Icemageddon 2023

 It's the last day of January and we are in the beginning stages of an ice storm.  When we arrived back from Montana on the 28th, it was 71 degrees out.  Not anymore.  This is the sound I woke up to this morning.

Mister has  put out feed and warm water for the birds - as he does each time this happens.  It doesn't take long for the backyard to fill up.  The water is a huge hit, too.

After lunch, I snuck out to the front porch for a quick, freezing peek.  Dang, it's cold.  The only place I see ice is on the bushes, though.  Well, other than the ground.

2/1 It's official!  We are in full blown ice mode now.  The freezing rain hasn't stopped and overnight the driveway turned into a skating path.

We just stayed inside, trying to keep warm.  Outside, the rain continued all day and by evening we have a very shiny neighborhood.

Even the lawn shimmers.

Icicles are just starting.

2/2  Happy Groundhog Day!  Go figure - he saw his shadow.  We, on the other hand, can't possibly see a shadow as the poor sun cannot penetrate the freezing rain.  The icicles have grown.

The tree in the backyard is almost to the ground from the weight on its leaves.

However, there is also beauty in all of this.

And humor.

The leafless trees have started to accumulate the ice as well now.

At this point we are simply crossing our fingers that the warming trend projected for later this evening and tonight actually happen.  We are hitting the road for west Texas and hoping to be able to travel safely.  Fingers crossed.