Talk of The Villages Florida

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-   -   Nostalgic for the North (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/villages-florida-non-villages-discussion-93/nostalgic-north-317477/)

OrangeBlossomBaby 03-20-2021 09:59 PM

We had a record snowfall in 2011 in my town (North Haven, CT). We got 40 inches in one storm. And we had back-to-back storms that week, so we had over 6 feet of snow in some spots of the town. Several people had massive damage to their homes from the weight of the snow, which compacted and iced over when the sun hit it and it refroze that night, and caused ice dams on the gutters. The people across the street from our house lost their gutters completely and we lost a tree in our front yard. We had damage to our walls from the melting snow. But our roof guy checked out the attic and said that our home - which was built in 1958, had a particular bracing structure that was virtually indestructible, and it held up perfectly. So we had damage to the living room ceiling and water got into the attic but the roof and frame and beams of the house were fine.

Getting out of the house was a nightmare. We were one of the fortunate people who already got our roof rake before the storm began, but it took us three days, hours and hours every day, to clean the roof and shovel out way to the detached garage, so that we could reach our snowblower and plow our way to our cars, so we could clean our cars off. Not that there was anywhere to go - our street wasn't plowed for two days and the smaller side-roads that lead to the main state road didn't get done for a week.

tophcfa 03-20-2021 11:04 PM

After spending an entire fun filled winter at the Villages, responsibilities will soon reluctantly drag my sorry a$$ back north. I will sadly go there kicking and screaming, wishing I was spending my days swimming laps in beautiful outdoor pools surrounded by palm trees and then going for a bike ride and playing golf.

billethkid 03-21-2021 07:50 AM

The snowy scenes on Christmas cards is all I need.

If/when I should travel to where there are no palm trees....I know I have wandered too far North!!

Dr Winston O Boogie jr 03-21-2021 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC (Post 1918722)
At least it looks pretty. Times like this glad I was able to work from home last 18 years living in Va.

It does look pretty. But as you know in about two days all of those snow banks will be black.

PugMom 03-21-2021 08:11 AM

if i remember correctly, you guys in north haven always got a bit more hammered than we did in w hart. we lost power during that storm, about 11 days, hunkered down in front of a fireplace. that was 1 wicked ice storm

Stu from NYC 03-21-2021 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr (Post 1918943)
It does look pretty. But as you know in about two days all of those snow banks will be black.

Very true

Do not miss shoveling out our cars. Lived on top of a hill and could not leave until they plowed our roads which sometimes took 3 to 4 days

LiverpoolWalrus 03-21-2021 01:38 PM

I remember that. Snowmaggedon, right, JohnW? I was in MD and was so over it. I decided to move to FL long before that, but work in DC got in the way. Until 2011.

LiverpoolWalrus 03-21-2021 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby (Post 1916100)
This is what my yard looked like before we got the new fence. You can see "loghenge" surrounding the Mama Maple a lot better. I took the picture through the screen window in my office. It was mostly a wilderness - nothing could really grow under the maple because of the shade, and because the previous owners tied their dog to a run back there and he destroyed the soil. That's why I covered the whole thing with mulch and didn't try to grow anything except in the sink on the park bench (where I grew lemon thyme and dill).

Pretty sure this shot was taken in early September before the leaves started to turn.

Love the loghenge (and big mama). Is it also a sundial or does it point the way to the galaxy our ancestors came from?

Northern trees are nice, as are mountains, but IMO they don’t top FL’s warm year-round climate.

Madelaine Amee 03-21-2021 01:52 PM

The older I get the more I miss NH, no not the snow and the cold weather, but I miss the State Fairs, the wonderful fresh mornings and the green real trees. We lived most of or lives in the suburbs of Boston and I certainly do not miss the travel to work in the morning or the commute in the evening on 128; but I would not have to do that now, and I would not have to shovel snow or go out when it is cold.

On the other hand there is much that I love about living here, but how I DREAD the summer heat and humidity, both of which he loves!

So , my other half LOVES it here so I am here for as long as he is!:icon_wink:

bobdeb 03-21-2021 02:01 PM

My wife and I used to run all year round in the hills of New Hampshire. And that was regardless of the temperature in the winter. And I mean long runs in order to train for the Boston Marathon in April.

We reminisce about it often, but somewhere along the way it did get cold and raw and tiresome at times.
She misses Christmas in New England. I don't miss shoveling snow off my farmhouse porch because it had piled up so high.

I miss our apple trees, but I love it here in Florida now. There's is beauty everywhere if you look for it.

I have to admit that hiking in NH was spectacular in the fall. I miss that... and apple picking... damn.

OrangeBlossomBaby 03-21-2021 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PugMom (Post 1918947)
if i remember correctly, you guys in north haven always got a bit more hammered than we did in w hart. we lost power during that storm, about 11 days, hunkered down in front of a fireplace. that was 1 wicked ice storm

Yes our town broke the state historic record that year. Snow storm around X-mas, followed by another one, followed by the ice storm, followed by a melt and re-freeze followed by two more snowstorms. Dozens of cars abandoned on I-91 because the traffic was crawling and the snow was piling up faster than the cars could get through it. An entire family died, somewhere near the Mass Pike I believe, when the man got out to try and find help and got lost in the storm. His wife and baby both were found dead, and he was found only a few dozen yards away from the car, also dead.

They had a full parking ban and emergency order throughout our town, but not everyone was home to be able to get their cars off the side of the road. The snow piled up so high with the wind drifts that the plows couldn't even tell that there were cars there - until the plows rammed into the cars and destroyed them (and destroyed the plows in the process).

Multi-million dollar damage, to personal property and to town property.

Thankfully - North Haven had a zero-dollar deficit and a cushion of general fund money plus a HUGE public works department budget. They got emergency funding from the government to cover whatever the town couldn't already handle themselves, but it was paid back easily because the town's government was (and still is) top-notch.

OrangeBlossomBaby 03-21-2021 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiverpoolWalrus (Post 1919176)
I remember that. Snowmaggedon, right, JohnW? I was in MD and was so over it. I decided to move to FL long before that, but work in DC got in the way. Until 2011.

"Snowmageddon" happened two months before the January blizzard. It was more widespread - snow accumulated at around 4" per hour and the roads were shut down then as well.

It was basically just a horror-movie's worth of snow that whole year. Generator manufacturers had a field day.

rustyp 03-21-2021 05:51 PM

1 Attachment(s)
Attachment 88758

My neck of the woods Beaver River Station NY

March 9 2021 Copenhagen NY near my neck of the woods snowfall total to date 21 FEET. Most to date in 2021 in the USA including Alaska.

OrangeBlossomBaby 03-21-2021 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rustyp (Post 1919255)
Attachment 88758

My neck of the woods Beaver River Station NY

March 9 2021 Copenhagen NY near my neck of the woods snowfall total to date 21 FEET. Most to date in 2021 in the USA to date including Alaska.

That is BEAUTIFUL. Plus I love the truck. Those trees - hit me right in my feelings place.

Gulfcoast 03-21-2021 09:22 PM

I was in the DC area for Snowmeggdon. There is nothing quite like being inside a warm and cozy house with the snow falling outside...there is a part of me that misses the snow. But I don't miss broken branches, fallen trees, treacherous roads, slippery walkways or all that shoveling.


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