Batten Down The Hatches!

   I am sitting here listening to the windows rattle as yet another storm system blows through the area.  Bat, the cat, and I are snuggled down while the storms shake the Little Bayou House.  So far, we have been fortunate with only straight line winds and lots of thunder and lightning.  Tornadic activity is all around us, however, so it is a bit nerve racking, to say the least.  Hopefully, this will pass soon and without much damage to anyone.  It is highly reminiscent of a tropical storm.

  I was out earlier today taking a few photos of the azaleas and spirea.  Neither of these will fare well through this wind.  We were only able to enjoy them for a few days but we DID get to enjoy them.  Life is funny that way.  Things come and go quickly.  Be safe, friends.  Be safe.

Never Know What To Expect

   Weather is one of those crazy things that can never make up its mind what it wants to be.  Weather..."Hmm, do I want to be sunny, partly cloudy or rainy?  And if rainy, should I storm or merely sprinkle?  Cold or hot?  Foggy?"  The imaginary conversation could go on for hours except, here, the weather changes its mind in a matter of minutes.  I never know what to expect lately.

  I was out dead-heading the zinnias when I heard a rumble to the east.  Wait a minute!  It is sunny!  Not toward the east.  I slipped to the pier to get a good view of what was headed our way.  Yep, old Fickle Weather was up to his tricks again.  

  On the northeast horizon a storm cloud was looming over the Bayou.  The southeast had poofy white clouds and the southwest was pretty much sunny and clear.  Boom!  A big bolt of lightning shot across the  dark cloud.  Ok, that was enough for me.  I have more sense than to stay on the pier during a lightning storm!  It was time to head back to the Little Bayou House and safety.

That Old, Dead Pine

   Along the path that meanders down where the Bayou meets the creek, there stands a dead tree.  At one time, this was a stately pine but now it is just a remnant of what it once was.  Back in 2014, we had some pretty terrible lightning storms.  Several of the pine trees were struck by bolts of lightning which ultimately killed them.  Since most of these were growing right in the marsh, we left the trees stand.   The trees were of no value to us and would become of great value to the wildlife of the area.  As the trees decayed, many insects started gnawing on the inner portions which caused woodpeckers to pound away at the trees.  The cavities soon became homes to, not only the woodpeckers, but dozens of other critters.   Flying squirrels, nuthatches, snakes, lizards and even raccoons nested there.  A dead tree can provide even though it has ceased its own life on this earth.

  Today as I hiked along the path, the tree struck me as some sort of eerie monument.  Its gnarled limbs were silhouetted against the pale lit morning sky.  The tree was dark and ominous.  As I stood there staring at the tree, a tiny flying squirrel darted into one of the holes.  Ahh, yes.  Life continues even through death.  The totem holds life in its arms and gives protection.  Pretty neat thing.

The Dancers

   There are times when I ponder things in life that make no sense.  I am not sure why these things even occur to me but they do so I ponder.  Today's ponderance...do plants have emotions?  Seriously.  Do ferns feel joy when the rains fall?  Do lilies fret when a frost is imminent?  Do trees feel love and friendship for those growing next to them?  While most folks would say a hasty "No.  That is impossible."  I wonder.  Why not?  And how would we know?  Granted, they do not have brains as we know brains but what if...what if there was some other way that scientists have not discovered?  Humans are not the only smart beings on this old earth.  (To be honest, I totally wonder if we are smart, at all.)

  Down by the marsh near the east side of the property, there are a couple of old dead pine trees that were struck by lightning several years ago.  While the trees were among the living, it was hard to tell where one's branches ended and the other's began.  They were all entwined and also had vines twisting about them making matters worse.  Since the lightning strikes, however, the trees have become devoid of needles and the vines died.  Now, a few sparse limbs remain.  The two trees look as if they were holding hands...uhh...branches.  In fact, it appears that they were quite chummy and were lovingly dancing while their world crashed about them!  Perhaps the one was trying to be supportive of the other even in their dying days.  Who knows?

  In all seriousness, folks.  Be kind.  Be supportive of those who may be near wit's end but not showing it.   Sometimes, those who appear to be the strongest are near the breaking point.  They carry on as if nothing is wrong simply because they have no one to support them or give them much needed attention. Reach out.  Life is hard enough as it is so just be kind.

  

Time To Head To The House!

  Early this morning, thunder grumbled in the distance and clouds covered the sky.  I figured there was enough time to get one quick hike in before everything cut loose.  Grabbing the camera and slipping on my moccasins, the short trek to the pier started.  About halfway down the hill, a slight mist started hitting my face so the camera was covered by my conveniently baggy shirt.  It was already acting contrary so there was no reason to add to the problems.  Ahh, peace!  Once I near the marsh, it seems that I am in my element as a certain peace envelopes me.  I stood with my eyes closed breathing in the salty air.  Yep, this is definitely where I belong.

  Then, I opened my eyes to a threatening situation!  In the few moments that I was meditating, the clouds thickened and obtained a rather ominous glow.  Uh, oh!  That did not look good!  It is never safe to be on the pier during a thunderstorm so I had best get myself back to the Little Bayou House!  Hustling up the hillside is a feat for an old lady but I did it in remarkable time.  In fact, I got there JUST in time as...CRACK!  BOOM!  A large lightning bolt shot across the sky to the back of the Bayou.  Needless to say, I did not wait around to see if a tree was struck!  I surely did not want to be outside with lightning popping about the place.  Boom!!! More lightning strikes and then a torrential downpour!  Whew!  I am sure glad I was back inside.  

  The day was much the same with thunderstorms rolling across the Bay every few hours.  On a positive note, the area got a good helping of much needed rain.  Things will look so refreshed come morning.  For now, I am glad I am back inside the snug Little Bayou House.

As A Rule....

  I have rules that go along with being on the pier.  I figure that some folks need a bit of "guidance" when it comes to being on the water even if that water is only about 5 feet deep most times.  There are rules that pertain to fishing such as..."You do not kill anything that you are not going to use.  Either eat it or use it as bait or let it go free." And there are rules about taking care of the Bayou..."Never leave behind any trash."  Then, there are the rules of common courtesy..."Do not harass any of my critter friends."  Of course, there are the general rules of respect and care of the pier and fishing gear but one rule is just commonsense..."Never be on the pier during inclement weather."   That last one is far more important than all the rest because, here, weather can change in a heartbeat.

Rainstorm coming across the Bay!

  This afternoon, Mark and I headed to the pier on three different occasions.  The first time, as soon as we stepped out the door, a loud crack of thunder roared just to the east.  Nope.  Not happening. We turned and headed back into the house.  Second time, the rain started just as we got on the board path. Well, that was not good!  We turned to go back inside.  The third time, we finally made it to the end of the pier, caught bait and then we noticed the raindrops starting.  Time to head back up the hillside.  

  One reason I am so adamant about enforcing the weather rule is that several years ago,  I watched out the window as one of our pier posts was shattered by lightning.  The weather was not even particularly threatening that day but it only took a few seconds to turn into something that could have been devastating.  Had I been on the pier ignoring the upcoming storm, that pier post might have been me!  So even though there are other rules applying to the pier,  I thoroughly enforce the weather rule!  

Things Can Quickly Change

  Mark and I have been starting our days by fishing.  Each morning before daybreak, we head to the pier to cast a line and also enjoy the sunrise.   Recently, the sunrises have been phenomenal due to the heavy cloud cover.  We sit back and enjoy a perfect start to our day.  The other morning, the sky was incredible.  Deep, rich colors dominated the entire sky and not just the horizon.  Brilliant reds ruled!  That, in itself, should have been fair warning but we failed to heed it.  We were intent on our fishing and not much else mattered. That inattentiveness could have been bad news for the two of us.  

  Along about 8am, we decided to call it quits and started reeling in our poles.  Clearing up the fishing gear, I turned to the north and noticed some heavy clouds overhead.   "Hey, we better hurry!"  No sooner had the words left my mouth than a loud crackling sound whizzed by our heads and the loudest clap of thunder I have ever heard followed instantly.  ZAP!   A bolt of lightning had struck less than a hundred feet from us!  Uh, oh!  Not good!  It is not the brightest idea to be on the open pier in the middle of an intense thunderstorm!  We both scampered up the hillside and into the Little Bayou House!  Never have two old folks run so fast!  Once inside, he and I collapsed in a fit of laughter!  The safety of the Little Bayou House once again surrounded us and we were relieved.  What could have been devastating was over!  

  Several years ago, our pier had been struck by lightning and it split one of the tall posts asunder.  Three foot long splinters of the post littered the pier and water.  Just think!  That could have been my head!  Yep,  lesson was learned.  Stay off the pier during storms and, if you are there, be alert to your surroundings!  The weather can go downhill really fast and, with no warning, can deal some mighty heavy blows!  Thankfully, I still have my head!
 

Thank Goodness for Brothers!

  When it rains, it pours.  For the past month with the heat, we have been wishing for rain.  The afternoon thunderstorms become a welcome treat even with the high winds, thunder and lightning.  Now that the rains have started, they are nonstop.  This makes me happy regardless that a few of the storms have been rather formidable. 

  Late yesterday afternoon, the winds picked up and lightning bounced around the Bayou like no body's business. Two more pine trees received powerful strikes which will most likely kill them. Then last night, I heard the telltale sound of wood creaking.  Fearing that the tall pine that stands near the house might come tumbling down, I eased my way into the small entryway to peer out into the darkness.  A lightning strike in the distance eased my thoughts of a tree falling on the house.  The pine was swaying but not appearing to be breaking.  About that time, another creak and a crash to the west of the Little Bayou House.  The next lightning flash allowed me to see what appeared to be the top of a tree at the end of the lane.  Well, at least it was not on the house!

  This morning, I found that it was not the top of a tree but rather a huge hickory limb that had come crashing to the ground.  Thankfully, it missed the power lines by a mere few feet!  Ok, so that had to be removed.  Tugging on the limb did nothing but tire me but it was not long before I heard the chug, chug, chug of a tractor.  Thank goodness for brothers!  My brother laughed at my lack of progress and informed me that it was times like these that tractors are useful. Within minutes, he had that half of tree moved and all was well.  Until....creak, groan, creak....He and I looked up in a nearby pine tree.  "Looks like we might be moving another branch tomorrow if this rain keeps up." he said.  Yep, I do love a good storm but not as much as I do brothers!

Disturbing the Process of Things

  With the sirens blasting their tornado warning, rain threatening to pelt down from the sky and lightning bouncing about the hillside, old Mr. PJ decided he absolutely NEEDED to go outside.  Ummm, no.  Not happening at the moment.  Sorry, my friend, but you will just have to hold it or go by yourself (which is also a no-go since he has started roaming).  The weather seems to play a huge part in the old dog's dealings with pain.  Arthritis is one of those things that seems worse at night and during inclement weather.  I can fully commiserate with PJ as my own bout of the evil stuff is flaring its ugly head.  So, we waited.

  Once the sirens and lightning stopped and before the torrential rains started, he and I made our way down along the marsh edge.  He did his business and I meandered around looking at the wildflowers.  As I edged close to a clump of palmettos, a slight rustling drew my attention.  Ok, so did my ambling alarm a bird?  A snake?  Or what?  Peering into the fronds, I found my answer.  A quite large box turtle peered back at me.  She seemed to be a bit antsy even though I backed away.  Pondering the turtle, it became clear about her "situation".  Most likely, this turtle was gravid and seeking a place to dig her nest site.  She wanted no onlookers at this point and my bumbling along probably upset her a bit.  

  By this time, the old dog had finished his business and the raindrops started to fall.  It was best that he and I head to the Little Bayou House....and quickly!  Tonight, the storms are raging.  High winds, torrential rains and lots of lightning.  The Bayou is rocking!  I hope Mama Turtle finds some shelter from the storm to lay her eggs in peace.

Learning the Ropes

  It is always exciting to witness new life here on the Bayou.  With all of the gloom and doom in the world today, finding a bit of hope is refreshing.  Although, in the critter world, things are a lot different than in the human aspect of things.  Critters only have one thought and that is to survive.  There is not all of the backstabbing, criticizing, whining and arguing that we, as humans, are so prone to do.  Critters merely find food and shelter and let everything else fall into place on its own accord.  Humans would do well to emulate these actions and let go of a lot of their stress-inducing idiocy.

  The new life vision of the day was a young Red-belly Woodpecker out trying to learn the ropes of being an adult bird.  Mama Woodpecker was showing her young all of the usual hiding places of bugs and, also, give the youngster the lowdown on finding suitable shelter from any storms.  A dead pine tree seemed to be the perfect place for both. The tree had been struck by lightning several years ago and was now riddled with holes.  A lot of these were from woodpeckers pounding away in search of grubs and a few actually had been occupied as dwellings by Red-headed Woodpeckers in years past.  Now, flying squirrels seem to be the dominate tenants of the old tree.  A few of those were probably not too happy to have the clumsy, young woodpecker popping in and out of their holes.

  Obviously, only one of the little woodpeckers had survived.  Mama had hatched three but it did not take long before the Cooper's Hawk caught the first little one.  Apparently, a second met its demise in a similar way but this one seemed hale and healthy.  The pair of Mama and youngster worked the old pine for quite some time.  Mama was dutifully teaching her little one how to survive before she found herself with another clutch of eggs to hatch.  By that time, Little One had better be well on his own.  She will forget he exists and focus fully on protecting her new eggs.  He had better listen well while he has the chance!

 

Little Glowy Mushrooms!

  Today never really happened.  Mother Nature decided that we should live in darkness so she rolled in the clouds, dumped copious amounts of rain on us and threw in a couple of fun things like tornadoes and waterspouts. The clouds were dark, rolling type that just kept coming.  Needless to say, there was not a lot of roaming about the hillside.  Going a bit stir crazy inside, I slipped out to the greenhouse.  (Probably not the safest place to be while tornado sirens are sounding but I figured that one place was as good as another. Besides, in between downpours I could slip out and pick the figs that were growing just outside the greenhouse!)

  It was during one of the torrential downpours that I noticed the sky darkened to almost pitch black but two tiny mushrooms were just as visible (if not more so) than they were with the slight bit of light filtering through the windows.  Ok, that was just too adorable!  These two mushrooms were growing in a flowerpot that held the Night-blooming Cereus. While everything else in the greenhouse was shrouded in darkness, the mushrooms were like little nightlights!  I wondered why I had never seen these before but that was easily explanable.  Two things came to mind.  One, the mushrooms just popped up since all of this rain and, two, I am rarely in the greenhouse after dark!  Well, that made sense.

  The way I figure is that even though Mother Nature was being a bit contrary today, she decided that one little bit of nicety never hurt anyone.  She let the tiny mushrooms appear at the perfect time to add a bit of happiness to my day.  Despite the ornery weather that pounded the Bayou, I was able to find the one (literal) bright spot and that was right in my greenhouse!  No wonder this is one of my favorite places to be!

Storming on the Bayou

  Things look a tad bleak on the Bayou.  Today, like yesterday and the day before, severe storms dominated.  Thunder, lightning, torrential rains and high winds (at times, tropical storm strength) pounded the Little Bayou House and, for that matter, the whole South.  We have been under the gun for days now and all of this has kept me housebound.  Son and I have been running from one spot to the other battling leaks. The wind pushed rain down the chimney and under windows and doors.  One tiny leak in the roof made itself known by the tap, tap, tapping as the water hit the floor.  A pan under it will suffice until the weather permits a climb to the rooftop.  While I am not exactly happy with that, we are blessed. Others in the area had far worse troubles.  Flooding is the word of the day here and the threat of tornadoes kept us all alert and on our toes. Hopefully, tomorrow will see the system move on its merry way and we can have a bit of much needed sunshine.  

  Mark and I did make a quick run to the pier early this morning to check the little skiff.  Heavy clouds shrouded the horizon and gave us the gut feeling that we would not make it back to the house before being soaked. We did manage to sneak to the back to pick some of the navel oranges so I could fill my day making marmalade.  No sooner had we filled our bucket than the rains started once again.  A mad dash to the house led us to discover our mistake!  Instead of going out the backdoor nearest the citrus grove, we had used the front door heading to the pier.  Oops!  Around the house, I dashed.  I darted through the house to unlock the door for Mark who was carrying the heavy bucket of oranges.  Poor guy!  He was patiently waiting at the backdoor while getting soaked!  

  I am ready for this rain to move out of the area and a bit of cooler weather to settle in for a while. I have plenty of citrus fruits occupy my time.  Oranges, satsumas, grapefruit and kumquats all need to be canned, made into marmalade and butters and the peels dehydrated. The Little Bayou House will smell wonderful and the pantry shelves will be stockpiled once again.  With the marmalade made today, biscuits may just have to be on the menu for breakfast in the morning!

 

Getting Rid of Poison Ivy

  Poison ivy is one of those plants that is the bane of most hikers.  I have yet to come across anyone that joyfully proclaims "I just love poison ivy!"  I cannot imagine why anyone would love it. Aside from the most obvious reason of it being a rash producing plant, it is one vine that is difficult to extract from the garden.  Once the ivy gets hold to some plot of ground, most efforts to eradicate it are futile.  Other than literally digging out the entire root ball by hand, there is just not much you can do.  Mother Nature, on the other hand, can do just about as she pleases with poison ivy or any other plant, for that matter.  Mother Nature is good!

  That said, I have found the one surefire method of ridding the place of poison ivy although it usually involves killing an innocent tree as well. Here, we fall back on the tactics of Mother Nature and her propensity of tossing lightning bolts around wherever she pleases.  Lately, we have been bombarded with lovely thunderstorms complete with the most devastating lightning that I have seen in a long while.  Just this summer alone, we have lost nigh on a dozen pine trees to strikes.  The most recent was a tall pine right on the marsh edge that was entwined with not only grapevines but also poison ivy.   When Mother Nature zapped the tree during one of her temper tantrums, the tree died.  The jolt also killed both the grapevine and the poison ivy.  So, although I hated losing another tree, I was just as happy to see the poison ivy meet its demise! Gone!  Kaput!  Dead!  Yay!

  Now there is just one problem that remains.  Since the pine tree is dead and sits not too far from the shed, we probably should remove it.  While I do not mind using a piece of pine in the fireplace occasionally, it is not the ideal firewood.  Add to that, the ivy vine that wraps the tree from top to bottom and the wood is just not worth the effort or possibility of getting a bad rash.  Smoke from a burning vine can cause the rash to be quite nasty!  Hopefully, the grapevines will hold the tree in place until the top rots and falls. This should protect the shed from the towering tree and me from a nasty, itchy rash.

Sssssss....Spiders, Snakes and Storms! Oh, My!

  This crazy weather has really been smacking us here on the Bayou.  Last night saw another terrific storm slam the area just about midnight.  I watched as lightning flashed continuously over the Gulf for a half hour before finally taking aim right at us.  Just after the clock struck twelve, hail started pelting the rooftop.  The wind blew at gale force breaking limbs as if they were toothpicks.  Then, the lightning reached us...literally.  The nonstop strikes bounced across the marsh and then up the hillside until finally one large bolt made contact.  The large TV upstairs took a direct shot and was fried.  The stench of burning plastic filled the upstairs of the Little Bayou House.  Thankfully, we have not found any other damage...so far.  This weather pattern has been a weekly occurrence.

  With all of the stormy weather, the critters of the Bayou and surrounding hillside are searching for drier places.  Mark and I saw a beautiful Black Racer sunning itself on the pier ramp on one of our walks.  The snake was trying to dry out a bit after the rains and the warm sunshine probably felt rather nice.  The snake lived up to its name and quickly slithered off into the marsh as we neared.  I only wish I had been quicker with the camera!  That thing was fast!

  Then, of all things, Mark found that spiders had moved into his trolling motor.  While spiders living inside the motor is bad enough, the fact that these were Black Widow Spiders made the whole situation a tad scary! Seven fat egg sacs were like some sort of weird bombs waiting to explode and strew billions of baby Black Widows all over the boat. Creepy!  Once he found the eggs, he smashed them all and hoped that the moms were no where around the area!

  So far, we have been fortunate with little damage from the storms and with no unwanted critters trying to invade the Little Bayou House. Hopefully, that will hold throughout the summer.  I just read where the National Hurricane Center is not giving us much hope for a hurricane-free season.  In fact, they predict just the opposite which is much like what I have been saying.  A gut feeling is telling me to keep an eye on the horizon and a few hurricane supplies on hand.  Things might just get a tad rougher before getting easier.  Stay safe, folks, stay safe.

Powerful Stuff!

  The storm grumbled for quite a while off north of us before descending on the Bayou in a rage!  The winds picked up, the rains came and the thunder rolled.  It was the lightning, however, that was the star of the show.  One strike after another pounded just out of close range as my son, Michael, and I sat at the supper table.  I had decided to cook early just in case the storm knocked out the power.  Then, within just a couple of minutes....Wham!  Wham!  Wham!  Three strikes close enough that the Little Bayou House actually shook with the force.  The last of the three was so close that it concerned me a bit as I was afraid that the lightning might have struck the new shed.  From the back door, I could smell pine sap.  Well, I guess at least I knew what to look for when went searching for the poor tree that was zapped.

  Sure enough, directly behind the shed in a group of three trees, a tall pine was scarred from top to bottom.  The lightning bolt had cut a wide slash winding around the tree. At some levels, it looked as if some giant rodent had gnawed at the bark of the tree.  The slash oozed with sap filling the air with the thick scent of pine.  Wow!  I am sure glad that I was safe inside during this storm! The sheer power behind the lightning bolts is mind-boggling.

  As I sit writing this, I can hear the storm as it moves out over the Gulf but, also, hear another in the distance coming our way. These late afternoon storms powered by the heat and humidity make for interesting times.  As darkness starts to envelop the Bayou, I prepare myself for another evening of dazzling light shows.  I love living on my Bayou!

A Tall Tale...or the Benefits of Being Short!

Growing up, I always yearned to be tall.  My sister and I were surrounded by tall brothers.  Each of them towered over us with their six feet plus height.  She and I were always the recipients of some good-natured teasing by these tall, lanky brothers of ours.  We had to take it in stride and turn the tables on them by asking them to "reach" things for us that we could have easily done so with the step stool. "One of you boys will have to put this box on the top shelf..I cannot reach it."  "One of you tall guys will have to clean the top of the refrigerator..I cannot reach it."  "You tall fellows will have to pick persimmons..I cannot reach them."  It was great!  Susan and I learned quickly that our height issues could be a positive thing!  Whew!  Sometimes being short is not all that bad!

About three weeks ago, we had a tremendous thunderstorm roll through the area. It was one of those loud storms that dumped little or no rain. The thunder boomed and the lightning flashed but always at a distance until one "blast" startled us all! Somewhere near something had been struck.  Thank goodness the Little Bayou House had come through unscathed!  After the storm passed, I headed outside to investigate.  I could find nothing that looked any worse for wear so I assumed that the strike had been further away than I thought.  Everything looked fine and I could smell no pine sap which would be a telltale sign that a pine tree had been the victim of the lightning strike.  The incident was soon forgotten and all was well on the Bayou.

Fast forward to today!  I was on the pier enjoying a bit of late afternoon relaxation when I saw an egret flying over the Bayou.  Although there was nothing extraordinary about that, watching it caused me to see something else.  On the other side of the Bayou, the tallest pine tree was burnt to a crisp!  The brown of the needles was in sharp contrast to all of the green leaves of the other trees.  Ahh, now I see what the lightning chose as its target.  I had always heard that lightning strikes tall things more often than things lower to the ground.  Obviously, this must be true.  This lone Loblolly Pine tree stands a good twenty feet taller than the surrounding Live Oaks and Black Gums.

Ok, brothers dear, this just goes to show that sometimes it truly pays to be short!  I have embraced my shortness and it is wonderful!

Power Trip!

The storm lingers here on the Bayou. The winds have subsided mostly but the thunderstorms just keep rolling through the area like one freight train after another. Last night, the rain was torrential giving us nearly four inches during just the overnight hours and this continued throughout the day. Now..nighttime again, and thunder is starting to rumble and grumble again. Lightning is bouncing around in the distance....so far. It seems as if another wild night is in store for the Bayou and its surrounding areas.

Lightning is not something that I take a liking to if I need be outside. If I am safe and sound inside, I become more awed of its display than fearful of its power. Last night was no exception. I loved viewing the terrific show over the Bay. The windows of my living room provide a perfect place to see the action. Had I been outside...I would have been terrified!..and rightly so. Lightning is nothing to mess with. The power of a single bolt can have devastating effects on any thing that is in its way. This was proven beyond a doubt with last night's storm. Several times, lightning and thunder nearly made me jump out of my bed! It was so loud...so close! I knew it had to have struck something nearby. Today, I found out just what was struck. A tree across the road was almost split in clean in two! Shattered! Splinters were peeled back by the force and laid out around the tree. Once a massive tree..now a pile of kindling. I am so thankful that this did not strike any further south as my brother's house could have been struck. This tree is maybe a hundred feet from his place. The power of lightning is incredible. It sure makes me happy to be inside where I can be warm, dry and safe!

I want to thank Anna Jones for the wonderful pictures included in this post. She and my brother, Jimmy, walked over to see the damage done to the tree and she took these pictures.