More and More Snow

Today's snow on the grapes. Pruning the vines will wait until the snow is gone.

The rain that I watched turn slushy last Wednesday did eventually turn into snow. It just took a bit longer than the meteorologists thought. The snow was falling by Wednesday night and Thursday morning, we woke up to a couple inches. I ran out quickly to shake the snow off the chicken fence netting, so the poles wouldn’t bend or break under the weight. Next I swept the snow off the hoop houses. There wasn’t really enough to be a problem, but why take the risk? I have heard the stories of collapsed hoop houses. By the time I got back from taking Steven to catch a bus into work, it was starting to melt. I was kind of late on the pictures again, but not as late as last week.

Last Thursday's snow on the fava beans, already melting

Today's snow on the fava beans

Amazingly, we woke up to snow again today (about three inches). I was not expecting it at all. This time, it was too late for the chicken fencing. A good portion of it was lying on the ground, several poles bent and broken. I shook some off, but decided to wait for the rest to melt. The fence will need some repairs. The snow was wet enough that it was already sliding off the hoop houses on its own. No need for help from me, though Steven decided to take a turn at it before work. I did run out to take pictures before it all melted this morning. Yet, here it is, afternoon, and it is still around, though not as pretty.

The chicken fence went down today and will need repairs

For those of you reading this who are used to snow in winter, you just have to remember that snow in Portland is unusual. To have snow three times within two weeks in late February/March is particularly unusual. And, what feels even stranger to me is that we had snow on Sauvie Island, at such a low elevation, and not much in Portland proper at all. I guess this time, it wasn’t the elevation that mattered so much as the latitude.

I hope this is the end of snow, because I am ready for spring.

Snow in March?