2020 All Over Again

Yesterday at the grocery store, a somewhat familiar sight from the past greeted me:

Yes, the toilet paper was mostly gone.

I attributed this to two things: panic about the longshoreman strike at the ports (which lasted 2 days and has resolved itself for now) and the urge to donate goods into the many donation boxes that sprang up around the county to help out the folks who lost everything in the floods in far southwestern Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee, courtesy of Hurricane Helene.

We donated, too, but not toilet paper. We bought food for cattle at the local farmers' cooperative, which as I understand it went to our neighbors in far southwestern Virginia. I also donated to the United Way, which seems to be doing a good job in North Carolina.

It's hard to know what to do when an emergency strikes your neighbors - or your own community. You need and want help right away, but the flood waters have to recede, the winds have to die down, and the manpower has to be able to make to wherever you are.

I've been in the mountainous terrain in the areas around me, and there are tiny communities everywhere, back in the gullies and hollers where no one thinks anyone lives. Some people who are missing may never be found.

And now there's another hurricane headed for Florida, which also was hit by Hurricane Helene. I hope everyone has left the area as this large storm - Hurricane Milton - hits that part of the country again.

Fire on the Mountain

 

We have a forest fire directly across from us, in Stone Coal Gap and/or Broad Run. We saw it when we got up this morning, and I called my father first, since he lives over that way. He was unaware of the fire. 

Later I learned there was about 30 acres burning, and it was crawling up the ridge. This picture was taken around 10 a.m. this morning.

The Forest Service has been sending in helicopters and planes to drop water. I've never seen that done so have been trying to catch it happening. I've seen the helicopters but not the water drop.

We are under a severe burn watch because of low dew points and windy conditions. There are several other fires around us in other communities.

Snowy Woods

 

We ended up with about 4 inches of snow. The forecast was for much less, but that's ok. Unfortunately, the winds are supposed to howl in the next several hours and I've already seen some blowing snow, so we will have to deal with drifts in the driveway.

But it is a lovely snow and one that I don't think will be here for long, even though we're expecting very cold temperatures soon. I just hope there is enough snow left from the blowing winds to melt in the ground to help out with the drought.

Icy Saturday

We had ice on Saturday, until the afternoon, when it mostly melted. We had a 3/4 inch of rain. We are still in a drought situation, so the rain, in whatever form, is welcome.

Snow would have been nicer, though.

Possibilities

Rain and possibly freezing rain, meaning ice, are in the forecast for tomorrow. 

Not my favorite kind of weather.

One year, some time ago, we had inches of ice. The entire area glistened and twinkled.

Then it started cracking. I opened the door to hear the trees breaking. I listened - and sometimes watched - the limbs crack, the trees fall to the ground under the dead weight of the ice.

Snap! Snap!

It was terrifying, a bit like a gun going off. The world was still because the wind hadn't picked up yet, and the sounds of the trees breaking echoed off of my hill. It was unnerving, and unsettling, because I like trees.

I didn't want the trees to be hurt.

Mother Nature has to do a bit of pruning sometimes, though, to make way for new growth and climate changes. I've seen the microcosms of eco systems around me change. All it takes is the removal of one tree - sometimes one limb - for the things growing beneath to change. Add sunlight and heat because the tree no longer gives shade, and the ferns won't grow.

It doesn't take much, really, to change the landscape.

A bit more rain. Or a bit less. More clouds, less sunshine. Or vice versa. 

Something dies. Something grows.

Change is coming.

I can feel it in the air.

From 2007.

It Snowed

This was not a pretty snow. A pretty snow has lovely large flakes that dress the trees in dainty white outfits, and then it quickly melts and one can go on about the afternoon without worry.

This was a mean snow, the front that moved through yesterday and last night. This snow came in slick and small, but with great speed. At times the snow turned into a freezing mix, then a cold rain, and then back to snow. It brought wind with it, and the trees did not dress up but instead burrowed their roots into the cold ground to hang on.

Morning brought an intriguing sunrise. I caught the reflection on the mountain tops, the snow already gone from the pines and cedars.

Around lunchtime, after listening to the winds howl and occasionally watching the snow ghosts dance like monsters in the front yard, I realized that at some point the wind had become a carver.

It left a roundish circle in the front yard, where I'd earlier seen it acting like a snow tornado, the wind whirling around as it pulled the snow up from the ground to spread it elsewhere, into drifts in the fields and along the roads and driveways.

I was sorry I did not catch it as it was making its art, that I'd instead been tending laundry or answering email, or simply staring out the wrong window.

Preparing for Snow

With the forecast calling for "plowable snow," my husband in particular has begun his snow preparations.

I went to the grocery store Wednesday, fueled up my car, and made a meatloaf yesterday. That's about the extent of my preparations, except for keeping the laundry completely caught up in case the power goes out.

However, husband has to fuel up the tractors, make sure the plow is on one of the tractors, double check the generators, fuel up his truck, and make sure he has plenty of chewing tobacco on hand. He also decided to go the landfill today.

We do not have a whole house generator. I wish we did, but we do have a portable one that will run the freezer, the fridge, the well pump, and a space heater. We have a grill we can put outside of the garage and cook on, if it comes to that.

So long as the lights stay on, we'll be fine. Even if they don't, we'll be fine.

Maybe if everyone has to stay home for a few days because of snow, the covid germs will give it a rest and the hospitals can catch up.

Year's First Snow

It came from the East, with wild howls and thunder

a snow like a blizzard along the Blue Ridge Mountain row

A squall with malice as trees fell asunder

unable to bear the weight of high winds and snow.

(Yesterday, January 2, it was 70 degrees.)

August 16 Happiness Challenge

It rained some more! The fields are a lovely green now. The cattle are looking quite content and everything has lost the coating of dust and grime that had settled on the tree leaves and grass.

We are expecting more rain which could end up with flooding, but after having this months-long drought, I am not going to complain.

See how green?

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

August 14 Happiness Challenge

Today I am happy that it rained last night. We are so dry. Everything is much greener today, but the rain forecast for today hasn't materialized. So I will be grateful for yesterday's rain.

I am also happy I live in a small home with air conditioning, because it is well over 90 degrees outside with high humidity. I would be toast without the A/C and probably having an asthmatic fit from the air.

I am also happy that my sinus infection seems to be easing. Whew!

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

August 11 Happiness Challenge

Last night we had a little shot of rain. We're in a drought, so we desperately need some of Mother Nature's tears to bring the pastures and the hayfields back to where they need to be.

I am happy it rained.

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

It Snowed! Huzzah!

The snow began falling Saturday night and fell into mid afternoon on Sunday. We ended up with about 7 inches on the ground.

Looking northeast on Sunday morning.

Looking straight north on Sunday morning

The backyard.

Husband and his tractor to the rescue!

I think he actually likes playing in the snow.

Looking northwest. I took this shot this morning.

Another shot from this morning. Skies are still grey.

This tall pine used to be a twin; a high wind some years ago knocked over the other one.

 

A Dusting of Snow

Thursday morning we woke to a few inches of snow. It was enough to make the roads slightly treacherous but otherwise not a big deal. We are expecting more snow this weekend, however.

 

A Dusting

We woke this morning to a light dusting of snow. By 10 a.m., it was over and gone.