Ice storms are few and far between in Western Washington.  Our weather is pretty mild year-round, which I like.  Rain?  What’s wrong with a little rain?  Our rain results in lots of luscious green.  However, three years ago we got walloped with a doozy of a storm.  It started with some snow, which was pretty.  Then the ice set in. I’ve never seen ice like that.  We quickly lost power…and didn’t get it back for five days. I abandoned the husband and the homestead for town, staying with my Aunt and Uncle for a few days.  When I returned home and we began to survey the devastation it was heartbreaking.  We have 2 1/4 acres of property, most of it wooded.  I remember going outside to try to begin clearing branches.  My husband was in the front yard, I was in the back.  I quickly became overwhelmed.  My husband found me standing in the back yard crying.  He asked what was wrong and all I could say was, “Our trees….our beautiful trees.”  Lots of limbs down, some trees.  We took a total of 16 truck loads of downed limbs to the dump.  Three years later our beautiful trees have recovered, though some still bear the scars if you know where to look.

In response to The Daily Post’s weekly photo challenge “Enveloped” I am sharing an early-in-the-storm picture, when the ice was still new and awe-inspiring. Before it settled its heavy hand on our property.