Yesterday, 23 January2016, we had snow alternating with sleet. It continued all day, although I did make it to work I was one of the few who came in.
The electricity went off at the house about 7 pm so we watched a few videos on YouTube and read by candle light.
Throughout the night I heard what I thought were limbs breaking than falling to the ground. Unfortunately, in the morning I discovered what I was actually hearing was the tallest of my Timber Bamboo (Phyllostachys Vivax) breaking! The tallest were about 50 feet. The weight of the ice on the leaves was too much for the wood.
The younger and thinner culms were bent to the ground but not broken.
The smaller stems may straighten some but I will probably remove them during the winter and new growth will quickly replace them in the spring. The greenhouse in the pictures is about 10 feet tall to give you an idea of how tall the bamboo is.
So when there is no power at the house there is only one place to go and which usually has power: Cup A Joe!
We were lucky last night, Andy had made a very good French onion soup and we had finished eating before the electricity went off!
At least my belly was warm and full in the dark under three blankets!
atb3
Arthur in the Garden! 
Glad you are safe. This too shall pass.
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Thanks
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Sorry to hear about you loosing 50 ft bamboo. I planted some bamboo in December. I had not considered the problems out winter ice storms can cause.. Yuk…
Hope you stayed warm during your power outage.
Happy ‘soon to be’ spring gardening
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I do live done hot soup!
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Hi Arthur! Very sorry to see your damage, but glad that you were safe, warm and had easy access to onion soup and coffee!
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Thanks!
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Quebec’s Ice Storm on thé nineties taught a few lessons: disasters turn everyone into a neighbour, we rely on electricity, more than we realize, just when you feel you can’t go on, another part of the power grid crashes,. Giant Maple trees actually can replace their crowns in short order . The good news is we make it through and are more resilient. But I never want to have to do it again! Good luck and prayers to our neighbour to the South!
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It’s garden renewal!
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Too bad about the bamboo.
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It grows back quickly!
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What a mess! Ice is the worst and can really bring down the trees. Hope today is better.
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It was! It will give me something to work on warm days the next few months. Our last frost is the second week of March so most things are growing by April!
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What a mess…that storm wreaked havoc on your garden. I miss lots of things about living in New Hampshire since our move south…all except for winter.
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Yes, I don’t know how any gardener can live in the very cold areas!
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Arthur, what always amazed me when we opened our cottage in Maine after the snow melted in late spring was what survived each year. It really was a challenge.
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