Nature Wows Us This Week

I've been up for hours, since we went to bed at 8.  It's been the kind of week/month/season that has left us wiped out and weary.  The sky beyond my window over the writing desk has just begun to lighten.  I wonder what the people of Texas are waking up to?

Right now, the coastal residents of Texas are likely waking up to rain and wind, as Hurricane Harvey is still in the neighborhood.  It will only be later that they can evaluate the damage.

Since we've just had the 25th anniversary of Hurricane Andrew, there's been lots of discussion about "Are we ready for another strong storm?"  In part, I think we can never be sure that we're ready.  There are lots of new high rise condo buildings--they're built to a more stringent code, but can they stand up to a category 4 or 5 storm?  I suspect we won't know until it's happening.  And all it takes is one window blowing out, and the whole building is compromised.

In the last 5 minutes, I've watched the sky go from gray to lavender to pink--very lovely, although it probably means we've got more flooding rains for today.  But it has been a quietly beautiful sight.

What a week this has been in terms of nature:  an eclipse back on Monday when the forecast for Hurricane Harvey said it might be hurricane strength by the time it got to Texas, flooding rains for us, and a category 4 hurricane by the time the week ended.

Later this morning, I will go to my quilt group.  I have baked butterscotch bars this morning, thinking about all the people in Texas who will not be baking cookies any time soon.  My little homestead in hurricane country smells delicious.

I remember back in 2005, after Hurricane Katrina had come through.  It was not easy to even have a hot cup of coffee with hot milk in it.  We didn't have hot food for weeks.  This morning, I am luckier.

I'll keep those who are not as lucky in mind today.  It's too early to send help to the Texas victims, but soon you can--remember, money to aid groups goes further than anything else you might donate and the group would have to ship.