Breezee BarnsOkay, winter storm Olive was not the first blizzard of 2023 for us, in fact this is the second one. The first one happened just a few weeks after Christmas. Since moving to rural America, Winter storm Olive is the third storm since December where we have been under a blizzard warning. Olive has left a different impression on us than the first two blizzards we have been through.
This lovely blizzard Olive sure gave us a run for out money. I can honestly say, I have never been in a place where this much snow has been dumped at one time. Let us not forget the nasty wind that came with it.
Preparing for Olive
Prior to Olive making the news, I was in the process of preparing to go to my nephew’s wedding about 14 hours away. With any trip I start watching the weather forecast about 2 weeks before I am going to leave. Just a few weeks before the weather was showing less than an inch of snow accumulations to around 3 inches. Not terrible, just a pain to deal with while traveling.
Well, I got a notification on my phone for a Winter Weather Advisory just a few days before the storm was going to hit. Of course, I started checking several different weather apps and forecast, and no joke it showed snow accumulations were now 1-2 feet. What??? Yikes! Now my brain went into preparing for this nasty storm to come. Thanks to Olive and another unexpected incident, (I will talk about that later) I was definitely not going to make it to my nephew’s wedding. 😢
Monday, February 20 the lovely forecast was now a Winter Storm Watch and by early Tuesday morning, we were put under a blizzard warning. Now was the time to get things situated, stock up on necessities and supplies. Not only did we need to take care of ourselves, but we also needed to make plans for the ducks and chickens. Having these feathery friends is difficult when the weather becomes messy.
The Storm Begins
Tuesday morning chores turned into a hot mess. The storm was approaching, so we were scrambling to get things done quickly. We went ahead and let the ducks out to play in their water and gave them extra food in the coop. The chickens we kept inside and gave them extra treats, food and water. Then we took care of all the other animals that needed food and water. Our usual morning routine took about 25 minutes longer, so by the time we left, the snow was just beginning.
As the day went on, the snow got heavier. Then you would look out again and it looked like flurries. We began to wonder if the storm was going to bypass us like some have in the past. By late afternoon, the snow was sticking pretty good, and the wind was just whipping around causing the visibility to go down. Plus, stores were closing early and planning on not being open for business Wednesday. Luckily, for us when already had what we needed. Bring on the blizzard…
Tuesday evening chores were not terrible. Yes, it was snowing and drifting, but since we prepared earlier in the day, things went smoothly in the evening. Being prepared is always a good thing to do.
Day Two of Olive
We woke up to quite the winter wonderland on Wednesday. No going to work for the husband, roads we closed all around us. Our driveway was completely covered with drifts. We brought the Polaris and truck up to our house on Sunday, which was a good thing. I was able to get girls down to do morning chores in the 4-wheel drive truck. So, while they were checking on the animals, I drove up and down the driveway to the farm to break down drifts. I ended up shoveling the walkway at the farm, so we could get in and out of the house. Knowing the storm wasn’t over, I knew it wasn’t going to last.
By the time it was time for evening chores, all the work I had done in the morning, was gone. The snow and wind had covered everything. What a pain to do all over again. That is what happens when Mother Nature does her thing. We just must deal with it and move on. The worst of the storm was yet to come, so Thursday was going to be treat.
An End in Sight
Welcome Thursday. We knew things were going to be bad since we had looked outside before bed and saw the drifting around our house. This storm blew the snow in different directions, so we were shocked at how much snow was all around us. One good thing is by the time we woke up, it had stopped snowing and the wind had died down. It was not completely gone, but it was not hitting the house as bad. It chilled you to the bone if you stayed out in it too long (I know since I went outside and took pictures, call me crazy).
No travel advised again, so this time we used the Polaris to get to the farm. The road was covered more than before, so it was hard to actually see if you were on the road. Of course, the pathway we shoveled twice the day before was filled in, but not completely. We opened a few drifts in the Polaris, but by the time the chores were done, our tracks were hard to find. That dang wind just wouldn’t completely stop.
Looking back at this crazy blizzard, we were prepared. We looked ahead and stayed ahead. Was it a pain to deal with, yes. Planning ahead will always help us wherever we are at in life. In the end we did better than we thought we would. Each time we have an experience to learn from we know more going into the next experience. This storm was a test for us to learn from and we did pass!
Wanting Spring
I know I like the snow since it makes everything beautiful, but it is time things need to change. There comes a point that we need more sunshine in our lives. Not going to lie, we are actually looking forward to seeing the dirt and grass again (we just need to get our grass planted). We love watching the buds on trees appear and seeing flower grow. As much as it is a pain to deal with the dogs and their muddy feet, we know when we see the dirt and grass the warmer weather is coming. Its just nice to soak in the sunlight and breath the fresh air. Plus taking care of our flock is so much easier when the weather is warmer. So much for that, I guess Punxsutawney Phil was right this year, we are still in winter. ðŸ˜
Hopefully, spring is just around the corner. Until we finally get the spring vibe, we might be pulling out our happy lights and taking our vitamin D supplements! Yes, we have happy lights and have used them for a few years. When you have children with Seasonal Depressive Disorder, you do what needs to be done to help them cope. It never fails, January and February are always the worst months to navigate. Having sunlight is just an essential part of life.
Products We Use
If you have a difficult time getting through the cold and gloomy months of January or February, here are the products we use to make life a little easier. (None of these links are affiliated links)
When the sun does not shine for several days, this is what we use a happy light called Verilux Happy Light Lucent Bright Therapy.
Most of my family uses these vitamin D supplements daily and yes they are gummy vitamins! :
https://www.samsclub.com/p/vitafusion-vitamin-d-gummies-275-count/prod21062086?xid=plp_product_15
One of our daughters uses these vitamin D supplements daily :
https://www.olly.com/products/hello-happy
We love each of these products and know they are helpful for us.
