My heart is still weighted with the grief and exhaustion of the people in Owego and elsewhere, but I also see so much goodness and generosity from many, many people, not in the least, the ones whose job it is to serve. Our fire department was flooded out, so there are firemen from Long Island here to take up the slack and their downtime is spent working to help people at the aid station where I volunteer. Teacups up to them and all the other workers. School is starting again today and we have mail back. Some parts of town have electricity and gas back and while we still have to boil water, we can now shower and wash our clothes, if we have any way of doing that. I wish the Tide truck would set up in town to wash for people.
In the midst of disaster, there is always something good to hang on to. Fall is definitely striding along. The wild grapes are almost all purple and the wild rose hips are bright red. I saw the first aster blooming, a white one, generally they are blue. I found a wayside apple tree just down the road, before you get to the honey bee log. The apples are tasty - tart, but with good flavor. The pears are ripening also. The wooded hills are much further along in their leaf color. It seems too early for them to be doing this. Leaves are starting to fall, too. Somehow, it seems I just barely got used to summer and here it is, going, but in glorious color and tasty eats.
In our own yard, we have the Grand Canyon of Ivory Foster Road, further dug out by the storm. Just think, in millions of years, it may rival the other Grand Canyon, but I saw it’s birth, as did our ever-hopeful frog catcher, Bertie Baby. He went with me on my walk after the storm, but had to be carried part of the way. He’s an amazingly heavy small cat.
Kudos to the tiny Downy Woodpeckers. Whilst we were getting our 6-10 inches of rain, they were at the suet, chirping away. The big bully boys, the Jays and Grackles, didn’t even show up once. Guess we know who is hot air and who really has a brave heart.
I'm still not tasting tea - I haven't the mental energy for it. I have, however, been having comforting cups of Simpson and Vail's Victorian Earl Gray, and all my favorite Yunnans and Keemuns. They warm my tummy and my spirit.
1 comment:
Flooding is such a tragedy. I remember being on vacation when my hometown of Pueblo, CO. was hit with a devastating flood. A gentleman I knew through my work many years later told how his brother died in that flood. I was a child and could not fathom the devastation then. But any time I see the news and they show these natural disasters my heart breaks. I am sorry you had to deal with it and your friend and many others lost their businesses. Hugs Anne
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