Some are listing this as the 'Perfect Storm', just over mainland North America, instead of the Atlantic Ocean! Three weather systems combine to fuel each other into a mega-storm, with tropical storm force winds being felt 450 miles from the center. Hurricane Sandy will merge with an early wintery system from the west, then collide with an arctic blast from the north, parking the system to churn over the northeast for days. Computer models can't even predict the track, many showing the storm double backing and looping in on itself as it stalls over the tops of us. The colored lines of the weatherman 's maps, showing the different tracks, as each computer comes up with a different path. After a while it begins to look more like a craft project my daughter does than a weather model.
It's not the first time that a major weather event has been issued for this area. 'Snowmageddon' or 'Snowzilla', the ever hard to pronounce 'Duratio' and now 'Frankenstorm' all makes you think of movie titles. For gardeners around here its just another hurdle we're getting ready to jump over. Summer drought and highest ever recorded temperatures along with record lows during the winter have tested the steel of our plants and gardens. It's a miracle that we have trees of any age still standing in our communities. As a gardener here, I hold my head high knowing that to get anything to grow in this area is a major success. Trying to create those gardens you see in any magazine is a Herculean task. It doesn't matter what you might try and do to outwit mother nature, she's always going to remind you who's in charge.
This coming week, I sure will bring stories of tree loss and damage, where the only consolation I can give is one of optimism. Instead of looking at the damage in a negative way, we should view it as mother nature's way of opening up new possibilities. We can all get stuck in a rut of not editing out plants that maybe have been with us too long until forced to by a weather event.
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"I told you, we should of staked the trees!" |
Stay safe my friends and let's look forward to sunnier days. Our gardens always seem to bounce back regardless to what is thrown at it. With all the alarming reports on the news, I often wonder if being a meteorologist is a gateway profession into depression!
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Let's go out fighting! |
Stay safe!! At least we won't have to water the garden. The iris should be quite happy. :o)
ReplyDeleteIt's going to be an interesting few days. Just ride it out and get ready for the clean up. Hopefully it will take out an old Hickory in the back that I've been hesitating on. See you on the other side.
ReplyDeleteThere are some ugly trees in my neighborhood that I'd like to see uprooted by Sandy. Maybe I should run out and tag them so she knows which ones to hit. :o)
DeleteWe had a fantastic dinner and fun time at Merrifield Saturday night. I love the goats! The kids loved the slide and the corn box. I zoomed around and worried about how you will ever be able to protect all the plants outside. Now after reading your post I guess I better worry aboutthe treatment you all get there. I'm again appauled by what you say people say and do. Lets hope when lightening strikes it is on the rump of the tree buyer! Seriously aren't there rules about working outside in a thunderstorm? Great post.
ReplyDeleteAlways looking forward to Renita telling a new one is up. You all stay safe and warm.
Janet
Just found you are we are both nominated hhahaha you are a hoot how enjoyably entertaining!
ReplyDeleteI love the photo of the trees and hedging - fantastic. Hope you and yours got through the storm OK
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