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There's SNOW Place Like Home! Fast and Furious ... Colorado Springs Drift!

By
Real Estate Agent with The Artisan Group- Keller Williams Premier Realty

 Today we spent the morning "dealing" with the snow that started visiting us yesterday (12/20). I prefer to call it "playing" ...

It started yesterday morning - the wind... wild, wild wind- whipping snow all over our city, Colorado Springs.  By 10am, yesterday the whole city knew that it was time to stock up and bunker down for a storm. (However, not everyone actually stocked up and bunkered down...)
**Kristal Kraft, our neighbor to the North -Denver posted 2 great blogs ... HERE and HERE.** Thanks Kristal!

Businesses (like our title company) told us that they planned on being closed for the remaining of the day, and tomorrow (well, today). Our office was closed and other stores started following suit.

Midday proved to be white out conditions, such that I could not see my front porch ... from my front window!

By sundown yesterday, if you were not already home, you were all but doomed. The snow had blown itself into massive drifts and collected itself in convenient spots - like intersections.

 This morning, we awoke to a more peaceful setting - the wind had all but ceased, but the snow was still falling. I looked out my window to see our neighbors homes (and cars) BURIED beneath feet and feet of snow drifts.

Somehow the location of our house deterred the drifting snow- leaving us with no snow to shovel. Now, I LOVE to shovel snow, so I "geared up" and headed outside, armed only with a shovel and my camera.

First, I helped a neighbor dig his way out of his house. I had been scanning the quiet morning streets and barely caught the tip of a hat moving around behind a massive drift against a house. I headed over to see if I could help. He ppeked over and saw me coming.
"How is THIS fair?" He askes, pointing to my snow-less corner-lot property. He was the very person who laughed at me the last snow storm, "I'm so glad that I don't have a corner lot to shovel..." Now he was the one with 5 feet of snow surrounding his house... I helped him anyway.

From there, I headed down the street to help dig out another neighbors car. He had tried to make it home, got high centered and stuck- in the middle of the street, and made it the rest of the way home (2 blocks) on foot. We dug him out and he drove home.

What a way to start my day! I went back home, drank some coffee, put on some stylish orange leg warmers and headed back out.

 I went, first to check out the entrances to our neighborhood. There are only 2 ways to enter and leave our neighborhood - both blocked by snow drifts. (See top left picture (top of post) - snow drift over 5' high, spanning across the whole street! Stop sign is barely visible!)

We went on a brief tour of the neighborhood, talking with neighbors in all states of wonderment and frustration at their current immobile predicament. We helped those who needed help, an took pictures of homes that needed more help than we could give. (My favorite one, top right (top of post)... nice birdfeeder!)

We wandered through snowdrifts that were taller than me, tackled friends in the snow, watched kids sled out their front door, watched silly drivers try to tackle 5' snow drifts with no luck... J

 We dug out a total of 5 homes before lunchtime - including several sidewalks... But not before getting some pictures of buried cars! (Please note the bottom right car's license plate ... our dear friends have just moved here from Florida. They did not even own a snow shovel.) So, for those of you wearing mittens in 60◦ weather (wink, wink...) - here is a peek at a wintery day in Colorado Springs!

Now, we are due for another snowfall in another day, but Christmas is expected to be warm and sunny. I would even place a wager that the snow will be all but gone by the new year - a wonderful thing about Colorado... the snow falls, but does not stay for long!

Posted by

       Posted By: Derek and Mariana Wagner - Springs Top Agents

Keller Williams Premier
(719) 434-7525    SpringsTopAgents.com

Comments (24)

Eric Bouler
Gardner Realtors, Licensed in La. - New Orleans, LA
Listening to your Needs
You guys get the snow and we get the rain.We cannot handle snow. Enjoy it while it lasts
Dec 21, 2006 01:05 PM
Jay McGillicuddy
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Verani Realty - Exeter, NH
Real Estate Broker

You can keep it Mariana not really ready for snow here just yet. Fall has been very mild and winter is looking good so far. I think we are expecting rain tomorrow night and into Saturday from this storm.

Stay warm and dry.

Thanks Jay 

Dec 21, 2006 01:18 PM
Judy Kincaid
Tampa, FL

My Florida cousin and her husband are in Boulder, CO this week for their son's graduation from the University of Colorado.  She sent pictures of the campus and the cars were barely visible under all that snow.  Being a Floridian, the snow is pretty to look at and would be fun to play in for a day...but not pretty enough to give up my year-round blue skies and sunshine.

My heart goes out to all of you in CO.  I will certainly be thinking of you while I finish up my Christmas shopping in shorts and sandals.

Dec 21, 2006 01:46 PM
Rick & Ines - Miami Beach Real Estate
Majestic Properties - Miami Beach, FL

Holy Cow Mariana, you have written like 30 posts in the last 3 days and now I know why - you have absolutely nothing better to do <wink, wink>.  I have to admitt I am guilty about the mittens in sixty degree weather, and so it TLW.  We enjoy our beautifully sunny days and wearing short sleeves all year round.  The snow does not look like fun....BTW, what if you have a dog?  where do you take him for a walk?

 I got Persimmon again ....I know I'm forgetting something!

Dec 21, 2006 01:50 PM
Carole Cohen
Howard Hanna Cleveland City Office - Cleveland, OH
Realtor, ePRO
OMG Mariana; I hope the snow has stopped! I used to have a husky who loved snow even deep snow; but most doggies are not fond of it when it's that deep!  Time to turn up the tunes and relax, that's what I say! Great photos too. May you have 50 degree days in your forecast!
Dec 21, 2006 03:49 PM
John Novak
Keller Williams Realty The Marketplace - Las Vegas, NV
Henderson, Las Vegas and Summerlin Real Estate
I've got a few pics like that from growing up in Wisconsin, and I'm happy to keep the snow in the photo album now where I don't have to shovel it! Very cool how your neighborhood has pulled together to make the best of it and help each other out. I hope it clears up in time for families to be able to get together for Christmas. 
Dec 21, 2006 07:00 PM
Derek and Mariana Wagner
The Artisan Group- Keller Williams Premier Realty - Colorado Springs, CO
The Artisan Group - Colorado Springs REALTORS®

David- Santa loves the snow. He and his reindeer enjoy landing on snowy rooftops. :)
Cynthia- A dear friend of mine just moved to Nobelsville, Indiana - out of the blue. I bet she is soooo happy that she missed this storm!
Kristal- Yep- we saw the sun about 3pm as well! In fact, today (12/22) is beautiful! Blue skies - and some of our roads have even been plowed! It still looks like a winter wonderland out there, though!
Monika- I'm off to dig out another home today ...
Eric- I love the snow - it is such a great reward for dealing with cold weather (which I am not fond of)
Jay- We do not get much rain ... we make up for it in SNOW, instead.
Judy- a good friend of mine lives on Boulder. Her mom was visiting from Taiwan. They had a blast being buried in all the snow that Boulder got!
Ines- This time we did not get much snow on our property, so our dog (Zoro- half blk. lab/ half rott.) had no problem going potty. Other times - there is usually one side of the house that gets less snow than the rest. ...You are forgetting your mittens!
Carole- We have an outdoor stereo system, so we just played Holiday Music all day! Derek made some great beef stew and we had neighbors over for dinner and games! Whoo hoo!
John- We live in a wonderful neighborhood. Everyone is so cool. We really rely on eachother - and have neighborhood BBQ's in the park all Summer long. There are a a couple hundred homes here, and I bet most people know eachother - and the neighborhood is not even done being built! (We have about 4 homes left...)

Dec 22, 2006 01:43 AM
Maureen Francis
Coldwell Banker Weir Manuel - Bloomfield Hills, MI
Coldwell Banker Weir Manuel

Oh those poor Floridians. 

Love the pics Mariana~! 

Dec 22, 2006 09:50 PM
Derek and Mariana Wagner
The Artisan Group- Keller Williams Premier Realty - Colorado Springs, CO
The Artisan Group - Colorado Springs REALTORS®
Maureen- We had them over for some homemade beef stew and games... ! :)
Dec 23, 2006 01:47 AM
Dena Stevens
Rocky Mountain Realty - Canon City, CO
Putting The Real Into Realtor Since 2004
Psst! Mariana, Pueblo got just enough to make the car look dirty. Te he he!
Dec 23, 2006 07:23 AM
Derek and Mariana Wagner
The Artisan Group- Keller Williams Premier Realty - Colorado Springs, CO
The Artisan Group - Colorado Springs REALTORS®
Dena - thanks for that... I figured you guys didnt get too much.
Dec 23, 2006 08:13 AM
"The Lovely Wife" The One And Only TLW.
President-Tutas Towne Realty, Inc. - Kissimmee, FL

We wish you a merry Christmas! We wish you a merry Christmas! We wish you a merry Christmas And a happy New Year! Glad tidings we bring To you and your kin! Glad tidings for Christmas And a happy New Year!

Broker Bryant and The Lovely Wife (pretend we are singing it works better like that) ROAR!

Dec 23, 2006 09:45 AM
Derek and Mariana Wagner
The Artisan Group- Keller Williams Premier Realty - Colorado Springs, CO
The Artisan Group - Colorado Springs REALTORS®
Thank you BB and TLW!
Dec 23, 2006 10:10 AM
Ken Smith
Suburban House Hunters - Arlington Heights, IL
So are you due for more snow like Denver? Here they are going to get hit again with another big storm. 
Dec 28, 2006 01:06 PM
Derek and Mariana Wagner
The Artisan Group- Keller Williams Premier Realty - Colorado Springs, CO
The Artisan Group - Colorado Springs REALTORS®
We are already pretty snowed in - not as "drifty" but the snow is till falling (midnight...)
Dec 28, 2006 05:58 PM
John Novak
Keller Williams Realty The Marketplace - Las Vegas, NV
Henderson, Las Vegas and Summerlin Real Estate
Looks like you're going to get the sequel this weekend. Hope this doesn't interfere with any year-end closings (possible tax consequences, too). Stay safe and warm!
Dec 28, 2006 06:09 PM
Derek and Mariana Wagner
The Artisan Group- Keller Williams Premier Realty - Colorado Springs, CO
The Artisan Group - Colorado Springs REALTORS®
John - Nice to see that Im not the only one playing in the Rain in the middle of the night. Yes. The sequel... AND... Colorado Springs has run out of bread. Yep! Tried to go food shopping yesterday...HA! I have a WHOLE NEW POST ready to type up tomorrow... I will stay warm by my fireplace and with a nice cup of hot cocoa.
Dec 28, 2006 06:12 PM
Ken Smith
Suburban House Hunters - Arlington Heights, IL
It would make sense that you would be out of things as you missed a lot of deliveries and people have been stocking up. Between the two it has to make for some empty store shelves.
Dec 29, 2006 03:55 AM
Derek and Mariana Wagner
The Artisan Group- Keller Williams Premier Realty - Colorado Springs, CO
The Artisan Group - Colorado Springs REALTORS®
It is amazing - No bread... anywhere! No chicken ... No juice ... CRAZY!
Dec 29, 2006 04:01 AM
Ken Smith
Suburban House Hunters - Arlington Heights, IL

Hope that the stores get some shipments soon. Good luck in the mean time.

Dec 30, 2006 07:36 AM