Freezing temps. and tons of snow – in one month – make this one of the worst winters ever.

I’ve lived in New Hampshire since 2005. Not very long compared to many residents, but no winter has bothered me like this one. Maybe I’ve just forgotten the problems that winter brings to a run down house that still needs a lot of fixing, but this year has given me nightmares. I don’t think I am alone.

Once February began, we got snow.  And then more snow.  And on and on it’s gone.  The kids are always home from school.  Roofs are caving in, and the temps. start out below zero nearly every day.  When it hits 15 degrees we are thinking it’s balmy!  On the bright side, I’ve become an expert with the snowblower.

I was doing well and getting my house in order. Much of the siding had been replaced, and the front has all new windows. I’ve invested a lot of money. Then, unexpected personal problems came into my life and my savings evaporated. I wanted to replace the siding on the back of the house so I wouldn’t have to spend another winter frozen in my kitchen. And now I’ve discovered the hard way that I desperately need a new roof!

Feeding Birds in Deep Snow

But it was not to be. There was no money, and as the winter approached, I knew it would be a cold winter inside my home once again. At least the living room and my office are not too bad. But money is still tight and the thermostat is kept at 65 most of the time. The leaky roof has made me switch gears and instead of siding, I will need to save for a new roof.

At least I am not living outside like the wildlife. I always wonder how they make it in such unbearable cold. And it’s been horribly cold all of February. I don’t see deer tracks in the yard now, as the snow is probably too deep for them to walk. I imagine they stay to the woods.  I can only get around by shoveling a path or wearing snowshoes.

The other day a robin was outside my window eating something off my burning bush. A robin? Aren’t they spring birds? It was below zero, and there is no place to find worms this time of year. I’ll have to look that one up. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a winter robin before.

Is this Robin lost?

I know I need a new roof and all the snow we’ve had was making me worry. I finally hired 2 guys to shovel off the roof, but that brought new problems. All that roof snow goes somewhere on the ground and must be shoveled. The guys did snowblow by the front door (see photo below) but now I have tons of snow all around the base of my house. I can’t get out of the basement or the front door and the deck is mostly covered except for a path I made so I could bring in wood for the stove.

The Roof is Shoveled

It seems that winter is dragging on forever. I think we will all be grateful for temps over 20, and we are praying for no rain and a slow melt… please. But any day it doesn’t snow is a relatively good day at this point.