Following last year's many "thumpings" with snow (67.5" for the winter), "thumpings" at least for Northern Virginia, it had seemed until last Tuesday that winter, save for the constant cold weather, would pass us by this year. Snow, and healthy amounts of snow, was either to our north or our south and sometimes on both sides with our being stuck in a dry hole up until Tuesday. Finally on Tuesday we received some snow but a heavy, wet snow. We experienced a little over 6" in something less than 5 hours time. It came in a hurry, fell in a hurry, and left in a hurry. Last year our magnolia tree was denuded of its lower branches on one side and now it's starting on the other side. If we suffer a serious freezing rain event this winter we may have only a "telephone pole" where the tree once stood. Last year the cedar trees took a beating and the weight of Tuesday's snow was heavy but the Cedars seem to have withstood the event. The 6" plus on Tuesday exceeds the total accumulation previously this winter and certainly was a pleasing sight. If this is all the snow for the year I may have to remind myself of last year with a recap and accompanying pics.
The camera and I didn't make it into the yard until Wednesday afternoon and the pics show a glimpse of the weight on the branches. The night before we had given some relief to the trees with gentle broom swipes so the pics fail to show the "full weight."
One of the sideyard cedars
A backyard cedar with some warmth from the snow and ivy
One of the remaining lower magnolia branches
...til later...
