Toxaway Mountain or North Pole?

The Southern Highlands Reserve has been clothed in white since mid-December - not just clothed but downright clad, cloaked, draped, adorned, attired and bedecked with endless snow and ice. At least, we were not pantalooned or gowned, thank goodness - that would have been going just a little too far. We literally have not seen the bare ground in two months.

Last week, we barely dodged the ice bullet. For two days everything above ground was covered with from 1/4 to 1/2 inch of ice. We lost quite a few limbs and more than a few trees had their entire tops broken out. A forecast of a night and day of 20-30 mph wind with gusts to 50-60 mph put the 'Fear of the Lord' in everybody on the mountain. Luckily, however, somehow or the other, I guess the first gusts of wind cracked most of the ice off, we managed to get through the wind without any further major damage.

As disheartening as it is to be facing 4-6 weeks of clean up, it really should come as no surprise when weather conditions such as these materialize. We're at 4600' after all. These are the conditions that mold and form the landscape at SHR into what it is. But, if anybody's listening, that's about enough molding and forming for one year. OK?