A Winter Night in Spring: My Driveway Woes and the Beauty of Resilience

I thought my driveway woes were over… until I awoke at 2:00 AM to a chilly darkness. It was so cold I could see my breath. The flickering lights from the previous evening had hinted at this, but losing power still felt like a surprise. Best to snuggle down and try to sleep until sunrise.

A Winter Wonderland in Spring

When I finally convinced myself to leave the warmth of my down comforter, I saw it was a brisk 45 degrees inside the house. Outside, the trees were glistening with ice, creating a winter wonderland. It's officially spring now, but New Hampshire seemed to have missed the memo.

One little situation I face when the power goes out is the inability to use my cell phone without WiFi. I let the puppy out, bundled up in winter gear, and drove to the closest spot with cell reception, about a mile away. My son had tried to reach me, so I quickly let him know I was okay, without power, and heading to his house. Even without power, he has a wood stove and a generator. Ah, the promise of a cup of coffee was calling.

The Sparkling Drive to Safety

The world around me was brilliant as I traveled the ten minutes to Daniel’s house. The sky was a cerulean blue, and the ice-coated trees sparkled like diamonds in the sunlight. Many limbs and some large trees were down, snapped from their stakes. The crews had already cleared enough of the tree trunks from the road for at least one lane to pass. Thank you to all the men who worked through the night and were still working to clear roads and restore power.

Stuck in the Snow

I made it to Daniel’s mile-long driveway. Though it hadn’t been plowed, I approached the hill with determination. I made it part of the way and then, that was it. No going further. Thank goodness I could use my cell phone. I let them know I was stuck.

In a few minutes, the whole family drove up in their Toyota Highlander to rescue me. Because it was their driveway, the kids were sitting in the back of the SUV. When Daniel opened the back, the six-year-old tumbled out onto the deep, fluffy snow! Though it scared her, she wasn’t hurt. With a tow strap quickly attached, Daniel towed me up the hill, and I made it safely to their house.

Warmth and Reflection

Ah, the warmth of the wood stove! And that cup of coffee. With the children presenting me with books of their choosing, we snuggled on the sofa to read. Note to self: get a wood stove before next winter!

Looking out at Daniel’s garden, I saw the ice had done a number on his fences. The entire lower section of the vegetable garden fence had collapsed under the weight of the ice. There were no trees to blame for the damage, just the ice itself. No big deal, as the poly deer netting can easily be restored to its original height. Another spring project!

Repairing Fences After the Ice

Ice is notorious for tearing down fences. Now is the time to start repairing or at least planning for the repair. You likely don’t need to replace the entire fence, just a section. Find the roll of wire or poly netting you need on the Louis Page website. Unsure of the original fence? Send us a close-up picture along with the opening size and height. Terry will very likely know what it is.

As always, my warmest regards,

Debbie Page

CEO, Louis E. Page Inc – Woman-owned business and Family-owned since 1893. (Indubitably, that is 131 years owned and run by our family!)