I mentioned it over in the we-were-not-suppose-to-get-any-snow thread. This Sunday the weather guys predicted either a few tenth's of an inch or 1 to 3 inches of snow. Instead we got 10.5". We had been putting off buying a snow blade for the tractor (since they're expensive) but with that much snow we decided it was time. We bought it midday Monday, and my wife started figuring out how to use it, and starting from the barn plowed the driveway to the house and back and then went out to the road and back and then plowed up to where friends have parked their trailer, and then she decided to do another pass out toward the road. She was plowing along the edge but couldn't quite see where the edge was and the wheels dropped off the edge of the driveway. She tried pulling forward to get back on the driveway and tried backing up, but the more she maneuvered the more it slowly crabbed sideways down the steep hill. She walked back to the barn where I was working, and we got a tow chain and went back out there in the pick-up truck. However trying to pull it forward or pull it backward only cause the truck tires to spin an caused the tractor to crab further off the driveway. It didn't seem like it was in imminent danger or rolling over or sliding down the hill since the inclinometer read 22 deg and the tractor is "safe" up to 30 deg slope, however it seemed that continuing to try to drive it out or pull it out with the truck would risk it going further and further until that was a real risk. We called a tow truck company late Monday but they said they were so busy that they wouldn't be able to come until Tuesday morning and we should call back then. Instead we put it off until Wednesday afternoon, and decided to try once more with my manual 4000 lb ratchet winch comealong, and some lengthy steel cable and chains. We were ready to throw in the towel and called a tow truck, but they were still so busy that they said they call back when they were able to dispatch a truck for us. We tried one more time at a steeper angle, and saw the tractor steadily inching back toward the driveway, so we cancelled the tow truck before they actually dispatched one.

Gyr-falcon, that looks like one of the many trails we have hiked in the Smokies. One in particular near the top of Mt LeConte. Lmgd, nice collages of your yard. This is a waterfall off a trail in Glacier last summer.

@nhbaskets, I was a frequent flyer into DC during the 1990's. That was my favorite landing path into Washington National; the sharp turn and steep descent with all the monuments and such just right outside the window. Always chose seating on the left, hoping that would be our approach.

clay sculpture my son did when he was in first grade. he recently turned 50. it is one of my most treasured possessions!