It looks like spring is finally here.

 

Daytime temperatures are above freezing - sometimes reaching the mid-to-high 40s, and at night the temperatures are hovering in the high 20s and low 30s.

All that snow that fell in February and early March is disappearing.

 

But with it comes flooding, and every day on the news there are reports of streets under water and homes being devastated by rising rivers and streams.

At the farm, the turnaround between the house and outbuildings was a lake a few weeks ago. Now it’s just a giant mud puddle.

 

But a few weeks ago, I had a heck of a time getting rid of snow.

 

One of the extensions on the old farmhouse has a flat roof. The high-pitched main farmhouse roof empties onto that surface. 

 

I heard about a few roofs collapsing from the weight of all that snow. I think we had about three feet in February and another snowstorm in early March.

 

With reports of over an inch of rain in the forecast two weeks ago, I wanted to make sure the flat roof was clear, so I decided to go up there and shovel the snow.

 

It’s on the north side of the house, which means there had been very little melting.

 

My first problem was getting a ladder. I had stored it on its side by the side of one of the sheds in the fall. I knew where it was, but there were still three-foot snowdrifts against the building. 

 

When I finally shoveled it clear, I found it was frozen to the ground in more than three inches of ice. I had to get a hammer and chisel to get it free. That took almost an hour.

 

Then I had trouble carrying the ladder to the house The snow was still three feet deep around the house, and I sunk down to my thighs with every step. 

 

When I finally got the ladder against the house and climbed up. I saw another three feet of snow on the 16’ x 20’ roof. I was already exhausted, but I knew if I didn’t get at least most of the snow off, it would either collapse or start leaking from the additional weight of the rain.

 

I took it slowly. It had warmed up that day, and the snow was very dense and heavy. Every shovelful was an effort, but I slowly cleared about two-thirds.

 

But I ran into another problem. The ice dams and huge icicles on the large steep roof started breaking up and sliding onto the flat roof, adding to the weight.

 

So I got my hammer and chisel and started chipping away on the ice until most of the big stuff was gone.

 

Then came the next problem. The flat roof still had more than an inch of ice on it. It had been insulated from melting by all the snow, and in order for the rain to drain off the flat roof, I had to clear the hole for the drain pipe, which was set back about two feet from the edge of the roof.

 

Again, it was hammer and chisel time. But even after an hour of chopping away, it still wasn’t clear. I had an appointment for a story for the newspaper, but I figured I could come back later and finish the job.

 

So I went inside the house and got some salt. I sprinkled it around the drain hole, then went off to my appointment.

 

About two hours later, with daylight almost gone, I climbed up to check the progress. The ice was still there, but a lot had melted. I chiseled some more until I heard that drip, drip going through the drain.

 

When I climbed back down I could see water flowing slowly down the drain.

 

Success.

 

The next day we got that inch-plus rain, but the water was flowing freely down the drainpipe by then.

 

I don’t know if my efforts saved the roof, but I’m glad I did it.