Joel vs. The Glacier

Every person reading this has probably heard of the movie Joe vs. the Volcano; I present you with an equally riveting tale. You will now hear an aptly titled North Dakota tale of a stubborn and determined Norwegian transplant who finally reached the edge of his remaining bit of sanity and sternly averred to outlast the inane, unrelenting winter which had befallen the Fargo/Moorhead greater metro area. The first picture is of our tale's nemesis..."The Glacier" as the local elders respectfully refer to it. When the first day of spring officially arrived, we were still left with this solemn yet impressive scene...a four-foot, self-sustaining wintry monster which came about in November, grew and evolved throughout the winter season, and defiantly refused to leave our front yard whence the seasons changed. It was on that fateful vernal equinox that our hero took a solemn vow of silent protest to not shave until that behemoth had completely dissipated and finally left this world; at that time, and only then, would Fargo Ole (as Joel is affectionately known in the Norse community) be allowed to ever-so-momentarily reclaim an iota of lost sanity. Fast forward approximately three weeks to the present day. The last two pictures, taken today, paint the picture for you, dear reader, of who ultimately won the bitter struggle...Joel outlasted the Glacier. Mark this day in history, April 18th, 2011, that Fargo Ole bested mother nature. Most locals say it couldn't be done; I implore you to draw your own conclusion. However, it was a victory which came with a very somber price. But what a beautiful disaster and thrilling battle of wills it was by all accounts. Although snow and wintry weather will continue to plague this barren land for a fortnight or two, Joel has managed to claim a small victory of the Norwegian human spirit. For now...