Surviving Oregon's Colder Days (VIDEO)

This first winter storm was outstanding in many ways; especially the beauty that it delivered; watch the video for some of the storm's cooler images.

Images: Paul Petock Salem-News.com

(EUGENE, Ore.) - Western Oregon's cold snap is over and life is resuming its normal pace for most residents.

The snow and ice overtook the area very quickly and many Oregonians were essentially snowbound last week. That included much of our news team.

In fact our news flow dropped severely last week and it is good to see things getting back to normal.

Driving became a challenge and many roads became impassible. Most people just stayed home.

The freezing temperatures brought out the good in many people.

I stopped to drop family members off along Highway 99W a week ago today, and had three different drivers stop to ask if they could help.

I thanked each and explained that we were just temporarily parked on the highway as the driveway of the home was steep and impossible to access.

After the last of the drivers had left, we were ready to get going, and our car became stuck. It happens so easily!

Fortunately after a little maneuvering, we were able to get some traction and our winter journey continued.

Now that the excitement is over, it is a good time to stock up on candles, fuel for lanterns, and other supplies that keep us out of the dark when power fails.

It is also prime time once again to make sure your vehicle is up to the test with adequate tires, etc. Remember that anti-freeze is essential for all cars in freezing weather.

It is inevitable that power will go down in harsh winter conditions and there is no reason to believe that we might not see more of the white stuff before the winter is over.

Another utility that went down in some parts of Oregon were cell phone towers. This was unexpected for a number of residents, particularly those who have chosen to no longer use land line phones.

Residents in higher elevations of Oregon see snow each year, but this storm even left snow on the state's beaches.

That is a rarity, and a clue that this bout of snow and ice was far reaching.

Paul Petock took a series of photos of the frozen landscapes in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon that were really hit by snow last week and share them with us, enjoy the images set to the sounds of a Celtic holiday:

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