Welcome to JOYFUL REFLECTIONS. Also welcome to MARCH!!!! My header picture this month is a photo I took of the pretty Crocus blooms in our yard... The Crocuses and Daffodils are the first signs of spring here in Tennessee. I am definitely ready for SPRING...

Thursday, March 12, 2015

Part 6 of our Crazy Weather Week to Remember ---more from 2/21/15

Yard Damage after our Ice Storm on 2/21/15
On March 5,  I posted Part I of our HORRIBLE Ice Storm (which devastated our area on 2/21/15)... SO--today I will share 10 more photos from that storm.  If you missed any of those first 5 posts (showing pictures from ALL of the first 3 storms),  click HERE.   Just remember that they are listed in reverse order,  beginning with Part 5 --and going backwards, in that folder.  Be sure and click on today's photos for enlargements.


The ICE and heavy winds (50 mph) were just too much for many many trees in our neighborhood/area... They just CRACKED.  Some fell to the ground and some  were left broken and dangling.  This picture is what the tops of trees all over the area look like.  SAD!



That first cup of HOT TEA was fabulous... 
 Don't I look cute in my turtleneck shirt,  TWO sweatshirts, sweatpants, heavy hiking socks and slippers,  and my BIG heavy pink bathrobe!!!!!  HA HA ....BUT--thanks to the gas-log fireplace and my clothes and blankets,  I stayed warm all weekend.

On our 2nd day without power,  George was able to get to our grill on the deck and make us a pot of hot water for some HOT TEA.   Oh My Heart---that was so delicious.   I think I missed coffee and hot tea (ANYTHING hot) the most.  He also heated up a pot of homemade Chili leftovers for us in a pan on the grill --and we ate that meal on Sunday night (Feb. 22).  DELICIOUS!


 Looking toward one of our Rose Beds;  I can't believe it but in 2-3 months,  our Roses hopefully will be blooming,  if they make it through this weather this year.



This is what our sidewalk looked like next to the garage.



Coolers on our front porch--trying to save fridge/freeze items
 We have two fridge/freezers.  One of them (in the utility room) stayed closed the entire 50 hours our power was out.  The items in there were FINE.   We did however use the fridge/freezer in our kitchen.  SO--in order to save as much as we could from there,  we filled two large coolers and then added lots of ice/snow in the coolers,  and put them outside (where it was cold).  We put some heavy items on top of both to keep the night critters out... We saved all of the food in that fridge/freezer also!!!  BUT--if the power had have stayed out much longer,  I'm sure we couldn't have saved everything. 


Tree Damage in our Yard



One of about 8 'dangling' branches in our yard
 We had to hire a Tree Service to climb these trees and cut down these 'dangling' branches.  We didn't want those big branches to fall and cause more damage.   I will have a picture or two of these men in action --as they worked on our trees on 3/2/15,  in another post.


Back Yard;  Note the ICE buildup on the deck rail;

Tree down in Neighborhood
George and I 'thought' that our damage was BAD until we were able (several days after the storm) to get out and check our neighborhood and the area... OH MY ---so many people had so much more damage than we did... We truly were lucky.  We didn't lose any 'total' trees  and we had no house damage.   AND--we were only out of power/electricity for 50 hours whereas some people didn't have power for over a week.  

BLESSINGS:
-That God was with us and we knew that, through Him,  we were loved and cared for;
-That we bought a new gas-log fireplace not long ago --which kept us WARM; 
-That we had had quite a bit of tree trimming done a few months ago (to get the tree limbs away from our home);  (If we hadn't have done that,  we most likely would have had damage to our home.)
-That both George and I kept a good attitude the entire time,  trying to count our blessings, and make the best from the situation;
-That we could stay connected with our friends and family (through our iPhone, iPad and my laptop);  Even without power,  we could charge the batteries of the iPhone and iPad in the car --in our garage;  Had to use my laptop sparingly since I couldn't charge its battery;
-That our FACEBOOK friends and family (LOTS of them) were there for us --praying and commenting and giving good suggestions,  etc.  I felt as if God was with us through all of these friends.  (I know that many people don't like Facebook---but for us,  it was truly a life-saver for that 50 hours. I'm not sure what I would have done without them.)

WHAT WE LEARNED:
-That we might get a small portable generator  (to run our two fridge/freezers) under similar situations when no power is available;
-That we need (and will buy) a small camping stove so that we can cook some HOT food/drink;  OH--how I missed my coffee!!!!  It was nice having the grill --but there may be another time when George wouldn't have access to the grill....
-That someone's suggestion about filling coolers with food and then adding ice/snow from outside to them was very helpful--since the temperatures outside were still very cold;  (That would not work if the power was out during the summer for long periods of time.)
-Purchased an adapter to use in the car so that I can also charge the battery in my laptop when there is a power outage;  (Already have adaptors for the iPhone and iPad)
-That Mother Nature can be wicked ---so we always need to be prepared!

As I'm sure I said,  neither George nor I have ever gone through anything like this.   BUT---we do know,  that as hard as it was for us,  our situation was not nearly as bad as many others go through due to Mother Nature.  Life can be hard at times for ALL of us,  but with a good attitude and the love of family/friends and each other,  we can make it through these rough times...  God be with us ALL.

Thanks for listening to my thoughts on the Wicked Ice Storm of 2015. Believe it or not though,  there are still TWO more storms to come... Luckily,  the 4th one missed us--but I'll show photos from the SNOW Storm on 2/26 soon.

Hugs,

44 comments:

Margaret Birding For Pleasure said...

It is such a pity for all your trees but as you said it could have been a lot worse. Glad you were safe, warm and stayed cheerful.

Ms. A said...

I just hate to see mature trees lost. Glad yours weren't a complete loss. We lost a huge pine tree during IKE, that was planted when my kids were little. We were SO fortunate that it didn't damage the house. Preparation can be key when expecting bad weather. You and George were very lucky. Plus, I bet you two will be even better prepared next time!

Anonymous said...

Those poor trees. Glad your house wasn't damaged.

FlowerLady Lorraine said...

So glad you and George 'weathered' the storm with a positive attitude and that you didn't have too much damage, and none to your home.

Happy Spring ~ FlowerLady

FlowerLady Lorraine said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
eileeninmd said...

Betsy, I am sorry for your trees. But, I am glad you did not have it worse.. Enjoy your day, it is almost spring!

Terri D said...

You have learned many of the same lessons we learned years ago, when the three hurricanes and a tropical storm came through here, almost back-to-back. We were without power for three days. Now, we have a generator that will run our two refrigerators, a TV, our power adapters for electronics, and fans. We haven't had to use it, but it sits in the garage as insurance, along with the two gas cans. Thank goodness you both got through that horrid time, and without damage to the house!!

linda m said...

So much damage, those ice storms can be very devastating. Just grateful to God that you both were safe.

Rajiv Sankarapillai said...

Oh...ice storms can be devastating. I feel sorry for those trees. Glad you two safe. God bless.

Out on the prairie said...

One year we had a bad one and I was the last to have power. Mine stayed on so we had a bunch of cords hooked up to power a neighbors heat.

MTWaggin said...

The best photo is you with your tea! Spring is coming - I have bulbs that are up already. Yup in MT where we had no winter!

George said...

An experience like this helps us to realize how many blessings we truly have.

Linda Kay said...

So sorry for the destruction of the trees. Those storms can be awful.

Janice K said...

It is so sad to see so much damage to your beautiful yard. And the clean up will be a lot of hard work.

We are finally having a week of mostly sunshine and snow melting. Back here in the woods, we still have snow cover, but hopefully in another few days we'll be seeing grass once again. It sure would be nice to have a nice Spring.

Hope you are having a great day!

Ginny Hartzler said...

You are both a true pioneer couple now! How awful to have to live through this, and now you probably never will again, thankfully. We have thought many times of buying a generator BUT they are so expensive, plus we cannot figure out what size will run how many things, plus it can be dangerous to keep inside. Bless your hearts.

David said...

Betsy, You and George improvised very nicely given the circumstances! We were out of power once in Chicago for well over 2 days and we ended up giving away well over $150 worth of meat to one of my coworkers. Mother Nature can play rough, that's for sure! I've written an Goodbye to Winter posting which will publish on Saturday afternoon with photos from our area. Nothing as dramatic as what you endured! Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Sylvia K said...

You and George have had such a dreadful winter!! Glad it isn't the usual thing! But the two of you have mastered it!! I do know you will appreciate the good weather that is normal for you when it returns!! In the meantime, take care and stay warm!! Your pics are amazing!!

Ruth Hiebert said...

You survived and by the sounds of it,with those positive attitudes still going strong. Let's just hope and pray that this is a one time experience.
Hugs

Betsy said...

My goodness you and George had lots more damage than I thought at first. I'm back home in the warm Pacific NW and glad to be away from the snow and ice in the east.
My husband and I put a gas stove in our family room and last year put a woodburning stove in the living room that has a cooktop on it, just for these kinds of storms. That woodstove heats up the entire house! I've enjoyed it the past two winters although this year was so mild I have only had a handful of fires in it.
We've also thought about getting a generator, but have been told that they are stolen as soon as you turn them on by desperate people. So we haven't decided for sure on a generator.
You look so happy with your tea. :-) What a wonderful attitude you have had though it all.
Blessings,
Betsy

troutbirder said...

We've been in some really bad ice storms in Kansas, Missouri and Tennessee. We'll take snow over that and Mrs. T. says if Global Warming cause the ice storms to come further north to Minnesota on a regular basis "we moving".... North to Canada..:)

Peaches McGinty said...

Oh my goodness Betsy, what a trying time you have all had, and there you are like a trooper with a smile on your face with your cup of tea (you can't beat a cup of tea!!) you both adapted brilliantly and with such a positive attitude, although I can't imagine being without electricity for so long in such brutal winter conditions - I'll keep thinking of you both and I'm sending my best wishes, I hope it's all over soon x x x

Arkansas Patti said...

That was a big game of pick up sticks you two had to play. How fortunate you didn't lose any trees. You were smart to pre-prune.
I do the cooler system also and it works great in the winter. Every time the power goes out for a long time, I think generator but never seem to pull the trigger. Hope you are smarter than I am.
I do have a gas stove and hot water heater so I am pretty comfortable in the dark and my Kindle provides entertainment.
Hope that was the last of your storms for the Winter. Lots of good lessons learned.

Dorothy said...

That's scary! We had a similar situation here, but maybe not quite as severe. We were out of power for 34 hours. I warmed soup in a boiler in front of a gas space heater :) Since then, we have bought a two burner propane hot plate so we can cook a little the next time.
I know what you mean about that coffee being so good! When it was so Jeep could get out, and before our power was restored, he went a few miles to a Quick Stop and brought back two tall cups of coffee and biscuits with sausage. I think that cup of coffee was the best I've ever had!!!

Judy said...

It is amazing how Mother Nature can treat us. I'm glad you came through all right. I can imagine how good that cup of hot tea tasted.

The Furry Gnome said...

It's been very interesting reading your posts about these storms. Sorry about all the damage, but it sounds like you were lucky compared to others. Good suggestions at the end; we should do more to be prepared ourselves.

Connie said...

So sad to see all that damage. I bet that first cup of tea tasted amazing! Glad this is all in the past now.

Anonymous said...

Hi Betsy, I highly recommend that generator. We have a small Honda model that we use for our 5th Wheel and plan to also have it in the event of a hurricane here at the house (FL). Glad your weather is better. So sad about those trees (as you know I have been through it at Lake St. Geo.). Have a pleasant day tomorrow!

Lux G. said...

Oh, brrr! I can imagine the cold in this pictures. Sad for those old trees though.

Hey, spring is coming, right? Hope you guys stay warm there.

Happy weekend!

Ann Thompson said...

that is a lot of branches all over your yard. The nice thing about losing power in the winter is that you can use coolers outside so you don't lose food.
I would have missed the coffee too...lol

Linda said...

Sorry you had tree damage and had to go without power for so long. I hope your lovely roses are okay.

Latane Barton said...

That really is a sad sight. I know it breaks your heart. But, like you say 'blessings abound' and we have so much to be thankful for.

Chatty Crone said...

I am glad that you made it through the storms physically and your house - hope the beautiful bushes do too!

Dr. Kathy McCoy said...

Oh, Betsy! it's so like you to count your blessings in the wake of a terrible winter! I'm so glad you came through it as well as you did -- you look so happy and comfortable in your "powers out" ensemble with that delicious cup of tea!

Spring will be really something to celebrate this year, won't it? Can hardly wait for the pictures of your yard coming back to colorful life!

Roses and Lilacs said...

What a mess. Clean up will be back breaking. You have the right attitude. Without a few problems, we would never recognize the blessing we receive.

Bill S. said...

I am so glad you made it through the storms. You could send the snow to us, but keep the ice.

Kay said...

I'm so glad you were able to save most of your food. What a terrible storm you had and what a shame you had to lose so many trees. On the positive side, spring should be around the corner.

Betty Manousos said...

oh, NO! those poor trees...oh my goodness betsy, so sad to see all that damage to your lovely yard.
i truly do hope this storm is the last one.
take care and stay warm.

big hugs!

Coloring Outside the Lines said...

I'm so glad you two weathered the outage as well as you did. I've lived through one of these and it was a nightmare. A generator is so nice to have!

Lisa @ Two Bears Farm said...

Well let us all hope this winter is now OVER! We are having milder temps here today, which is fabulous.

Busy Bee Suz said...

Those poor trees!!! That makes my heart hurt. :(
I'm glad you and George survived AND learned of what you might need in case this ever happens again...oh, the simple things like hot tea and coffee!!!
XOXO

Our photos said...

Goodness me, I'm glad You survived ! Damaged trees or plants you can exchange, but human life....(I think you know what I mean).

LV said...

I knew it was bad up your way, but this is terrible. Trust this will be the last.

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

That was such a terrible storm! You and George were fortunate not to have damage done to your home, Betsy! I'm glad you were able to stay warm and that you did not lose all your freezer food. Mother Nature can be harsh, but in times Like this it is always a good time to count our blessings that worse things did not happen and to learn what is needed in case it happens again in the future.

Twilight Man said...

What a shame to see the damages! God has better plans for better blooms in Spring. He just pruned them for you for new branches to grow.

You looked cute holding a mug!