Sue's out and about...
More Days In The Snow
(Friday February 25 - 27, 2011)
KCRA reported, "Thousands of Nevada county residents are without power as emergency crews are scrambling to downed trees, power outages, and traffic accidents. Phones are ringing "off the hook" inside the county's 911 dispatch center, according to a dispatcher. 'We are having to deal with medical aid and rescues, for people on oxygen who've lost power,' said Nevada county sheriff Keith Royal.
"In the Nevada City and Grass Valley area, there are 15,000 customers without power," said Pacific Gas & Electric spokesman Denny Boyle. "There are at least 16 different power outages."
Throughout the Sierra division, P. G.&E. is reporting 270 separate outages. They are also reporting that it could be 24-48 outages before crews get to some of those areas. Some Nevada City residents are reporting two feet of snow outside their homes. Just below Nevada City, Grass Valley is experiencing low level flooding along roadways.
Our power went off Thursday evening, and this is what it looked like Friday morning. I wondered how so much snow could stay on top the railing out front. The picnic table disappeared out back, and the only good thing about the deep snow is that it's a nice cold place to store the milk bottle.
Cheryl and Bucky join Sue to see what all the activity's about. Evidently, the NID ditch plugged up with snow and overflowed onto Dave and Lisa's place again. The crew is having a great time clearing the ditch all the way to the reservoir located near the Loma Rica airport. Also a tree broke and stabbed a hole in a culvert causing water to be lost down Wolf Creek. They've got lots work to do.
According to the Union newspaper, "NID's entire Maintenance Department — 100 percent turnout, including the Placer County crew who came up to help — worked Friday through Sunday to keep water flowing in Nevada Irrigation District's canal system. No water outages were reported. The five-mile long berm from Cascade Shores up to the head of the Cascade Canal on Upper Deer Creek above Scotts Flat was plowed so water flows could be maintained. Crews there measured 51 inches of snow at the head of the Cascade Canal. Crews pulled trees, limbs and ice from canals in many areas and repaired damaged canal berms. Generators were activated at NID water treatment plants. Portable generators were moved to key pump stations. Cleanup work will continue for weeks and months. Everyone agreed this is one of the biggest storms in several years." Just like the old days when we were kids growing up around here.
Bucky's supervising.
A view of the Dunham's home covered with snow.
Friday night candle light card game's in progress.
Sue is shuffling and grinning like the Cheshire cat. When the last card was played for the night, I actually won! First time for everything.
The cedar fell and stabbed into the steel culvert. Saturday morning NID brought in some big equipment to plow the road to the area (below our shop) to repair it. Bob, Andrew, Matt, Todd, Brian, Rod and others were busy getting everything finished. Good job guys.
Saturday night pizza and another card game with the neighbors. Dave was out numbered, but managed to win.
Glad we didn't have to leave home through this.
Saturday afternoon, wonderful Cheryl broke the trail to the woodshed, and Dave came over on his snowmobile and helped her get wood to her house.
It's a beautiful Sunday, so we ventured over to see what Dave's doing and where the ditch spilled over. Not only in the upper field where it usually goes. This time it also flowed behind his shop along and over the driveway beneath the snow. One of the guys (and later Laci) didn't realize it was there and did a little slip and splash that earned them a few laughs.
Mocha's sticking close to Mel because she wants to go inside the house.
Wheeler loves it outside. Dave said he was chasing show all day when the NID crew was shoveling, and enthusiastically demonstrates his expertise for us.
The water's moving along normally. During the old days it was used for irrigation the water level was lowered in the winter, but until the pipeline is finished it's supplying water for many homes. Even though they used to lower the water it required ditch tenders to keep an eye on it. They spent the night keeping warm near the wood stove in Mom and Val's little cabin when they weren't outside taking care of problems.
We decide to take a walk back to see what they did to the culvert.
Just before we get back to the house we hear a loud alarm sound and then an explosion from the direction of the airport. Then noticed that the lights were on in the garage. Yippee! Thank you P.G.E. crews for your hard work restoring our electricity.
Time catches up with us, and keeps moving on. My knee's tell me it's too hard walking through the deep snow. Not used to that, nor shoveling much anymore. Our children, and grand children will probably remember these times as "the good old days."
