Nature Songs ~~ DECEMBER, 2002 ~~
"There is only one real deprivation ... and that is not to be able to give one's gifts to those one loves most."
May Sarton
December 1, 2002 ~ Chagrin And Thorny ~~ No time has anyone been assured he/she would be shielded from the wrath of time and circumstance. Into everyone's life comes the time when there will be much discomfort, confusion and misunderstanding. Once people involved in a situation are unwilling or unable to come together and sort out the truths from the untruths, more problems surface. Gossip begins to tear at the very heart of the feelings of all concerned. "He says ..." And "She said ..." Only add to the mystery of the brewing feuding and actually push all involved back into solitary cubicles of remorse and disbelief. Statements are taken out of context and expanded in such a way that it is inconceivable such events would be taking place. The family is no longer able to perform as a family as each takes on personally the innuendoes tossed around as being aimed directly toward each one. Is there really a Black Sheep lurking around in the shadows of the family, or is it only the feelings and guilt circulating among the heartstrings?
If each individual could take a moment to open the eyes of their hearts, and sort out the events leading up to the split of the family unit, you begin to wonder, "Can a family survive without the understanding, unconditional love extended to one and all?" Yes, there has been a critical breakdown along the protective wall upholding the family unit. There are two moves that can be made. One, everyone can oust the perpetrator, and leave a huge gap in the protective wall. This would lead to more erosion of the hole as it weathers and grows larger. One and all could be towed out away from the family and possibly be lost for eternity. Looking around at other family units, it is easy to identify those with a gapping hole because not only does the family escape out of the family, but dismal germs come creeping into the unit causing discord, hatred and disbelief.
The second choice is one which would be harder to attain. It would mean that every section of the unit would come together in agreement. Difficult? Most definitely! But the experience of being able to face the problems at hand and working together to repair the damage at that one spot in the family wall would, in the end, be a growing element serving to knit the family together. Those in the problem area would be uplifted and redirected toward a most fulfilling mending as repairs are made correcting the problem no matter how difficult the path. A patch could be placed upon the leaking spot, but patches are just that - a patch. Patches are not guaranteed to solve a problem and oftentimes will burst with wear and tear. Generally, a patch is considered a temporary fix. To step in and working together, the section of wall should be gently carved around, and rebuilt, making for a secure repairing of the damage. With everyone pitching in and working together, the impossible has been shown to be possible.
December 4, 2002 ~ SNOW IN DECEMBER ~~ Oh, I'm aware many areas around the continent are used to having snow even earlier than December. However, that is not the usual for us. Seldom have we had much snow before January and generally our biggest snows have occurred in March. The only snow I can remember earlier was on Thanksgiving Day back in the 1960's, We sat around the table as a family with my sister- in-law and watched the large flakes fall from the sky. The ground was warm and the snow didn't hang around for long. We watched about two inches of snow in September up around Grandfather Mountain later that. The sun appeared and seeing the lacy snow covering the red and yellow leaves was breathtakingly beautiful. That snow disappeared quickly as the sun warmed the trees and ground.
It is around four in the afternoon and the snow and sleet have fallen constantly since around nine this morning. For now we have around eight inches of snow with layers of ice formed by the sleet. The worst of the storm is yet to come. It is still pouring out of the gulf, across the lower states and heading our way. The prediction is that the snow and sleet will turn to freezing rain. That will caused many of the trees to give way under the additional weight, especially since the drought conditions have damaged the roots of many of the trees. Electric crews are loaded and ready to make the trek out to areas needing electric power restored. Am I ready? No. I managed to find two flashlights and I do have spare batteries, but if I should be to have a fire built in the stove there is a major problem. The wood is all stacked neatly in the metal building a little distance from the house. Would I make an effort to go after some wood? No, I'll round up more quilts and blankets to snuggle under. That's an idea - take the blankets and quilts to build a tent-like area to keep the puppies and me warm together.
Around five am Tuesday morning, NascarKid loaded on a bus and took off for Washington, DC for the yearly visit of Eighth Graders to tour the national buildings for three days. I have to wonder if they will get stalled by this band of wintry weather. Two buses were filled with boys and girls taking the trip. I don't thing I'd want to be responsible for keeping up with one and all. Just hope they make it home safely this weekend.
My heat pump has been acting up and acting up and then acting up some more. I'll probably faint when I open up my electric bill when it arrives. The emergency heat has been my main source of heat for over two weeks. If all goes well, a new valve will be installed on the compressor outside and all should work well. There was concern I may need a new compressor, but it is working. A new heating unit was placed indoors as was another piece. I've spent more time in bed keeping warm because I've tried to keep the heat set at 68 degrees which is not warm enough for my system. It's not true that the fatter a person is, the warmer. On top of that, the finger has nerve damage from the past year of infections and surgeries, and is causing mammoth pain when cold hits it.
A visit to my doctor for an update on how the Shingles is progressing and he takes time to question me about my list of other problems he has been treating. A look at my finger and he informed me of the neuralgia evidence in the finger. He took his first look at the lesion in my mouth and said that it could definitely be coming from the sinuses area. A CAT scan was scheduled for Monday this week to rule out any tumors at least. The Good Lord willing, that will be the last CAT scan I shall ever take. No one prepared me for how the scan would be run. I had to lie on my stomach on that narrow hard equipment. The technician was puzzled when I asked her for a pillow to pull under my waist to help support my back. Wow! I can't imagine what it would be like without the pillow. I had no place for my arms that would take the pressure of the shoulders and neck. The real problem was having to then keep my chin on a pillow up a little higher than my body and my head had to be held straight and back as far as it would tilt. That was a killer hold. The neck and lower head is still in pain as is the right shoulder - and the back - ouch! To move is to hurt. Monday after the scan when I begin to get up from the sitting position the left leg would get a severe spasm making it difficult for me to move. No more scans for the sinsuses.
A group of students got together and exchanged signatures for use on e-mail and web pages. I've enjoyed making sigs for other and love all of those made for me. We've found new tubes for use with Paint Shop Pro as we worked together and now I get to organize my new images so I can use them. I really enjoy working with PSP and plan to sign up for the next level.
Now to wait and see if I have power through the night. I have my laptop charged up and ready for use. My cellular phone is out in the car and I shall not go out to retrieve it. Usually, our phone system works when the electric doesn't because the lines have been updated and run underground.
December 5, 2002 ~ There's More To Come ~~ Master Charlie has spent the night keeping up with the conditions outside. He has announced the events outside by barking almost constantly throughout the worst storm we've experienced in many a year. Some of the newsmen are comparing it to the effects of Hurricane Hugo. Power outages are reported to be over 650,000 households so far. 24,000 of those are in Hickory, but I've not heard about the numbers for our fair city or in Burke County. Only Charlie has been reporting for me. Six am and I heard a huge sound outside my bedroom window. Folks have been cautioned to keep away from the stately oaks. Looking out my window, I saw the best example why. An oak limb the size of a fair-sized tree has situated itself along the patio and upon Azaleas I've had for ages. The tree it fell from is across the driveway.
Charlie announces even now that something out-of-the-usual is happening once again. He not only barks toward what is happening, but when I speak to him, he makes a low growl-like sound as he attempts to relate to me what has happened. He and Oreo followed me through the house as I peered out windows to survey any damage. The brad ford pear seems to have split through the middle of the top down. Portions of it are scattered across the front laws. The Japanese Maple and River Birch are much younger and pliable and gracefully bend heavy branches to the ground. As the daylight grows brighter, I wonder what the new rhodedrenedons will look like. They were so large to have been moved into the spots where others died due to the drought, I suspect they are not standing tall and stately today.
We are fortunate in our little community. As I survey my land for damage, I see the houses lit up announcing our supply of electricity is holding strong. That doesn't necessarily mean it won't slip away from us at any given moment. The temperatures will hold around freezing today and the freezing rain continues up into the day. Maybe by noon, things will begin to get a wee bit better. Thirty-five hindred people were stuck in the terminal at the Charlotte Airport. With the power out, the deicing machines cannot work and without removing the ice from the planes, they cannot take off. The Red Cross is there lending a helping hand. Tbird was called yesterday afternoon, alerting her to be on standby in case a Red Cross Center had to be opened in Hickory. I have to wonder how she and the family are fairing out there in the middle of their 35+ acres of trees of all sizes and descriptions.
My automatic-set-alarm radio set on the local radio station just came on, so that means it has electricity. It is announcing all the closings around the area. (There goes another alert from Charlie. Now that daylight has arrived, his bark is much more intense as he relays his finding. He is most persistent with his messages.) Guess I should go ahead and check around to see how Wes and his family are doing in their new home. He has quite a few large trees in his backyard, but luckily, the electric lines are buried throughout his development. Allan doesn't have any large trees directly in his yard, but lots of them are around the edge of his yard and along his steep driveway. Where he lives, the folks generally don't leave home without the chain saw filled with gas and placed in their truck or car. When they come to a tree across the road, out comes the chain saw and they proceed to cut away the limbs and trees blocking the road. Of course if a power line is down, it's a whole different story.
Cotton called sort of late last night to check on conditions here. This same storm is supposed to come her way today. She was wondering what to expect when it arrives. That tells me that NascarKid and his classmates are in the midst of the snowy mix there in Washington, DC, and it is predicted to still be around there Friday - the day the two buses are supposed to hit the roads heading back home. The weather service has announced that the Carolina's are the hardest hit and as the storm progressing along the Eastern Coast, it will not have the heavy punch of weather it delivered to us.. Come to think of it, guess I need to call my brother and see how they faired last night. He is along the Catawba River and close to the outages throughout Hickory. He has two gas logs for his two fireplaces, so if his power is out, he still has plenty of heat upstairs and downstairs.
My dire need is not related to the storm. I pushed the button yesterday evening, and the response was groaning, squeaking, grumbling and toiling like you wouldn't believe. A few lame attempts at trying to work and it was evident! After about thirty years of service, the time has come that my trash compactor refuses to heed my command. Cotton has thought about replacing it several years ago because of some of the noises emitted as it worked hard compacting trash placed within. Pricing the new ones was an eye-opener for her. No way, had she considered how much a new one would cost. I've been content with using my compact in spite of the weird sounds made as it worked. Finally it appears the time has come to consider replacing my friend, the trash compactor.
News at lunchtime is referring to this storm as the worst on record- even worse than Hugo. The new figures out on the number of households without electricity is staggering. In North and South Carolina two million and a half are already identified as being without power. It will take days to restore all because of the downed limb, trees and telephone poles. That number probably will rise since there is a likelihood of more falling before the ice melts. A new storm is expected about the same time next week on top of this one.
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©2002 by Stormy Jeanne
