Monday, March 15

Nature's Power

On Friday some major storms came stomping through our area of the world, and they've stayed with us for way too long! This storm came with very high winds and torrential rains. Some homes near rivers have had horrible flooding, from the several inches of rains and the new moon's high tides... I've never experienced flooding and I hope I never do.
We felt the winds, and I mean scary high winds - 60 mile per hour winds, winds that sounded like trains running through our house hour after hour. I was trying to distract myself by working on a mandala when the lights went out around 9 p.m., and we lost power. My husband and I wandered around lighting candles and waited. It had already gone an hour earlier, but come back after five minute or so. After an hour we realized this was the real deal, so we decided it was a good idea to start up the little generator we bought a few years earlier, after a summer of black outs. It allows us to plug in a couple extension cords for our refrigerator, the fish tank, a few lights, a heater for the bedroom, phone, and tomorrow we'll lead one across to the neighbors for their frig.
I was still lying awake at 3:30 a.m., listening to the roar when there was the sound of a crash and our house shook. I knew a tree had fallen, just not which one or how much damage may have occurred. We were very lucky - our neighbors home was not, though they themselves were.

One of the branches went through the daughter's bedroom, but she had recently had surgery for a hip injury and was recovering downstairs, thankfully. The pictures say it all...
neighbors house

looking down our driveway, between the houses

above our bedroom, where the tree landed...

It's 10:30 a.m., Monday morning and there's still no power. It's really cold in here! More than anything I miss warm water.

22 comments:

  1. I am glad you are safe, Karin ! I hope the power comes back soon. We had the same type of storm here a few weeks back - crazy, dangerous winds that make such terrible damage ! I hope the clean up will go smoothly too. Stay bundled up, lovely One.

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  2. Wow...that is truly a case of being *hit* with bad weather...

    Sorry...bad puns aside, glad no one was hurt...

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  3. karin, that is a giant tree. the force of nature is awesome, isn't it? i'm glad you had no damage or injury. i'm just back from a week's vacation and of course accepting and honoring renee's passing.

    i have to catch up on my favorite blogs this week--which i always enjoy,

    love

    kj

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  4. Hey K
    WHEW
    and WOW long scary winds are a part of living in this hurricaine zone and
    I know the sound of a huge 'Standing One' falling to the earth. It is a most difficult and unsettling vibration. For you and your neighbors also very dramatic...
    I am so happy that you are all well and safe!!
    Hope the power returns real soon
    ;-) (we went 11 days during one of our coastal storms...and BOY O BOY talk about missing hot water)

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  5. Thanks Kim, yeah, I think we had some of that storm too, but not to the same degree as you up further north. The clean up crew is out there chipping and sawing and roaring into action as I type!

    HA! Dr Jay, no matter what I've posted you find a way to make me laugh about it - I like that :D

    Welcome home kj, I hope your vacation was all you hoped it would be, and some! yes indeedy, ms. momma nature is one mighty force. ahhh well... I thought of you when I learned of Renee's passing and your being way at the time... it's bitter sweet knowing we'll miss her, but so grateful she is released from her suffering.

    Hey D, yes, you've become an old hand with the hurricane winds! We've had a few come through this area, and I've watched as trees have fallen before - but nothing matches this in my experience. The rain for 5-6 inches, and winds for however many hours this turned out to be - 12? 20? we did lose track - the roar was just constant, punctuated by gusts slamming rain that sounded like rocks hitting the windows. We are quite fortunate, being left behind with only inconveniences. No one was harmed - we could be under several feet of water - it all could have been so much worse. and I've found ways to heat enough water for the small jobs, but I do miss my baths!! Something to look forward to :)

    Just got an automated call from the city saying it could be several more days before power is restored. Looking forward to tomorrow's forecasted sun shining some warmth into our windows!!

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  6. Gosh how scary is that! I am glad you have not been hurt.
    Manon XXx

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  7. Im glad that everyone is ok!! This time of year scares me with all the tornado warnings. Stay safe!!

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  8. sooo glad you and yours are all fine! our homes are such wonderful protective things, surrounding us and keeping us as safe as they can, I am giving thanks for mine right now! you are always so fabulously blessed and I am sure the power will be restored soon!!! xxoo cat

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  9. Seems like there's wild weather happening all over the globe right now! I love a good storm as long as everyone is safe and warm. Hope you get some hot water/heating back soon!!

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  10. Glad you are safe and sound. But boy, that tree and the damage sure do look scary!

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  11. Karin, I wish you all the best, coping with this! Hope you get the electricity back on soon!

    Love,
    Mattie

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  12. I am happy to report our power has been restored!! Yeah heat, warm water, light and no smells from burning candles :) i can now say with certainty, I prefer extended power outages in the summer. Cold in the bones is not as easy as sweaty misery for me!

    Thanks Manon, yes, thankfully we came out of it unscathed, and just inconvenienced.

    Yes Manon, and Ohio gets those tornado warnings quite a bit in your neck of the woods!

    My neighbor and I were standing in awe of just how strong our homes are Cat - to have stood as sturdy as they did to that 80 ton tree! You were right, just under three days and power returned for us - yippee!

    It's true - I heard about the wildness on your side of the globe, too, Svasti! happily we are both safe and sound.

    Thanks Seth - yes, it's bad - I saw some shots from inside the house where it penetrated. Had the daughter been in her bed when it went through... luckily she was downstairs recovering from a surgery no one had thought she was lucky for having had. Thoughts were changed about that, I'll tell you!!

    Many thanks Mattie - we are back on track!! xox

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  13. Goodness me, Karin. I'm glad you're all ok after the storm and I'm hoping that power has been restored. When you see storm damage like this, you truly realise the power of nature and the natural elements. Love & light. xx

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  14. Yikes! I'm glad no one was hurt. Nature certainly has her ways of showing us just how puny we really are, doesn't she? Hope your electricity is back on. Last fall (2008) after the winds from Hurricane Ike, we had non for a week; not fun at all.

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  15. today i did give you an award because i love your blog

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  16. i am so grateful to have you safe from harm...I am always saddened by the loss of a huge tree but gratitude for survival is another gift. I just hope by now you have heat, hot water and the power to continue your magical works. Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

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  17. That's a very frightening experience and one that I've had myself.

    So pleased to read that no person was injured.

    best wishes
    Ribbon

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  18. I am glad you and your family are safe..That is really strong winds.
    The season of the strong winds and storms..
    Take care,
    Katelen

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  19. That's just incredible! I'm so glad that no-one was injured during the event. I hope you get it all sorted soon!

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  20. That is WICKED scary! I'm so thankful your house is safe and no one was injured. Thank goodness! Aaah, my dear, such a mess. Mother nature's wrath is no joke.

    Maybe the giant THUMP scared your subterranean critter away.

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  21. Oh GEEZ! Watch out, big furry THING with bald patches on the loose!

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  22. OMG! This brings back memories of the time when a tree fell right on my bedroom, it wasn't a pretty sight and I was more than happy to have escaped uninjured. I am glad that you are alright, these storms are just so disastrous...

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