I found an envelope in my desk tagged "Blizzard of 78." Inside were strips of 35mm black and white negatives. I no longer have the equipment to print negatives via wet chemical processes, and I don't know anyone in the area who does this anymore. So, onto the scanner, into a folder in the computer, and with a good deal of "messing around" with two or three programs, I managed to "develop" these images.The first shot shows me in front of our house. The rest of the pictures were taken at my workplace shortly after the snowfall stopped. I had to walk over a mile, through drifts and all, to get to the building.
From the inside looking out.
9 comments:
I was a boy when this snow hit, and I lived in South Bend. The snow drifted our doors and windows shut. We had to force the garage door up and shovel snow into the garage to get out. Then my dad, my brother, and I climbed up onto the top of the snow and dragged Flexible Flyers down to the grocery store about four blocks away to get supplies. It was surreal to walk on top of five or six feet (or whatever it was) of snow.
The city slowly plowed everything out. Snow was piled by the roadsides eight to ten feet deep. As you drove or walked the streets, it created an odd tunneling effect.
And yes, snow lingered on the ground through April.
I wish I had photos.
These are some of the best pictures I've seen of the '78 storm. I saw some on the news, but I think most people where so shocked by the storm that they went into survival mode and forgot about their cameras.
You were very clever with the film developing experiment!
It is good to be free from an attendance requirement. Especially on days like those in your pix.
Jim, fun to read about your experience. Your problem will be in your old age your grandchildren will think grandpa is exaggerating. :-o
Vee, I guess I stuck my camera in my pocket on purpose before I struck out for school.
Chuck, I was surely the only one who attended on the day these pix were taken.
Up here that would be a nuisance, but down there I'll bet it was a real problem. That kind of wind is a problem everywhere, though.
It's all relative. That's a lot of snow but I've experienced more, on a regular basis. The snow stayed until April? In the northeast there is FRESH snow in April, with frost warnings in August...I wish that first photo was clearer...
Jono, you Northern types are just naturally hardier. Yes, wind is often the worst part of any weather.
Grace, as I remarked to Jono, hardier types in harsher places. imo, the picture is quite clear enough.
It was pretty intense here too. The highway drifted shut. Or maybe that was '77. We had two bad years in a row and I was in the hospital for one of them. Never can keep it straight.
Sharkey, BBBH says she was in hospital in '79 and such conditions prevailed. At any rate, I know these pics were '78.
Post a Comment