Katherine was out and about at The Other End of The Lake. She wrote: It’s kind of like the other end of the world, we don’t see it very often but I was headed back from Elk Rapids today and I decided to go through Torch River up East Torch Lake Drive AND it was sunny (late afternoon).
While Katherine was lollygagging about in Torch River Alden, I was tending to business up here at This End of the Lake.
The intrepid Bruce Laidlaw was slogging through the drifts on Grand Traverse Bay. He sent a link to North Scenes, his very first YouTube video. It’s got some good stuff, and you’ll enjoy it if you have real internet. It took it forever to load on sloooow dialup—I mean forever, I was sitting on the couch reading and had forgotten all about it—so when it finally started playing I heard a whoosh of water and thought Oh no! I’ve burst a pipe! Imagine my relief.
But it could have been worse. You think we had snow? Cast your baby blues on Da Blizzard of 2011 in Chicago:
Rachel Newman wrote: Da Bulls, Da Bears, Da Blizzard! (that’s my vote for newspaper headline!) I’m safe and sound at home with a snuggling, snoring Siberian [that would be her cat, Tigger]. Thankgoodness I did not take Lake Shore Drive home yesterday- otherwise the Edge [that would be her car] would have become a casualty of da blizzard. The thundersnow was very cool, I’ve never seen anything like that. Unfortunately no TV service but I guess with my ipod, kindle, laptop, internet, and blackberry I will survive. See some of my friends pictures attached. Rachel’s friend Arshia says sure we can use her photo. The good news is that Da Blizzard is all cleaned up now. What a town!
Torch Lake Views 
kiwidutch
February 5, 2011
I watched the video and oooh that looks cooold. I loved the wee surprise at the end (won’t say what, so that it doesn’t ruin the surprise for anyone else).
Have they managed to *clear* all that Chicago snow? wow, that’s amazing!!!
Gerry
February 5, 2011
I liked the surprise too.
Two days after Da Blizzard that same stretch of Lakeshore Drive was clear and full of the usual traffic. Hard to believe. Chicago mayors are pretty sensitive, though, to the need to get the snow cleared ASAP.
katherine
February 5, 2011
That photo is from Alden looking North. I’ll send you a couple taken from Torch River later.
Gerry
February 5, 2011
Aargh! I am so bad. On the other hand, I’m getting some more photos . . . heh heh.
Anna
February 5, 2011
Great snow shots and wow-wee the Chicago scene! That second photo looks like a snowy moon shot. 🙂
Gerry
February 5, 2011
We can be like that in winter. Oddly enough, I like it, mostly.
Karma
February 5, 2011
Okay, I’ll stop moaning about my snow after seeing that Chicago picture!
Those are some neat formations of snow in your pictures – I agree with Anna, it is rather moon-like.
P.S. I saw your comments over at my place today, but I wonder if you noticed my use of a Gerry-ism in today’s post? 😉
Gerry
February 5, 2011
There are Gerry-isms?
Robin
February 5, 2011
I’m glad I was all bundled up when I watched the video. It looks and sounds terribly cold.
The picture of the traffic on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago is really something. While watching the news the other night they showed a similar photo from a blizzard in 1967 (I think). No matter how much progress we make in some areas, other things seem to stay the same.
Gerry
February 5, 2011
It was cold. It’s a balmy 30 right now, but we’re not done by a long shot.
This time around Chicago did a heckuva job clearing the snow. There’s no way any city can get rid of two feet of the stuff quickly when it falls all at one time. There’s just no place to put it for one thing. Two days, that was good. Back in 1979, it took much longer than that, and the whole thing became a campaign issue.
lynnekovan
February 6, 2011
Wow it looks amazing out there from here is grey old England (no snow though). I just found your blog and am really enjoying it. My husband and I are visiting Nova Scotia in a few weeks to research our plans to retire there. Your pictures evoke for me a taste of what might be to come for us!!
Gerry
February 6, 2011
I’m glad you stopped by, even though we’re a fair bit west of Nova Scotia.
flandrumhill
February 6, 2011
Cold but beautiful.
If that second image was just a tad less blue, I could well imagine Lawrence of Michigan coming around those sand dunes on his camel!
What a treat at the end of the video!
Gerry
February 6, 2011
If I had Photoshop I’d turn that photo into hot sand just to feel the warmth. Instead, Gerry of Eastport will just have to trot into view on her elk.
I was tickled with the video’s closing treat, too! Glad you liked it.
Nye
February 6, 2011
Wow, the Chicago blizzard photo looks stunning, but I would hate to be there.
Gerry
February 6, 2011
Just duck into a museum or a great little restaurant and wait it out. Chicago’s a great town.