THURSDAY EVENING, instead of following the yellow brick road to the Emerald City, I closed the curtains on a snow globe world.
Wintery weather caused Faribault High School to cancel its opening performance of “The Wizard of Oz” musical, much to my dismay. I was looking forward to the temporary evening escape into a magical world far, far away from snowy Minnesota.
It was not to be.
Rather, I was stuck in my snow encased house (OK, I’m being somewhat dramatic here), curtains drawn.
The beautiful view of my backyard this morning with about four inches of new snow on the ground.
This morning, when I drew back the curtains, a beautiful snowy landscape unfolded before me.
“It’s pretty,” I remarked to my husband after glimpsing the woods adjoining our backyard.
A portion of the unshoveled sidewalk which I cleared of snow during morning “rush hour” on Willow Street.
Not so pretty were the driveway and the sidewalks. More shoveling. More blowing of snow.
My husband cleared snow from our driveway and that of a neighbor before leaving for work in Northfield.
Honestly, I just want the snow to stop, for Old Man Winter to take his final bow, exit and allow Spring to take center stage.
Truly, on April 19, is that really too much to ask?
A defiant Old Man Winter promises more snow for the weekend when all I want is for the snow to STOP.
BONUS SNOW PHOTOS, if you really want to see them:
I should be using this wheelbarrow in my backyard, not photographing it covered with snow.
My next door neighbor shovels his driveway, left, on Tower Place before 8 a.m.
I shoveled my way to the front steps to retrieve The Faribault Daily News.
© Copyright 2013 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
Audrey,
The pictures are beautiful, and I can only imagine how tired you all are of the snow and much you need to see sun again! I say that with anxiousness because my family and I are planning on moving to MN this summer from Northern California. I really don’t know how I’m going to manage the long winters….
On a positive note, I have really enjoyed following your blog these last few months. It’s given me a good idea of what MN is like, and what I can expect to see when I am there. On a recent trip out there (Prior Lake/Farmington area), we drove right past Buck Hill which you had mentioned in a blog post. I am looking forward to tubing down that hill with my kids. 😀
Looking forward to reading more of your posts. Thanks again!
Lisa
Lisa, I hope I haven’t scared you too much with this longest of Minnesota winters post. But even we hardy Minnesotans have grown weary of the snow. This year has been an exception, so don’t think every Minnesota winter is just like this one. Last year we had an exceptionally early spring with warm temps in March.
My eldest daughter’s fiance relocated here from LA in October. I have not asked him recently how he feels about winter here. I expect it’s been a long one for him and a bit of an adjustment. Fortunately he lives in a downtown St. Paul apartment connected to the skyway system and needs only walk one block outdoors. He also is without a car, his having been totaled when a driver ran a red light about two months after his arrival in Minnesota. That crash had nothing to do with the weather. Lately I’ve wondered if my future son-in-law wishes he had not relocated. But then, again, I know how very much he loves my daughter.
Minnesota is a beautiful state. The landscape is so diverse from the flat and open prairies of the west, woods and lakes to the north and then, in the extreme southeastern corner, wooded bluffs and rivers and rolling hills. I love Minnesota. But then, of course, I am biased having lived here all my life.
If you have any specific questions about Minnesota, ask away and I will try to answer them. And, an early welcome to Minnesota, even though you have not yet arrived.
We barely got enough to cover the ground, oh well…. I loved your pictures, beautiful winter photography, especially the wheelbarrow and the 1st photo of your back yard. Has it melted yet?, ours has.
Oh, Jackie, if you want to come play in the snow in my backyard, do. Build a snowman, shovel the chunks of ice and snow the snowplow left. Come on over. Donahue’s Greenhouse is open, BTW. I think I need to check it out, get a taste of spring, you know.
Old Man Winter has a hold on indeed!!! Beautiful Captures:) Before you know it you will be posting about hot and humid it is – just kidding.
Interesting you should mention the heat and humidity because this week is Severe Weather Awareness Week in Minnesota. Today’s emphasis was on extreme heat. Ha. So funny.
Our tomato and pepper plants are in the ground here in Georgia. Want us to let you know when they are ready? Hee-Hee-Hee!
BradG
Just ship them my way. 🙂
Sigh……..Although the snow has melted off for today’s ‘go-round’, the snow showers continue as I am writing this! Tomorrow…..sunny and mid 40’s…..not good. Tomorrow is the day of, what is called, the “Flood Run”. An event that commemorates(?) a time back in the late 60’s (I think) when a group of bikers came to Winona to help sandbag as the Mississippi River threatened to inundate that town. Now, it is an opportunity to launch the biking season with parties at all the bars in the little towns both sides of the river from the Twin Cities to La Crosse. Food, live bands, etc are at each stop and hundreds/thousands of motorcycles ride both Hwy 61 (MN) and Hwy 35 (WI) and party. For us…..well, we have gone to Minieska, MN, to watch the bikes but not this year……way too cold and my bike is not ready for this year….yet. Hugs, D
I would be surprised if many bikers would be out tomorrow. Hey, I saw sunshine several times this afternoon.
There are bikers far more “hardy”/younger than us! Appears there are a decent number that did make the ride. Great weather for a walk but not zipping down the highway at 65 mph…..and roads are loaded with leftover sand!!!!! Ugh!
Ah, that sand on the roadways could prove dangerous. Lovely day here in Faribault with LOTS of sunshine.
It actually is very pretty but…….it is APRIL FOR CRYING OUT LOUD! We woke up to a very frosty morning but the sun is out at least now. Looking ahead to the next week weatherwise does not look too wonderful……keeping my fingers crossed.
Hallelujah. Great rejoicing in Faribault this morning, too. The sun is shining.