What Don't they Get About Driving in Winter

-

I travel some pretty steep windy roads on the way to work as they are shortcuts.
For 16 years I have been figuring out the quickest routes to work, and have had to alter them many times when construction crews muck up the highways and shave precious time off my carefully planned trip to work...

When the weather is too bad I stick to the main roads, but I usually take the back way as it is scenic with little traffic. The roads wind along creeks, between steep hills where the highway department has not quite figured out how to direct the flow of water that cascades from the rain, or from the periodic thaws.

Here in the Catskills, the temperatures can range from several degrees below zero, to a warm 55. With the recent thaw and temps above freezing, there has been much melting of the huge snow banks along the road. Often the early morning temperatures are below freezing, making the puddles formed by day into long runways of ice.

It never ceases to amaze me that people drive well over the speed limit in such conditions, and I watch with a grimace and a prayer how they deal with the ice at such a high speed.

Options appear to be slam on the brakes IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SLICK and sometimes spin out, hitting any variety of very bad things. Guard rails, houses, cars, and oops, sometimes land on their roof.

Some keep driving fast.

Fortunately more make it safely than not, but recently I have read a few accident reports on people not have not have not been so lucky.

And it happens over and over.

I have a four wheel drive, but that isn't going to save my little ass on ice. I drive slowly, know where the danger zones are, and creep my way though them.

My biggest fear are the drivers who don't pay attention to the hazards of winter, who might just be coming in the opposite direction towards me. I put out my force field, envision myself protected, and wave my finger at their carelessness.

May you all approach the winter's challenges with care and prudence, and may the force field be with you.

Patti O Ice

Comments

Tangled Stitch said…
That is such a good warning. I hope more people read it. Thanks for the heads up!
8:47 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

La Cucina

-
Image
Tonight my house had the aroma of olive oil, garlic, tomatoes and candles. Keith Jarret was playing in the background, and I had just opened a nice bottle of reasonable red wine. (Osborne Solaz, 2004 Temranillo/Cab- 7.00) I needed it for the sauce, so why not have some while cooking! I took good care of myself all weekend, and felt like cooking for the first time in what seems forever. I am an excellent cook. A collage cook one might say, or better yet, a bricollage cook. I take what is in the house and make a dinner out of it. I think about flavor, texture, color and variety. Most of the time I would rather put this creative energy into visual arts, but on occasion I will push my fine art aside, and the art of the evening is cooking. Candles, music, wine, and a lovely table. I must think more like Monet, and not only make the meal art, but somehow make it my visual art too. The best I could do was a photo of the beginning of the sauce. It looks rather bizarre if you ask me,
Read more

Cape Painting

-
Image
My framing blogs will continue when I’m back in the studio next week. In the mean time, I am enjoying adventures on the Cape. Again I opted to not bring oils as the place I am staying is not conducive to oil painting, so I bought watercolors and my acrylics, although I have not used the acrylics yet. I have a small messenger type bag, that I can put in a few palettes of my Kramer watercolors, several water brushes, a few paper towels, a 6x6 watercolor pad, and a watercolor postcards. This time I bought watercolor greeting cards to paint on too. I can wear this light bag across my body, and hike for miles, plopping myself down on a bench, rock, or table, and paint the scene at hand in an instant. I got to experience the tail end of hurricane Dorian too, the roiling ocean and wind captured on camera and paper, etched in my dna now. I will be bringing home new ideas, new small pieces, hundreds of photographs, ready to settle in for a fall of painting and design work for m
Read more

Framing: Sources for Frames

-
Image
When I was primarily showing fine art collages, and framing antique prints, I collected a wide variety of frames for my work- rarely were two frames were ever the same. But over the years, I have whittled down that collection, as I find myself  using either white (for abstract work) or black floater frames for my paintings. It is more professional to have a "even" look in framing one's work, especially if you are showing several works, or having a solo show. On occasion you can find frames in places like Ikea, or the Christmas Tree Shop, or other such venues. If I find good ones, I will buy them up and keep them for future work. But most of the times I either buy them at Michael's , or American Frame .  On occasion if I am flush, or need a specialty frame, or it needs special care, I will gladly go to the local art supply or framing store. But I usually don't have the money to do that...so I order and frame myself. Michael's has their sales and 40%
Read more