Calving

Glaciers calve icebergs into the ocean.   My house calves dense piles of snow from my metal roof down into my yard and down onto my driveway.  Yesterday afternoon, on our second day of warm temperatures following heavy snows, a fairly sizeable drift calved from the garage roof onto my driveway.

Shoveling the snow off the drive took about ten minutes, but I rather enjoyed getting out and flinging the blockish chunks of snow of into piles along the drive.  Furthermore, I realize I can fasten cleats on the roof to keep the snow from sliding off.  But, honestly, I take a certain perverse pleasure in watching huge calving events from my roof.

Near 7:00 last night, the house shook a little and I heard what sounded like distant thunder.  Thunder from one valley over.  When I peered out my front door—sure enough—the other half of my drive was heaped with heavy snow. 

That girl and I dove into our coats and went out to shovel the snow off the drive.  Overnight, in cooling temperatures, those mushy sheds turn into mountains solid as rock.

-- Mitchell Hegman