Monday, January 24, 2011

winter in Maine

The temp is below zero. Your nose freezes shut when you go outside. Roads are narrow with snow. We take happy pills or drink wine to get through the dark days. Sometimes we gather in coffeehouses, windows steamy; to argue about the Governor, healthcare reform, or the best snowblower.

We dream of sun and beaches. Green things.

I chop and toss the ice mountains in my yard, trying to make room for the next big dump of snow. I gaze with incomprehension at snowblowers in the stores. So shiny, all lined up from cheapest ($189) to deluxe ($1589). My neighbors all have them: greasy, roaring, gassy monsters.

I'm low-tech: I scoop and shovel.

Yesterday I bought a roof rake ($39.40). I assembled it with difficulty: the directions were pictures of bolts, nuts, and pipes. I snowshoed around my house and garage, raking snow and ice from the roofs. When a nut fell off and the rake started to fall apart, I repaired it with duct tape. I knocked off icicles and abandoned wasp nests. It was fun.

I have 4 studded snow tires on my car. The tires look like they are full of nails. Pretty good in the snow.

We've had long dark days. More snow predicted. A January thaw would be good about now.