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Wednesday 6 February 2013

Snowshovellers - Sepia Saturday

With snow forcast for us this week I may have to get my snow shovel out again. I just hope that it does not get as deep as in this week's picture prompt.



Of one thing I can be sure I shall not get any help from any volunteers and no-one will ask:

Can I shovel off the snow?
(Artist - John George Brown {1831-1913} - 1871)

The worst winter I can remember was in 1947 when our village was cut off by deep snow. As a boy of ten I walked across the snowdrifts to meet the snowplough cutting its way to dig us out. I have no photos from that time and the nearest I could get was from 1978.

The Great Blizzard of February 1978
The backyard of Maple Street, Woonsocket, RI (By Dahoov2)

Here the snow had drifted to within two inches of the top of the door, The drifts were 10 feet deep and a jeep in the yard was completely covered. To get out the inhabitants had to shovel snow INTO the house.

Britain often comes to a standstill following just a dusting of snow, So far however the mail has made it through and not got stuck as it used to do.

The Mail Coach in a Drift of Snow
Artist: James Pollard

I can't see our postman coping with snow like that.

Meanwhile the sun is shining while we wait


I hope you don't get lost trudging over to Sepia Saturday 163

38 comments:

Brett Payne said...

Happy digging, Bob.

Alan Burnett said...

I just missed out on 1947. But in my memory it never snowed was I was young other than on Christmas Day. It only rained at night when I was asleep and the sun shone from April until October.
Even now miracles still occasionally happen : when I went to bed last night it was thick of snow and by the time I woke up this morning someone had shovelled all of it up.

Rednax said...

Days of yore. Nice picture selection.

Jo said...

That's one thing about living in Canada, we are equipped to deal with snow. I remember the winter of '47 it was a doozie. Surprised you don't get kids offering to shovel though.

JO ON FOOD, MY TRAVELS AND A SCENT OF CHOCOLATE

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Bob .. I must have been in N Northamptonshire just inside the Leices border for the 78 snow .. the 62/63 one I remember .. but the 46/47 nope I don't! I remember you told us about walking out to meet the snow plough .. we just lived didn't we - and got on with things ..

Love the photos - and hope you don't have to shovel yourselves out ... they released themselves by shovelling snow into the house - awful thought!!

Cheers Hilary

ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© said...

There's no Christmas like Snow Christmas...
~

Little Nell said...

A grest 'Miscellany' of shovellers etc. That 1978 picture wasn't UK was it? According to my research it was Feb '79 there that had it worst. With regard to postal delivery in the snow; been there, done that. Working on the Christmas post as a student in the early 70s, and yes it always snowed.

Bob Scotney said...

@Little Nell - 1978 picture is from USA.

Lovely's Blot said...

Ahh snow shovelling! I could never understand why some of the local kids didn't take the opportunity to earn a bit of pocket money by offering to dig out drives!

Wendy said...

We have not gotten much snow this year, but we did have really bad ice just two weeks ago. Big snowfalls are rare where I live, but every once in awhile, look out!

Peter said...

Somehow it seems you get a lot more snow in the UK than we do here, some 250 miles to the east. Still, I never hear about British ski champions. Must be the lack of mountains or...
@Alan Maybe that was Scotney the Secret Shoveller :)

Bob Scotney said...

@Peter - it's Scotland where people go to ski. I know of some ski competitors but haven't heard of them winning anything.

Postcardy said...

It's hard to believe there was ever that much snow in Rhode Island. That is usually not a snowy state.

Unknown said...

Just love your JGBrown picture. Everything looks period, but the concept seems quite modern. I'd never heard of JGB and after looking him up I was forced to rethink my options.

Thank Bob

Karen said...

I am amazed by all these photos. I just cannot imagine that much snow! Great post.

Joan said...

The first pic reminded me of my son when he was about that age -- not sure that he shoveled that much snow, but he was well photographed with the snow shovel.

Thanks for a great selection.

Helen Killeen Bauch McHargue said...

I can't imagine shoveling snow into the house. You'd have to be pretty desperate to get out.

Hazel said...

'Dusting of snow' I love all this learning. Let it Snow is one of my fave songs during Christmas. I have Michael Buble songs on my phone.

Boobook said...

I wouldn't know where to start if I had to cope with snow. It looks so pretty though.

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy said...

These are great! Our "big snow" in the Willamette Valley of Oregon was in early 1970 ... 3-4'. In Central Oregon they talk of the "winter of '92" but I wasn't here then ... it was up to the rooftops before it began to melt.

To think of trying to shovel snow into the house to get out, that is something else.

Our east coast friends are in for it this weekend.

Kathy M.

North County Film Club said...

Those are some snowy photos. Living in California, we don't get snow much at all. Have to go up to the mountains to see any.
Nancy

Anonymous said...

Michael Buble' is one of my favorites. We have gone to several of his concerts. We hear the song only at Christmas time but it should certainly be played throughout the winter.

Eugenia O'Neal said...

I've lived in the States and London but never anyplace that experiences big snow so these photos are just eye-opening!

Rosie said...

Have to get my shovel out, we are having a blizzard today, in some places, the winds are howling at 120km an hour. Got to love winter!!!

Kristin said...

Even living in the north woods in Michigan, I never saw a snow like that one where you had to shovel snow into the house to get out.

Unknown said...

Don't come to Maine today, Bob -- we're being hammered! Over two feet and still falling! I couldn't get out my door this morning...

tony said...

Timely Bob,as they have forcast snow again tomorrow? The climate certainly has changed cos in 1978 I was living in London..& no snow layed at all (nowadays they get it all the time!haha!) +Do you remember 1962/63?That was a bad un too.

Jackie McGuinness said...

We're sitting in sunny Las Vegas while our friends in Toronto are digging out!

My Irish cousin is currently in Scotland skiing!!

viridian said...

Happy sepia Saturday, from my iPad.

21 Wits said...

I enjoyed the way you went with the theme, and heavy snowfalls does seem to be the main story running across America right now- ours is to begin later tonight. I really like that first photo, is it of a painting? Very nice, all of your photos!

Lavender and Vanilla Friends of the Gardens said...

I do not remember the snow of 1947. Do remember years with tons of snow and how exciting it always was. The skis ready and waxed. Like the painting with the boy; memories.

ScotSue said...

I enjoyed the varied images of old pictures and more modern times - my favourite the mailcoach picture. My husband has memories of the 1947 snow drifts in Northumberland - but no photographs.

Sheila @ A Postcard a Day said...

I have to give credit to my postman. He struggled manfully through all the snow recently.

anyjazz said...

Nice post. I learned about snow when I lived in Ontario a couple years. Those people know snow. Back home in Oklahoma it is just a chilly memory.

Mike Brubaker said...

Do you have an actual snow shovel, Bob? I'm told they are unknown in Britain. Not a shovel for coal but a broad blade lightweight one for snow.

Bob Scotney said...

@Mike - Snow shovels are now a common feature in the UK. I resisted buying one for a while. After I bought one it didn't snow for two years!

Bruno Laliberté said...

Awh, snowstorms!!
We get our fair share here.
I remember a major one in 1971,
and wrote about it here.
There's even a video:

http://www.ticklebear4u.com/2009/03/38-years-ago.html

And during these last Holidays, again, another major one. But I'm getting too old for such things.

I don't have a shovel, but we have a superintendent here, and janitors... That's all good!!
:)~
HUGZ

Tattered and Lost said...

Though living much of my life in California, I do remember the snow as a child when I lived in Maryland. I would turn the radio on at the head of my bed hoping to hear schools were closed because of a snow day. During one snow day the boy across the street built an igloo without a top. I suggested he make furniture. He stared at me then decided it wasn't a bad idea. He dragged snow through the front door and made a couch which I immediately commandeered.