This photo is of two birch trees at the end of my driveway which are bent over with the weigh of ice. Birches are not very strong trees–they are bendy, they are delicate, which is probably why they are also so beautiful.

We had an ice storm this week–not quite as severe as in the midwest, but enough ice (I think just over 1/2 inch) that by Monday midday we lost power. It came back on Tuesday evening, which is lucky for us as the temps were plummeting. The good news is we are prepared for such things (losing power, being cold) because of where we live. We have plenty of wood and water on hand. Thanks to Allen, I also have ear bags (if you live in the north and do not have these yet–you must get them! They are excellent) and YakTrax (these things are a must for winter sports or even just for walking to get your mail after an ice storm).

Even though we had our power back, Tuesday night was still a rough night of sleeping as there had been no melt. The trees were heavy, the temperatures falling. The wind picked up. All night I listened to the heavy branches of the oak (the one that is too close to the house) scraping against the roof. I waited for the tree to fall toward us, to crash through.