Here in the northeast we're getting pummeled by a major snow storm tonight, and it's wreaking havoc. We've gotten over a foot's accumulation in my back yard, and the snow is exceptionally heavy because it's mixed with freezing rain. I've got about two dozen normally towering Arbor Vitae that are now bent over from the weight of the snow, with many of the top branches touching the ground. The one next to the garden shed has snapped in half at about 8 feet above the ground, despite its thick trunk - so frustrating to see! In an effort to prevent others from suffering permanent damage I went out tonight and used a broom to push, brush, shake, whack, and otherwise try to get the snow off of them. It helped some, but the snow is still coming down, and I'm afraid the trees are just going to be bent back over again by tomorrow morning. They are pretty resilient, but in previous years some of them have become nearly permanently bent from snow damage, and I don't remember those storms being as bad as this one. I'm exhausted from pushing on the trees with the broom, and dodging the snow as it comes tumbling off the branches. And the birds are pretty put out with me, too, for disturbing them in their branches. They were flying around in the backyard at 10:00 tonight fussing at me. Oh, well, hopefully they'll realize I'm the same guy who feeds them every morning, and meant them no harm. Come to think of it, if I hadn't shoved the snow out of those branches, they might have swung back up when the snow melts, catapulting the birds across the back yard at high speed. Now THAT would be a sight to see!
