Snow removal

This may seem silly, but snow removal is important to me. I feel that if I push the snow off the walk into the gutter, it is a total waste. When it goes into the storm drain it is washed away with the oil and junk from the street and then has to be subsequently cleaned in order to do something with it.

For this reason, I don't like it when people snow-blow my walks or use their ATV to push the snow into the ditch. First off, I need exercise so that I don't get fat an lazy. I have the right to be out there shoveling my own walks. Don't take that from me. Second, I don't want your motorized contraption spewing it's nasties all over my yard. I try to produce organic vegetables, covering them with exhaust is not helping that cause. Finally, I want to push the snow onto my garden and lawn so that when it melts it goes back through my soil to rejoin the water table, and in the process waters my lawn. Not that I've seen my lawn for several weeks since it has been covered with snow, but still, I want the snow on there, so let me put it there.

I needed to vent somewhere, I really don't yell at my neighbors for removing the snow from the sidewalks, but deep down, it sort of annoys me. I think my wife wishes that it would annoy me more when she did it (sorry dear), but my real problem lies with those that push my water into the ditch. I want to use it so leave it alone. Then comes the big question... Does it really make a difference? I don't know. I could be making a big deal over nothing, but that's none of your concern, I just want my water on my property.

Then comes the question of whether it is better to pack down the snow so that it lasts longer. I know that keeps things dark at the surface of the soil longer, but it also makes the water drain slower into the soil which could be good. I'll be honest, I generally choose to compact the snow, not because it prolongs melting, but because I like playing with the boys in the snow. Here's a picture of the Mugwump attacking what is left of the snowman (I believe it had been miraculously transformed into a rocket by this point) in the front yard.

Here's another picture. This is a shot of the gutter. What, you can't see a gutter? that is because it is full of the snow from my sidewalk. Truth be known, the snow in the gutter made a great launch pad for a rocket that I got from my dad for Christmas (Yes, it was my gift, not the boy's, although I did share). It was a Mentos and Diet Coke rocket. You put the contraption on the top of a 2 liter bottle and then the rocket. When you pulled the pin the Mentos dropped into the Coke and the rocket shot up into the air. It was fun.