Well lookee here! Yep, yer readin' that right - count 'em - 6 BIG inches of snow, 8 if you measure snow on the sidewalk and its still comin' down! Woo-hoo! This is the most snow we've had here in 10 years. *happy beagle dance*
So....what to do on the eastern shore of Maryland when it snows? Dum-dee-dum-dee-dum *twiddle fingers*. There are no real hills to speak of and boogie boards would have to substitute for sleds anyway. What can we do? Build snowmen? N'ah, been there done that. Have a snowball fight? N'ah, its all powder, not good packing for snowballs. What can we do?
I know, let's go out to Assateague and hunt wild ponies! We'll look at the ocean covered in snow, hike through the woods hunting for ponies, we'll have a great time! 
Here were the following obstacles that should have given us pause: It was 21 degrees. The winds were blowing like crazy. The snow/ice pellets were coming down ferociously hard. The roads were not salted, sanded, or really plowed. So of course we took the (normally) 45 minute drive to get out there. It took us an hour and a half to get home. 
They hadn't gotten that much snow yet when we left for Assateague about 10 o'clock this morning. We forgot to double our pants. The winds cut right through them. We stopped at the Ranger's Station to update our yearly pass and asked if they knew where the herds were at, because who wants to hunt ponies in 21 degrees with high winds for hours on end? 
Well, the Rangers didn't know where the ponies were but they said they had hunters in the woods, so stay on the marked trails. There were bow hunters looking for duck and gun hunters looking for dear. Oh Boy! That would add some excitement to the hunt! So after a really fast dash to look at the ocean, "yep, still there, yep, lots of snow, holy #@!t that's a cold wind!" and running back to the car, I made the executive decision to drive around looking for the ponies before venturing into the woods. Good thing too!
As it turns out, the ponies are pretty smart. They apparently decided the woods weren't a good place to be either. So they were near the bay and the roads as we went toward the west side of the island. They did not look pleased to be covered in snow and were up against stands of trees trying to stay out of the wind. Apparently there are a couple of aggressive stallions who don't want their ladies photographed. A couple came quickly and rather aggressively toward us to make us keep our distance. I've only seen that during mating season before, never in the depths of the winter. 
Oh well. Here are the shots we managed to get without getting kicked, bitten or trampled. All in all, I'd say it was a successful hunt!
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UPDATE: The official weather report says we've gotten as much as 8 inches!!!!!
The snow on our back deck came in at 7-7 1/4 inches.
Everyone was out in the streets acting like kids. M and I took a nice walk and ran into neighbors skiing down the street.
Ahhhh, pretty!
Okay, last update. We got just under 9 inches at our house, other people got a foot. Woo-hoo!
12 comments:
Snow! Yay!!
Guess who left this comment . . .
Um, Loren or Tom?
That is sooo funny! What were you thinking?! And no long johns or snow pants? You've been away from snow too long girl. ;p
I'm surprised that deer season is open now. Most states have their hunts during the mating season. Hunting when the does are pregnant just doesn't feel right to me.
Hi tshsmom, okay in my defense, let me explain. The weather people here ALWAYS call for a big storm, lots of inches, and we never get anything. I really should have known better, that they'd likely be wrong, but when they said 1-3 inches, we figured a dusting or nothing, not that they'd be so wrong in the other direction! As for the deer, from what I hear, the Japanese deer on Assateague were brought in many years ago and they're way overpopulating the island. This was the cheapest and quickest way to thin the herds, shoot them. PETA wouldn't like it, but I grew up with hunters and eating wild game. I'd much rather have it on the dinner plate than degrading the island's vegetation and doing the damage they are, or succumbing to disease as they and the horses both run out of food.
I get it now. It's a special hunt, not a regular season. I agree with the hunt too. I wonder what Japanese deer taste like? Shooting is a much more merciful death than starving to death.
Looks like an exciting, fun, beautiful way to spend the day. Hope you're warm and toasty now.
Really like the photo's. You presently have way more snow than we do. But it's pretty cold here. Last week most of the snow melted, rained for 2 days. Small creeks and river flooding in some areas. I no longer go any where with out my long johns. and they were johns, he got tired of hearing me whine:). p
VV, You sound just like me ... hurricane blowing on Long Island, lets jump in the car and head to the beach to see the waves and all the birds .... you see the wild ponies!! FANTASIC pic of them!! How I wish I was there with you!!! WOW lucky you!! I lost you e-mail between pc changes that is why I have not heard from me! Pat has been a little lax getting to me! *smile* Love the post!!!
Pat, I can't imagine you in John's long Johns. What do you do with the extra 24 inches in length in the legs?
Marilyn, oh yes, when the hurricanes come, we also have to go to the beach to look at the waves. You should also have my e-mail addy now.
CUT EM OFF AT THE KNEES...
P
AMAZING Pictures of those poor sweet Ponies...All that snow and ice!
You all are truly brave to be going out in such cold heavy-weather....ME? I'd be sitting by the fire drinking Cocoa, and cozying up to my cat....lol!
But I'm glad you went out and have shared these wonderful pictures with us.....That last one is beautifully surreal....!
OOOOPS! I meant the one with the street light---it isn't the last picture. I cannot get over the amount of snow you all got.
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