Icemageddon

Our "Farmhouse" after the snow 2014

As if our winter storm 2 weeks ago wasn't enough, old man winter just isn't quite finished with us yet and that darned groundhog seems right so far.  If you read my last post you know that Spring is just around the corner though!

I feel like I'm "prepping" for a doomsday.  There is a "significant winter event" bearing down on the farm and I've read where it'll be "one to remember".  This thing is supposed to bring a lot of ice and the last ice storm I "remember" was around 1979. 

Close to how I "remember" the ice storm in '79

 Our house at
the time was surrounded by large pine trees which were bent over touching the ground and covered solid it seemed in ice.  I remember how the landscape just from that looked like you'd imagine a war zone.  We were without power for quite a while I remember as well. 

If this remembering thing holds true I got a feeling we aren't going to want to remember this.

I can deal with the snow, snow is fun.  Everyone enjoys the pure beauty snow brings to the land. 

The girls enjoying some "boogie board" time in the snow!

Ice. 

Ice on the other hand is quite a different story and a beast all its own.  Ice makes everything dangerous and the likelihood of electrical outages is significantly increased.  If you haven't already you need to prepare to be without electricity for a couple of days, hopefully no longer.

Our biggest concern with any prolonged winter power outage is water and heat.  Being on a well means no electricity equals no pump.  No pump equals no water.   Then there is the heat issue.  Thankfully we do have gas fireplace logs which should do a fairly good job of heating well isolated  portion of the house.  We also have a portable kerosene heater as well if needed.

We did get a generator today.  One that should be big enough to run minor appliances, TV, computer and charge phones, etc.  It is just big enough I could probably even use it to power the well pump for use as needed.  We would have to turn off other things using the generator which wouldn't be a problem.  Hot shower (hot water heater is also propane) or the 823rd rerun of Sponge Bob?  Hardly any debate needed there.  I've just got to figure out how to make it happen.

Hopefully we'll have enough food for the duration and can "cook" as needed on the grill.  Of course we have to get the obligatory bread and milk as well.  

Then there are the minor essentials.  Batteries, radio, candles, blankets, flashlights and oil lamps.  Make sure the vehicles we may need are filled up.  Top off the gas, kerosene and diesel containers.  Charge the cell phones and rechargeable batteries tonight and tomorrow before the threat arrives.  Finally I need to rearrange some of the vehicles out from under the trees just in case.

What plans do you have?  Are you prepared?