Storms. Oarlocks and Strange Happenings

  This is a telling of how storms can create, not only havoc, but strange happenings.  If you recall, a dear friend brought a very unique garden sign to the Bayou.  I have known this lady since I was a mere tyke so the sign was much appreciated and much loved.  It was immediately hung at the entrance of the gardens where it could be fully enjoyed.  Since the sign was created from a huge piece of driftwood, it only seemed fitting to use oarlocks as the hanging brackets.  Two oarlocks were inserted into pipes and used as handy sign posts.  It worked like a charm and made for an easy removal of the sign for the storm event we just endured.  

  This morning, after a very rough night of wind and torrential rains, Son and I went to observe and take inventory of what needed repairing.  One of the first things he noted was that a huge oak limb had fallen and hit the roof of the house.  Then, he spied that one of my oarlocks had been yanked from the metal pipe.  The oarlock was nowhere to be seen.  Son decided that the tree limb must have bounced off the house and hit the pipe sending the oarlock into flight.  We searched and searched but to no avail.  Of course, debris was everywhere and could have been covering the  9 inch oarlock.  

  Finally, a triumphant "Aha!" sounded and Son held up the wayward oarlock.  It had been flung over 25 feet from its station in the pipe!  Imagine the force taken to sling a heavy, iron oarlock some twenty feet....INTO a 50 mph wind!  It sure made me glad that I was inside when this strange event happened!  First, the falling limb, itself, presented danger but, if I had been hit by the 1 lb iron oarlock being flung with that much force, my head may have been knocked asunder!  

  After storms of this sort, one finds all sorts of odd things.  Some are trash.  Some are treasures.  Some simply are purely strange.  Tomorrow begins cleanup and pier rebuilding.  We will have a busy two weeks of hard work.