Icicles and snow shelves

With our wintry weather ranging from dips to 0F to highs of 35F, we have icicles galore.

A red-shafted flicker.

Sunset.

Sunrise.

Mid-day.

Growing together.

Yesterday the temp rose above freezing and the snow loads started sliding down the metal roof, making us wonder — how long before these shelves of snow and icicles snap off?

This morning I saw this curl of snow from the back side of the barn, dangling ominously.

It was like this the whole length of the barn.

Here it is, coming off the chicken coop roof.

Sure enough, the snow shelf on the barn finally dumped, blocking a door open…

…which I had to dig out.

Usually an enormous load would suddenly whoosh off the roof with a rumble like thunder, setting Lydia barking furiously and leaving us with mounds of snow to pick our way over and create new paths. Here it buried the water tank and faucet…

…and blocked a walk-through gate.

Don used the tractor to remove the mounds of snow that slid off the roof in front of the door.

Oh well. It makes life interesting.