Last week when I told you it snowed on Mayday and, if God sends snow, I choose snow? Well, He must have a sense of humor and wanted to test this cowdog’s bold statement. Because yesterday it snowed again. A LOT! 
Over a week into May and we had about 2 feet of heavy wet snow. Then it started raining.
I was outside very little because it was impossible to walk. You could wring out the snow!
But then the snow packed down and I could run like the wind!
And the power went out. The cement-heavy snow smashed bushes and trees down flat, and dozens of power poles broke right off!
Fergus Electric photo
Only the giant firs stood tall, but not unscathed, as many big branches snapped under the the burden.
Every so often, snow slid off the roof with great rumbling, usually sending the cats scrambling for the basement. This went on all night and the next day.
Of course the house started cooling down, and NOW mom starts thinking hard about preparation and that generator she has procrastinated on getting. At least it is May and not January.
Now there is nothing interesting about this power outage. Too much heavy snow, plain and simple. We have had some better ones though.
One time the power went out when beaver felled a tree on a powerline!
And once a great flock of turkeys took wing to cross the valley, colliding with a line on the way and knocking out power all the way downstream [no turkeys were harmed in this event].
Last night we prepared for another cold dark quiet night. We got out extra blankets for us all. I noticed mom kept putting on more clothes throughout the afternoon. Long johns, wool socks, wool shirts. Then Dad’s sherpa-lined bathrobe, and finally her N3B parka. Several layers of polarfleece, and a very nice merino wool blanket. We were going to be fine.
We spent a lot of time praying for everyone, helpless before unrelenting, unreasonable weather.
Then, miraculously the lights came on.
Thank God for tough young men who find adventure in fighting nightlong blizzards, getting stuck a dozen times, getting out and doing some more. Climbing poles in the dark, wind, snow, risking electrocution so we can have light and heat.
They are still at it, because we were the lucky first ones to have power restored – there are many more, and it may be a few days. At least it is May, not January, and I hear it will be in the sixties by tomorrow. And yes, we have started flooding now.
Snow, rain, floods. Cold, dark, isolated, for us. Maybe tornadoes, fires, drought – or a scary diagnosis for you.
And we find we all are powerless.
Powerless before a thousand storms, problems and sorrows. Our only hope is the only one who can calm the storm.
“In the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, until the storms of destruction pass by.”
Snow, rain, floods…pray on.
