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Saturday, September 4, 2010

What Is It About a Big Storm?


I'm remembering a wild thunderstorm in Springfield, Ohio, a tornado in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and countless blizzards in Illinois and Michigan, and I'm wondering what it is about the approach of a storm or the storm itself or the aftermath that seems to pull people together. If we can’t gather physically, we get in touch any way they can. Suddenly, everything personal and individual falls away, and “we’re all in this together.” Gerry Sell over on Torch Lake (Torch Lake Views) posted “Ahead of the Storm” yesterday. This morning Amy-Lynn up in Nova Scotia (Flandrum Hill) posted “The Calm Before the Storm,” and Kathy in the Keewanaw (Lake Superior Spirit) was at her computer as trees were crashing all around her in the woods. We’re all staying as connected as we can.

My sister called last night on her cell phone from their vacation rental house north of Northport to say the power had flickered off and on and then gone out. Did it stay out all night? Is power out in the village? I don’t know yet and am frustrated by not knowing, but it’s still a bit early to be calling people on the phone. My one friend Karen stopped writing her blog, and my other friend Karen decided not to start one, so I have no blogging friends north of me on the Leelanau peninsula. What’s going on?

The image at the top of the page is from Friday morning. That’s old news. Wind has been lashing the old farmhouse relentlessly for at least 24 hours, but the sky is light again, and my curiosity is rising with the light. What will this stormy Saturday bring? Will bank and post office and grocery storm and gas station be closed and dark in Northport today, or will the town be humming along, providing a bright and cheerful oasis to drenched holiday weekend campers?

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

We've been out walking, too. I hope Northport has power. Astonishing to feel so much wind and know that it is nothing compared to what lashes the coast.

Karen Casebeer said...

Hi Pamela...Yes, it was a wild night in the woods at Cherry Homes. I wonder if that's where your sister is staying "north of town"?? It was hard to sleep with the roar of the wind competing with the roar of the waves. The power went out around 9:15 pm and remained out until 2:15 am. Woke up to the tv blaring the news of another Tiger's late night, extra inning victory, and the dog pacing and panting due to all the electronics squeaking their return to power. Luckily, I'd warmed the place up with a bit of heat before the outage so it stayed pretty warm. Thinking this might be a good day for surf pictures, and, perhaps, even surfer pictures, if the gale force winds are creating the waves that the weather reports say is possible. Keep warm...Karen who didn't create a blog...yet. :-)

Susan said...

All's well in NP! Our lights flickered but power stayed on all night. I am astonished that all but a handful of trees remain standing. Trees are so perfectly engineered.

Deborah said...

Power north of Northport in the woods, was finally restored @ 2 a.m. It was interesting to see the trees swaying wildly before the total darkness of night. During the storm large branches broke off tall trees making fierce noise. Storms are definitely interesting, aren't they?

P. J. Grath said...

Hi, you all! It's afternoon now, and the rain continues off and on. Northport was very lively this morning, with the Busby walk going on and all the coffee spots filled to overflowing. Bookstore has been lively, too. Karen, one young woman showed me a great rainbow photo she'd gotten over the Bay this morning. Susan, I expected to see more downed trees, too. Deborah, glad none came down on the Tree House! Karen, that's where Deb and Joe have been staying, out in the Cherry Home vicinity but the other side of the main road. Gerry, look out! It's all still coming your way!

P. J. Grath said...

P.S. Take a look at my other blog to see a Fishtown shot I got on Thursday evening....

Anonymous said...

Since Earl has passed, the air seems so much clearer and fresher than it did before. Like a quarrel between loved ones, there's nothing like a big storm to clear the air.

P. J. Grath said...

Air is fresh and clear in northern Michigan, also, since the days of rain. I don't miss the humidity but am hoping we'll get a little more warm weather this month, as September is usually when I finally have time to go swimming. Amy-Lynn, the beginning of your sentence, "Since Earl has passed," made me think at first that someone had died. Glad it was a happier piece of news!

dave fox said...

What is it about a big storm?

Don't rightly know, but it's cousin to the chromosomal sensitivity that derives from our aversions to snakes, fires of the rampant variety and hors d'oeuvres that taste funky. Take heed.

P. J. Grath said...

Funky hors l'oeuvres, yuck! Rampant fires, scary! But Dave, I like snakes very much!