Shovel

January 13, 2025

We are now well into recovery from the snowstorm that dumped 9 inches (23 cm) of snow on our town before the weekend.  That gave me a day to recoup as I had no intention of getting out in the snow.  I did take time Saturday afternoon to shovel the portion of the patio that was being trampled by the kids at play and myself as I stocked the feeders.  It was in the 30’sF (0’sC) during the day and I knew if I did not remove the snow, it would become a sheet of ice.  That would make it harder to remove and slicker as I walked (it did not seem to bother the kids either way).  I always had a snow shovel when I lived in Kansas and used it several times over the winter.  The shovel was something I did not bring when we moved to Arkansas.  While it usually snows once over the winter, it is rarely deep enough to worry about shoveling.  Since we got deep snow, that meant I got to dig out using a square 8-inch (20cm) shovel rather than the 18-inch (46 cm) snow shovel I am used to.  If you do the math, you know it took twice as long to shovel my patio than if I had the proper equipment.        

When I looked online, I found whether to shovel the snow or not is one of the biggest questions for homeowners.  Questions arise about who is responsible, how much you should shovel, and what to do with the snow you shovel.  This was a moot point as I began to shovel my patio.  The city could care less if I shoveled my back yard or not, but the front yard is a different situation.  The news stations all suggested you move your vehicles off the street to allow access for the street crews.  They also suggested if you did not move them you may end up buried in the drift the plows create as they scoop the snow onto the easement.  I knew I had responsibility for my sidewalk when we lived in Kansas, but we do not have a sidewalk in our cul-de-sac, so I was free from any responsibility there.  Like my patio, I knew clearing my drive was more for my personal convenience than for others.  What I found online is that the rules and regulations on whether you shovel snow vary from state to state, and some cities, towns, and homeowners’ associations (HOA) have their own rules about how to shovel snow.  Like most US states in the south, Arkansas currently has no laws on snow removal.

Knowing it was not my responsibility to shovel snow did not help with maneuvering my driveway and front walk.  We had several packages delivered after the snow let up and the mail and delivery people had forced their way through the snow.  On Sunday I took on the larger task and prepared to shovel the front of our house.  The winds had died down and the temperatures were now comfortably in the high 30’sF (0’sC) so it was ideal weather to shovel.  I took my little flat shovel and scooped the snow into my yard on both sides of the sidewalk and driveway.  I was glad I decided to shovel when I did because the snow was sitting on an inch (2.5 cm) of slush.  The temperatures were predicted to again drop into the low 20’sF (-0’sC) and the slush was going to freeze.  This would be compounded by the footsteps that compact the snow and aid in the freezing.  When I woke up this morning the snow was completely gone and the cement dry.  I am glad I decided to shovel.

Thoughts: As I continued to shovel my driveway, I noticed I was the only one on my cul-de-sac who was doing so.  The snow was only on their drives and streets, and once you got out of our subdivision the roads were clear.  I was not required to shovel, but I felt better knowing I was protecting myself and any delivery people that might venture onto our property.  Every time I shovel snow (Kansas or Arkansas) the same thing happens.  As my neighbor struggled to get out of the cul-de-sac, he stopped and jokingly asked if I would shovel his drive next.  I declined.  While major climate events can be devastating, they seem to bring people together.  Surviving a climate event gives humans a sense of camaraderie that may not have been there previously.  It would be better to connect prior to an event rather than because of one.  Act for all.  Change is coming and it starts with you.