Elegy to Trees and Wires

It's two days since we were hit by the disastrous snowstorm. We regained our power early this morning, but most of Northampton is still without electricity--and we're told it could be at least two more days before it is restored. 30 inches of snow (75 cm) fell in the mountains just to the west of us in Massachusetts. More than three million households lost power along the storm's path from eastern Pennsylvania to Maine.

Hence my ironic title: Throughout the region, heavy wet snow fell on tree branches, which in turn fell on power lines. This puddle is just down the street from us (the sign says NO PARKING). If the branches reflected in it had fallen on the wires below them, we'd surely still be without power. We were fortunate.