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Twain Harte Snowfall on 3-04-2010, 6 a.m.

We headed down to Sonora around 3:30 p.m. today and the snow was falling hard in Twain Harte, the roads were nasty. We passed two disabled vehicles and three additional vehicles, which had been in accidents on the seven curves, heading out of town on Twain Harte Drive.  One of the vehicles we passed was the small public transit bus sitting idle on the side of the road, in the snow.

To be honest I was concerned about leaving home, even though it was still fairly early. We planned to be gone only an hour “or so” and without knowing how much snow we were expecting, we felt it best to get our errands over, just in case we ended up getting snowed in again.

Twain Harte Snowfall on 3-04-2010, 6 a.m.

Kudos to the snow crews. They really do a terrific job of keeping our roads here in Twain Harte clear. We made it to Sonora, where it was pouring rain, without incident. Our “quick-trip” into town, turned into over two hours, which actually worked to our advantage. By the time we made it back to Twain Harte, the roads were wet but totally clear of snow.

The drive was majestic. There is nothing quite as lovely as new fallen snow. Had it not been dusk I would have asked my spouse to stop so I could take pictures.

It’s 8:30 p.m. as I write, the snow is gently falling, the roads are still clear and all is peaceful outside. With any luck it will snow all night long. I can hardly wait for morning.

If you are heading up to Twain Harte tomorrow, consider using the second Twain Harte exit from Highway 108, which tends to be a safer drive when the weather flairs. Twain Harte Drive doesn’t get much sun in several locations in that area due to an abundance of pine trees, so the ice and snow tend to build up, to cause concerns for motorists.

According to MyMotherlode…

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for the Motherlode through 2AM Thursday.

Snow levels start at 2000 feet.

One to four inches of snow is likely above 2000 feet. Half a foot to a foot of accumulation is possible from 3000 through 5000 feet.

If you are looking for winter fun, we’ve got it.  :)

Occasionally, this time of year, I like to sit out on the deck, in the cool fall air and just chill out. Yesterday afternoon, I stepped out on the deck and to my surprise there were seven deer just hanging out in our yard.

Deer: Knee deep in snow

There were five fawns and two does. They have already lost most of their spots but they were the cutest little things. I am simply amazed at just how many deer we are seeing each day — especially this time of year. Normally, the deer disappear for about a month during hunting season.

I drove down the hill yesterday to take my son to the Sonshine Station for lunch, we saw deer along Twain Harte Drive, just standing around. The deer didn’t seem bothered by our car at all. They just watched us, watching them.

Last year, I knew we were in for a rough winter because my cats coat came in early and extra thick. Grandma used to say, if you want to know if the winter will be bad, check out the coat of the caterpillar. A heavy winter coat means a cold, harsh, winter. Well, it was a lot easier finding caterpillars in those days.

One way that nature ensures the survival of a species, is through reproduction. Deer and other mammals tend to have more offspring prior to a rough winter, to ensure survival of that species. Well, I’m no expert on deer but from where I sit on my deck, there seems to be way more fawns this year than I ‘ve ever seen at one time.

It could mean we are in for it this winter. On the other hand, my cat has grown her winter coat but it’s nothing out of the ordinary, not like last year.

Have you seen signs that lead you to believe we are going to have a bad winter? Has anyone seen a caterpillar? I’d love to hear from folks with an opinion. Scientists have been trying to predict weather patterns for years and let’s not forget the global warming crowd.

I’d love to hear your opinions. In the meantime, I’ll keep my eyes open.