High wind and drifting snow.

February 23. 

This forenoon a driving storm, very severe. The snow drives horizontally from the north or northwesterly, in long waving lines like the outline of a swell or billow. The flakes do not fall perceptibly for the width of a house.

This afternoon fair, but high wind and drifting snow. The fine snow drives along over the field like steam curling from a roof, forming architectural drifts.

H. D. Thoreau, Journal, February 23, 1854

The snow drives horizontally from the north or northwesterly. See December 14, 1859 ("Snow-storms might be classified. This is a fine, dry snow, drifting nearly horizontally from the north, so that it is quite blinding to face."); February 3, 1854 ("A driving snow-storm again") See also A Book of the Seasons, by Henry Thoreau, Snow-storms might be classified

The fine snow drives along over the field like steam curling from a roof. See December 24, 1850 (". . . like steam curling up, as from a wet roof when the sun comes out after a rain."); January 19, 1852 ("The snow blowing far off in the sun . . .looks like the mist that rises from rivers in the morning.") ; February 16, 1852 ("I see the steam-like snow-dust curling up and careering along over the fields. . . .like the spray on a beach before the northwest wind.");  February 3, 1855 (" Alive with flowing streams of snow, in form like the steam which curls along a river’s surface at sunrise.”); January 19,1860 (“This snow looks just like vapor curling along over the surface, long waving lines producing the effect of a watered surface in motion.”)

We form a work crew and snowshoe up past the "junction" to a spot where we plan to make a clearing for the wildlife. The snow is just right. temperature 45 degrees. we need no gloves. working steadily i cut the larger saplings, and she takes the smaller ones with a clipper or handsaw. i fell them all to the west and then cut again and throw over the bank. It is late afternoon. clear air. sunlight in and out of clouds over the adirondacks as we work in this one small spot.

the sun begins to slant through the trees. it is a pretty walk up to the view in this light. the sun setting  to the south over Giant, just before we arrive.


in one spot working

steadily late afternoon

sun slants through the trees.

February 23, 2014 zphx