While it’s not frequent, we have been snowed in before in New Market. East Tennessee hills do not favor travel when snow and ice abound. Callaway Ridge Road that leads to Cor Jesu Monastery is quite steep in places and it alone can effectively cut us off for some time after a heavy snow. So we hunker down, conserve energy and heat, pray for everyone impacted by the weather and consider it an opportunity for a triduum like retreat time, although it might last more than three days.
But snow is snow. And getting 9 inches or more is quite something for these parts. So excursions were made. The sledding hill was tested. The formation group bundled up and experimented with a large make shift cardboard toboggan while the red plastic sled helped pack the snow. It was worth the Brrrrrrrrrrr!
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- Nearly 9 inches showing on the yardstick after some melting.
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- The weather quickly got too cold for proper snowman making so this little snow-nun greeted everyone outside the mudroom.
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- Postulant Chrissy enjoys tackling the ramp and deck.
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- The formation group hikes up from Cor Jesu towards Saint Anthony’s. Sister Maria Crucis leads the way with the red sled.
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- Destination: Mary Mother of Priests Garden (and the BEST sledding hill!)
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- Ad Hoc cardboard “toboggan”, red sled and ready for fun.
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- Cardboard? Why not?
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- Cold but worth the brrrrr!
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- Sister Francis Clare laughs after a run down with Postulant Chrissy dragging sled downhill to start it.
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- She thought she could simply leap out of the way when the sled achieved independent-speed but instead almost became a speed bump.
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- What the hill looks like when the run is finished and you have to climb back up in 9 inches of snow on a steep slope.