup of the damage shows the broken top, another limb missing halfway down, and another hanging on by a piece of bark.

You can see how the snow is bowing the limbs down to the roof.


A view from the front.

Snow pictures of the day with all precipitation types

There has been a lot of complaint that the weather forecasters missed the call on this recent storm. It started yesterday when we awoke to 4 inches of snow that was twice what anybody expected and was still snowing when we all thought it would turn to rain.

We had in sequence - snow, cloudy skies, rain, ice pellets and lots of snow again. My pictures begin in the middle with the measurement of last night's snow, which was the second wave. About 7.5 inches.

Linus confirmed my measurement later in the shoveling. You can see my little meteorologist at work.

Then I got crazed with power after I finished shovelling the driveway. "

Look on my mighty snowpile ye snowflakes and despair. Fear my mighty shovel of power."

This has happened before.


Here is the pillowy snow covered rocks on Shellpot Creek.


The required waterfall picture.


And a closeup of the water flowing. The creek has actually risen above the earlier level where it froze so the water is flowing over ice stuck to the rocks.


A closeup of the water at the base of the waterfall.

First snow of 2011 - pictures and a car in a ditch

The first snowfall of the year in Delaware puts more than 2 inches of snow on the ground. Here is a measurement showing 2.5 inches. Use the right hand side of the ruler for measuring, this is a measuring square and the left hand side starts at the top of the "L" part of it.


Because it happened at night and into this morning and it wasn't expected to be much there hasn't been any plowing on our street or the streets in the neighborhood around us. That probably led to this person going down the hill on Baynard from Shipley to Marsh too fast and ending up in the ditch just before the Shellpot Creek bridge. There was no one in the car and folks on the scene said the person had gotten out already and was OK.

Shellpot Creek always looks nice after a good snow.




The snow on the driveway might actually need to be shoveled!

Before and After - Shoveling Panoramas

The view out of the garage before (click picture for panorama) ...


...and after shoveling (click picture for panorama).


It was only 5 inches on the driveway as I measured it.


So it wasn't as dramatic as farther east but it looks real pretty. Today's winds were powerful and rattled the house. Some children lost a ball onto the frozen Shellpot Creek, probably because of the wind.

It made it down the creek to our section and they fished it out safely.

Roses in the snow

The last of the fall roses dried on the stem now have to contend with snow.

Boxing Day snow photos

It's going to snow for a long time today and tonight and we are supposed to end with 12 inches. Here are some starting photos of the excitement.


Shellpot Creek downstream.

Shellpot Creek Waterfall.


The lonely snowy swingset.

More to come.

Snow pictures #7 A sneak peek at Shellpot Creek

I know that pictures of a snow covered Shellpot Creek water fall are very common this year, but it is amazing how much snow is piled on these rocks. This looks more like some snowy mountain stream, than a creek in Delaware.

Upstream from the waterfall.

Top of the water fall.

The waterfall.


Base of the water fall.


Downstream of the waterfall.

Snow pictures #6 The trees, the trees.

Except that the heavy snow is potentially breaking all of them, the snow sticking to the trees has turned the world into a magical snow streaked wonderland. I have tried to capture some of the views, but it is more spectacular to stand under these trees or look across a clump of them, all painted white.

Snow pictures #5 second snow!

This was the view looking from Stoney Creek Lane up Baynard towards Marsh Road at 8am this morning.

This is the view looking up Baynard across the Shellpot Creek bridge towards Shipley Rd. It's all uphill from Stoney Creek lane.


Stoney Creek lane itself (a cul-de-sac with four houses) looks just as good.


Obscured road sign.


Our house is covered.

I am the mighty snow conqueror!

I am the mighty snow conqueror, wielding my shovel of power to clear driveways and raise mountains.

Suffering Junipers - this last snow did it!

The most recent snow storm (Feb 10, not the one before that!) was so heavy and sticky that I feared for some of the evergreens and plants in the garden and yard. It looks like we have lost a juniper due to the heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain (and then snow again).



The juniper, the bottom left limb should be pointing up, and the two right limbs should also be pointing up.

A close up of the right limbs shows the bottom one peeled down the trunk. The upper limb actually broke as I was closely inspecting the bottom one. That removed any hope of me saving the tree.

There is another juniper in the front of the house which is very interesting and tufty. It is also bowed done to the roof with snow.


Here it is yesterday in the afternoon, halfway through wave two of the snowstorm.


It still seems even more bowed down this morning, but not broken. I am hoping the sun melts the ice and frees it gently. I am afraid to tap it to free the limbs at the risk of them breaking.


Here is the front juniper from the other side.


And a closeup looking up. I didn't want to tap it and get buried on snow.

Snow pictures #4 - This driveway is clean!

Remember in Poltergeist when they rescue Carol Ann from the other world and at the end of it the short exorcist/medium lady says, "This house is clean"?

This driveway is clean.

Last night I cleared just enough snow to get my car out for church today. We were one of the few families there this morning.

Today I finished the rest so that both cars can get out of the driveway. Why take a picture? Because that is a lot of snow and it never took me two several hour days of shoveling to clear this driveway before.

Cleared driveway end, and no "plowed-in" portion!

Cleared walkway.

This cleared walkway goes around the house next to the creek. I stopped at the end there. I just wanted to be able to see the creek if I wanted.


Beautiful afternoon sun illuminates the snow and the Shellpot Creek.