A February 2021 Nor'Easter
Here in the Northeast, everyone is digging out from under all the snow left by Winter Storm Orlena. The heaviest hit areas include parts of eastern Pennsylvania into northern New Jersey, southeast New York, Long Island, and southern New England.
Yesterday's storm left more than a foot of snow across my Bedford, New York farm. The snow started falling during the early morning hours - with accumulations of about two-inches per hour. It came with freezing temperatures, gusty winds, and very low visibility. This winter weather system crippled much of the region, but it still left a beautiful thick coating of white across the landscape.
Here are some photos from the first nor'easter of 2021, enjoy. And be sure to go to my Instagram page @MarthaStewart48 for more images.
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- This photo is from one end of my pergola which goes through many transformations through the course of the year. Now, the beds and the meandering footpath are covered under several inches of snow. In summer, the vertical posts support beautiful clematis vines which bloom in white and various shades of purple and blue.
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- At an intersection where my long Boxwood Allee meets my Linden Allee and the carriage road to the woodland, stands this curvaceous weeping larch, Larix decidua ‘Pendula’. Now bare of any foliage, it has bright green needles in spring, which turn gold before dropping in fall.
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- Here’s a gurgling stream peeking through the white snow. Gusty winds made it hard to hear the water flowing.
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- These beautiful evergreens in the Christmas tree field have grown so much since I first planted them in 2009. I am so proud of all the trees I have planted around my farm – thousands and thousands. It’s one way I can give back to the Earth and help to create a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable planet for my grandchildren, and for everyone.
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- Snow weighs down all the branches. This was a very heavy snow. When temperatures from the ground to the sky are below freezing throughout, the snow will stay cold and have low liquid content – the more liquid there is in the snow, the heavier it becomes.
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- This snow also stuck well to the trunks of these tall trees showing which way the wind was blowing.
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- Here’s a look across the lower hayfield – low visibility makes it hard to see the trees at the far end.
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- Here are two of four chicken coops – the roofs covered in white now. Look closely – a couple of my chickens are outside exploring the area and enjoying the snowfall.
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- I love how snow collects on this 100-year old white spruce fencing I purchased in Canada. This fencing is what surrounds all my paddocks at the farm.
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- This view is along another carriage road on the way to the run-in. The dark red barberry bushes usually stand out in the landscape, but not today.
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- However, these blueberry bushes under a smaller pergola between the Equipment Barn and my flower garden add a bit of color to all the white and gray of this winter’s day.
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- The tall American boxwood that surrounds my Summer House garden is netted and wrapped tightly together to prevent heavy snow from damaging the shrubs and splaying their branches.
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- Snow accumulates on every surface. This is the mounting block in front of my Winter House. It won’t be long before it will be completely disguised under a blanket of falling snow.
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- Nearby – the weeping hornbeams. We prune these regularly to keep their beautiful shapes. These edge one side of the expansive soccer field or “party lawn”, where I love to set-up games for guests during summer parties and where my grandson, Truman, loves to play soccer with friends.
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- Along both sides of the carriage road leading to my tennis court, we planted ‘Marley’s Pink Parasol’ Japanese Snowbell trees and a collection of Styrax ‘Evening Light’ trees. They are all growing very nicely.
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- Here’s a view across the paddock to the younger linden trees in the distance.
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- This carriage road into the woods with the naked tree branches overhead looks rather eerie during the snowstorm.
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- This is the back hayfield. By early afternoon, there were total white out conditions, defined by low visibility making almost everything indistinguishable.
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- These trees stand tall in the woodland. Thankfully, they also stood strong and remained intact during the storm.
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- Here is a single evergreen covered in snow among the taller deciduous trees, now bare of leaves. The tall eastern white pines can be seen in the distance.
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- Whenever it snows, I am always grateful for the stakes we put up delineating the carriage roads. We also paint the tips of stakes that mark the catch basins, so if needed, the side openings can be cleared.
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- This view outside my Winter House is among my favorites. On a clear day one can see the Boxwood Allee and the roofs on the chicken coops – hard to see either today.
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- And straight ahead – the entrance to my large flower cutting garden – such a different look from late spring when this area is full of color. On this Ground Hog Day, we’re expecting clouds and some light snow showers with temperatures in the low to mid 30s. I wonder what the next six weeks of winter will bring.
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