It is February 3rd, and the ice has begun to fall off the roofs, but the road is still covered in it. Yesterday, at the peak of the temperature, an hour before dusk, some bits of the road were slushy. Other areas, mostly in shadow, were still as slick as the bottom of an enameled bathtub. Today, at 9:30 am, no bit of the roads are slushy, yet. And today is overcast, where yesterday had sun. It is forecasted to rain a bit this afternoon, as well - we will see what happens. I loaded the propane tanks into the car, and a box of salt and a couple of bottles of water.
I walked out to the 600 hill again, which is halfway to the highway from us, about two miles there and back. I saw a blood trail where something, perhaps a deer, had crossed the road. My hound went nose-down into the woods and followed it a bit, and came back to tell me it how it smelled. I worried about her last night, when she went out at 1 am and didn't return until after 4. I told her she almost had me planning missing posters with all the melting and falling ice and slick gullies etc, and the coyotes howling and foxes arguing that ring out over the hills. The geese and turkeys have been loud - and I heard a woodpecker when I was out there this morning. I saw a murmuration of starlings at the highest point of the hill. I did not see enough melting to go get in my car and try the hill. I barely saw any road at all anywhere, only where the one neighbor has had his monster truck in and out to check on his relative and then struggled getting it back up the hill to his house.
I feel trapped and that perhaps I should be brave and just go for it - but I've also been down in the ditch in a much worse situation than I had been earlier in the morning, for trying such a thing. And that time it was very difficult to get anyone to come out and help even the next day - they heard where, and said 'no, not in this weather.'
Mark says 'don't go down the mountain until you know you can get back up it.' Yes. The only good thing about that is if these roads become clear, we can be certain almost everywhere else is. Yes. He has been cold all night (66 degrees) which is less than he can usually afford with his breathing condition. We had a wellhouse heater and a heat lamp in there to bring it up to 69 yesterday, but for safety's sake had turned it off and turned the house heat up for the night. With the propane, we keep it at 72 for him usually.
So, *blow air up forehead* I'll get my walking in and go back out there again after another few hours. Sat down and drew a hungry heron looking at a fish in the water before I set out this time. (below) with a bit of gold wishing in the corner for the sun to shine a bit more on this ice and melt it.
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