Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Rural Mail Delivery

Snow started fast and furious last evening and fell well into the night.  Ken was working late in New Hampshire and wisely decided to stay there instead of traveling the three hours home.  We have five new inches, which is a manageable amount....

Until I need to shovel out the mailbox.  That five inches turns into fifteen once the plow has cleared the road, and all that snow blocks the path to the mailbox ~

The mail carrier needs to access by car that buried mailbox ~

Which requires clearing the path on the way in ~

As well as the path on the way out ~

This is rural living.  We do have a snow blower, which I find unwieldy and difficult to control.  Ken likes me to leave the snow alone because I don't get the clean edges he does when he blows.  That plan works until he's not here and I want the mail to be delivered.

I have always been willing and able to shovel now.  At our old house I went to great effort and expense to have our cracked, bulging driveway excavated and paved.  It took two contractors, two years, and several thousand dollars, but that driveway was a beauty to behold that I could shovel in about the time it takes me now to clean out the path to the mailbox.  Ahhhh, rural living....  

5 comments:

RURAL said...

Now if you lived in Canada, you most likely won't be getting home delivery anymore, we have those rural multi family boxes down the street. But it does sound like a big job to shovel all of that snow,especially if it's wet.

Speaking of cracked driveways...sigh. The giant fir tree's roots make it pretty impossible for the snow blower to do it's job. But then again, I guess we spent the big $$ on the water line, which was leaking..so it's driveway plow-able, or water all year round.

Hands down, having a sprinkler that can water more then a 3 foot square is kind of nice, and our snow will melt. But wouldn't it be nice if your snowplough guy kind of got closer to the mailbox without damaging anything.

Jen

Balisha said...

Hi,
Looks like you got dumped on. We have rural delivery too and I know what you mean about keeping it clear. If they bring packages..the driveway must be cleared too.
Have a nice evening...Balisha

Carolynn Anctil said...

We don't have mailboxes here in the country in Canada. We have to go to the post office in town to collect our mail. You did an excellent job clearing a path. I can attest to what hard work that is!

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

It has happened in the past for me
not yet
this year.
Still
the images are beautiful :)
and with my rural delivery
would probably have to go to town
or sometimes a neighbor
drives in my drive to make a path for me
as it has become invisable :)

Laura said...

Here the rain has come and is dissolving all the snow! I am totally snow bound at times like the one you've described, until Gordon gets home from work and uses the snowblower… remember how steep our driveway is? (Though not as long as yours!)… Wishing you joy and peace dear one!