It's Sort Of Like The Calm Before The Storm

October 28, 2012


Good morning.  It's 10:15 a.m. and outdoors is cloudy with a little bit of wind.  I guess we can kiss all our beautiful Fall colors goodbye.  The light winds are bringing down flurries of colorful leaves everywhere. 

At least, I am so thankful that this is not a snow storm.  We'd be buried in our homes!  I remember back in the seventies, we got a blizzard that dumped more than seven feet of snow in this yard.  Our doors were totally covered by the snow.  It was days before we could get outside, and I have to say one of the most fun weeks we ever had.

Michael and I had all our kids, plus a couple of the neighbor's kids, and plenty of food and blankets.  I don't remember us losing power for very long, but even so, we had a couple of fireplaces for an emergency.  After a whole week though, everyone was totally glad to get outdoors again.

I'm watching the Weather channel, and I'm amazed that this storm is going to be having quite an impact on the Great Lakes and the states surrounding those lakes.  I don't think I've ever seen anything the size of this storm.  It's even dumping tons of snow in some areas.  A friend of my daughter Audrey's (in  the Virginia/Carolina area near the mountains) is expecting around 50 inches of snow near where she lives.  Yipes!

Yesterday, Eddie got our generator set up and purring like a kitten.  I topped off my car's gas tank, and filled a five gallon container with gas for the generator.  Joe gathered up anything that could possible fly around the yard and put them all away in the shed.  Now we just have to bring in the hanging plants and my "welcome" plant stand. 

I'm keeping in touch with my daughter Audrey in Virginia to make sure everyone there is okay.  Yesterday, they were all set and ready for whatever may happen.  NEWS FLASH - New York City Mass Transit to stop operations at 7 p.m. tonight.  Tunnels and bridges being closed as needed.  New York City is expecting some wicked flooding.

Sad to say, a lot of folks just aren't taking this storm very seriously.  Yesterday was a gorgeous day, and at the moment it's still quite nice outside.  (minus the sun)  By tonight though, the winds will be getting heavier and the rain will be starting.  I have to go to work tonight, so I'm hoping that the winds don't get too feisty until after I get back home in the morning.

Today I have a couple photos of another bird from the Mrs' backyard.  This one is a Northern Flicker hunting around for food.

The Mrs was telling me that years ago she had found a baby Flicker and brought it in the house to nurse it and raise it.  Once it was bigger and better, she let it go.  I did this when I was a kid with a ruby throated humming bird.  My dad built a huge cage for it, and once the little bird was healed, we let it go.

Actually, my brother and I were always bringing stray animals and critters home to be nursed back to health much to my mother's chagrin.   She drew the line though, at keeping our jars of bugs on the kitchen table while we ate.  The bugs had to stay outside.

Well now that I've chatted your ear off, I shall have another cup of coffee and play a bit with Pogo.  Folks, if you've anywhere near this storm, do take care and stay safe.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day. 

Hugs, Edna B.