Yesterday was another deluge of a thunderstorm with rolling booms and lightning strikes for most of the morning and early afternoon. When things finally settled down and the rain let up, I stepped out onto the screened porch. Beyoncé was sitting in the chair and I scooped her up and sat down with her on my lap. Birds were singing, and I would see flashes of wings as they swooped down from the upper hill and landed in the woods across the driveway…what is left of those woods. Most were little brown birds, hopping on the ground, poking in the wet leaves, but then I saw a flash of red.
I cannot remember the last time I saw a cardinal on this hill, even though for years, they have been numerous year-round. I thought their absence was likely related to the loss of habitat as so many trees were removed with the construction and we had the brush (privet) removed as it was overtaking the yard and the green space. There is still a great deal of privet (and kudzu will be coming out of dormancy soon) on the roadside below that snakes up the edge of the hill, and that is generally where they were nested. Nonetheless, I had not seen one in ages. Several of them flitted back and forth from the tree just across the drive, and somewhere further up behind the house.
Perhaps it is a harbinger of good news: the natural world can recover if we leave it alone, even if we created the mess in the first place.
Things continue to move rather slowly on the hill, and I have to be flexible on a daily (hourly!) basis. Today, as it did Saturday, it is a thunder storm with lightning and copious rainfall. We lost power once Saturday, but at least it was only for a few hours. I have been pacing myself between cleaning up outside and maintaining chores inside. I had plans to take recycles over today and then head to the park to walk, but alas, the weather changed that. Instead, I am doing indoor chores, while fighting the urge to just go sit on the porch with a cat on my lap.
Yesterday was a nice day with partly sunny and partly cloudy, and a bit cooler, but no rain. I took a break late afternoon to enjoy a glass of basil lemonade and just look out the windows of the screened porch. My grandma loved to find bottles and fill them with colored water and place them on the window sill of her sun porch. I love unique bottles and though I have pared the collection considerably over the years, I still enjoy them. Sometimes it is the label that lures me, and sometimes the bottle.
The magnolia tree sustained major damage in the ice storm, and I am not sure how well, or if, it will recover. We still need to get the broken limb remnants removed, but there are some larger limbs that are hanging on by a thread and we don’t really want to be standing under it cutting branches until those limbs are removed. We have counted at least 3 large trees across the driveway that will have to come down, but the queue is long at the moment, and they have not even picked up the piles of trees and limbs at the bottom of the hill yet. The last time I checked, only 10-15% of county roads had been cleared. While some trees on the county road across the highway have been cleared, nothing between us and town has yet been removed. The county and city are mulching some of the tree debris and burning some, but it is going to take a very long time–some predict as long as a year, and the cost of recovery is already in the millions of dollars and we have hardly begun.
Alas, time to get my work clothes on and at least get a little bit done…I will have extra daylight today if I need it.
Folks, it has been a rough one here in North Mississippi. In spite of the freezing weather, the ice storm, the loss of electric power, water and heat, the damage to property, trees, roads, infrastructure, and the sheer inability to get out of one’s driveway, I am grateful beyond measure. Not just because we as an individual family were able to manage this storm and the havoc it wreaked, but because of what it showed about this community–and I mean not just the city, or the county, but the immediate one in which we live.
Surprisingly, those branches bending down to touch the ice on the ground did not break. I thought for sure they would, but tonight, as I sat out there for the 3rd night in a row burning twigs, small branches, and broken limbs, I realized the limbs had recovered and were in the original upright position. I also know this because there were no downed limbs from this tree covering this portion of the yard. The same cannot be said for the rest of the trees, but still, I am very grateful that no trees fell on the houses, the deck, or the vehicles. Without Internet since the storm, I have been working on cleaning up, both outside and inside. When things weigh heavy on my mind and heart, I find manual labor is therapeutic. It enables me to complete tasks by rote memory, drawing on that store of knowledge passed down by generations. Is is soothing and healing when dealing with the trauma of disaster.
While we had been warned it could be weeks before we returned to normal, I only had 3 days post returning home before power was restored. Two of those three days were made bearable by friends lending us their no longer needed generator so we had heat in addition to the propane heaters Randy had purchased while we were still in Tupelo. Those three days were not fun, but we managed. There were mishaps and accidents, but we dealt with them. Baths were taken on the deck with water heated by a propane burner. The Eco-toilet proved to be a life saver until power and water returned…and I have enough candles now to power me through another storm, albeit we have a generator now that will keep us operational should the next storm be as mighty as this one.
On good days, I work on cleaning up the debris from the yard. On cold days, I work in the house, trying to put it back together after a period of camping out, making do, and endless laundry. And on some days, I have taken the time to do some art–the balm for my wounded soul.
I am still working on how to do a gelli print, pulling an image from a magazine page, and learning how to do layered images. I spent several days on the image I named Madonna and Babe. I was inspired by the Madonna and babe statue in a niche in the wall of a San Antonio, Tx street well over 40 years ago. I pulled 2 magazine images and while they did not turn out as I had hoped, it was still something that gave me inspiration as I keep learning. The colors felt like it belonged in the living room, next to two of my earlier works that shared similar themes and colors and messages. The anchoring images from the Beale Street Music Festival added similar vibrant colors. Blues music is the main focus in the living room, but it also pays homage to other music genres and Texas scenes.
After over a month without Internet, it was nice to catch up amongst the circle of caring blog friends I have developed relationships with, and to be able to move forward on the family genealogy research. There have been hardships, but also, the joy of friendships and being able to support others and be supported by others. We would do well to remember that caring relationships and connections help to sustain us during the hard times and celebrate us during the good times.
Fortunately, the restoration of power to our area did not take as long as earlier predicted, thanks to the crews from the Coast, Alabama, the Delta, and Tennessee (and probably other places since I do not always recognize the name on the truck). We got power back last Tuesday afternoon. Internet is another unknown. Fiber is down, and while the crews are working diligently to restore it, there is no prediction at this time for when it might be back up. Randy has checked all options for wireless, but so far, nothing that will help us. Imagine trying to conduct business these days when all your accounts are online and you have no way to access them! I am not complaining, I am so grateful for the long hours in the cold and rain that the crews have put in to get this county back in working order. I was overjoyed to see the lineman above climbing up that new pole.
Meanwhile, I had to take recycles over and decided to stop in at Starbucks for a latte, cancel a subscription, and make a quick update. I appreciate all the comments as folks have checked in on us, and read your posts as often as I can. We have used so much data on our “Unlimited data” since February 1 that our access on the cell phones has been slowed way down. Just to deal with business, doctors, and staying in touch with family has been difficult.
If I have not replied or liked or commented, know that it is because I am still in the “taking care of business mode” and nothing is back to normal yet except I have water, power, and heat! If you were affected by the storm, I hope things are manageable for you. I hope to be back on line soon. On the other hand, I have accomplished a lot of things I have been putting off, and the calm is rather nice.
Steffi has always liked to get on my pillow at home when she naps. I usually cover them up, but sometimes forget. She is in pillow heaven here as each bed in the 2 queen bed room has 4 pillows. I gave her a pillow to start with because Randy does not use as many as I do and he gave me one of his extra pillows. Somehow, she has managed to coordinate them all around her. Although she is still scared of new things, she has really done much better than we anticipated for her first time in a hotel, going up and down stairs to get outside to the doggie area. She has become quite the agility dog on the stairs after her first tentative couple of days. She has learned commands such as “slow” and “wait for me” because she wants to go faster than I can. While anything out of the ordinary in the hall or outside (door opening, people walking in the hall, loud truck driving by) would startle her into “back up mode”, she is even improving in that. In that regard, it has helped her learn to better manage her fear, and hopefully build her confidence.
Steffi and Reggie napping
Reggie has always been outgoing and easy going and friendly. He loves investigating things he has not seen before. He wants to run down the stairs and up the stairs, which of course, Randy does not, nor can he, unless perhaps the building was on fire. He goes down the stairs with Reggie and Steffi and me, but he and Reggie return in the elevator. Randy also took a fall while he and J were at the house yesterday when he slipped on ice stepping off the deck into the back yard, and landed on his arm and hip with one leg still on the deck. Fortunately, no serious injury, but he is rather sore today. They have even had fun leaping from one bed to the other when they want to change spots, or both decide to hang out on the same bed. They have been perfect hotel guests.
How Steffi spent her winter vacation
I had to go get more water this afternoon, another longer dog leash, socks, candles, a new journal, and laundry soap. When I got back, Randy showed me this picture he had named “How Steffi spent her winter vacation.” He said she had indeed built herself a little nest with all the pillows.
We are planning to wash dirty clothes from this week tomorrow before we return home, as we do not know what the water/power situation is yet in Oxford. Some has been restored, perhaps even most of it, but we have no way of knowing the laundromat situation. I have not used a laundromat since the first 3 months I was here when Randy still had the washer and dryer in the house in Abilene. Going to Water Valley to the laundromat was my regular Sunday afternoon outing. It was always interesting, and talking to people while I waited, or observing interactions from the others who came in. When I would get back to the rented house, our ritual was for me, Randy, and 3 of our friends in Texas to email in a continuous conversation (since we were still using flip phones and texting was cumbersome and not done in groups), usually based on my experiences of the week or the latest trip to the laundromat. I was not yet acclimated to Mississippi, not understanding the local dialect, the culture and totally feeling like a fish out of water.
Besides dog training, it has been a week of basically doing nothing but relaxing, reading, napping, talking. Our son has eaten dinner with us every night and stayed to visit a while. That alone has been worth all the hardship to me. Randy is back with dinner, so I will sign off for now and simply say it has been a good day, and thanks to all the kind and supportive comments on yesterday’s post.
That stick between the V of downed power lines is our electric pole and transformer remains
Fern came to visit, and we will never invite her back again…but she or Frank or some other relative will show up again somewhere, uninvited. We lost power Saturday evening. Even under several quilts and comforters, it was not a pleasant experience trying to stay warm, and with layered clothing at that.
I am writing the planned extended leave from a hotel in Tupelo, where after 3 nights of freezing temperature and 2 days and nights without power, thus without heat and water, we secured 2 rooms at the Hampton Inn in Tupelo, accompanied with our two dogs and son. Beyoncé and Scruffy, being descended from feral cats and semi-domesticated, willingly come in on the porch and laundry room when temperatures get below freezing. They have a little house in the laundry room attached to the porch. I put out enough food and water to last them for the 4 days we would be gone. By Monday, people had driven on the road into Oxford enough that we thought we could get to town, since others were coming and going, and that 6 to Tupelo would probably be passable. We loaded and though J had cleared as much of the brush and smaller trees and limbs off the drive, there were large ones at the bottom he could not move. We maneuvered past them by driving partially in the yard.
We thought this was bad. All night Saturday, we had listed to the crack of limbs falling, sounding like gunshots. Trees were down everywhere we could see. We were not prepared for how devastating it would look as we headed into town. It was like a scene from a sci-fi end of the world movie, with every electric pole on the road from our house into town snapped in half or laying on the ground, transformers either burned up, like ours did, or laying broken on the ground, and power lines down everywhere. In some cases, the lines were hanging at an angle, and the cars could go under them on one side of the road. Logs and trees were blocking lanes. Some residents had begun to move them off the road, and large trees had been sawed into smaller sections so that they could be rolled out of the road. Within 15 miles of leaving Oxford, the 4 lane to Tupelo was clear and dry. There was less ice on the trees, and far less damage. We drove to Tupelo with no issues, got to the hotel and unloaded. After Randy checked us in, we moved the truck to the side entrance and took the dogs up the stairs to our room. Neither has been in a hotel, nor anywhere other than a house or the vet, and Reggie has been boarded one time.
Yesterday, I drove back to Oxford to check that the cats still had enough food and water, and to pick up a few more items Randy needed as we had decided to extend the stay here until Sunday. Our generator will be delivered by Wednesday which will enable us to have a heater, and heat water in the kettle for washing up. It will be warmer during the day, and not as cold at night. We have a plan for cooking, heating, and will continue using bottled water for now. Until power is restored, there is nothing else to be done. There is nowhere else for us to go; there is no timeline for when power in the county might be restored. I was dismayed that as I drove to the house, not a single thing had yet been done to remove trees or poles from the road. We understand the process of how power is restored, having been through this before, but not this bad. We understand the county will come after the city is restored completely. Meanwhile, power lines we have been told are to be assumed to be live are still all over the road, ditches, hanging across the road and on houses, and no one in our part of the county has power, nor water since most rely on wells. With animals that rely on us, there is nowhere to go temporarily.
Bottom of the drive
Our friend will help us cut and clear the trees still blocking the drive once we begin clean up. I have a plan for preparing food, managing sanitation needs, and staying alive, and my intention and commitment is to do it with joy and gratefulness. I will be journaling every day of the experience, and when I am done, I will have done my first memoir. I will be joining my friends in helping our neighbors who need it. There is no self pity on my part. I will simply draw on the experiences of my family and how I was raised by parents and grandparents who survived the Great Depression–“making do.” I will do what needs to be done as best I can, and be grateful I still have a house that is not damaged, and the ability and resources to do some things if not all things.
Already by yesterday, the ice was melting from the branches still attached to trees, and the slush was melting. The sun was shining and the cats were sitting in the window sills on the porch, basking in the sun. I am ready to put on my “Bring on the Matriarchy” working pants and get it done. I will be here in Tupelo until Sunday morning, and will do a few more posts and photos the next day or so. We know it will be weeks, maybe more, before power is back. We are going to be okay. Not everyone in my neighborhood will be, and more so, not those beyond my neighborhood.
I will sign off for now, and get back when I can. Steffi and Reggie say it is supper time.
The past couple of weeks have been rather trying, which is exactly the time it is helpful to focus on the big picture, not the clumps of dog hair in the corners. The weather has taken a roller coaster ride, flipping from cold and below freezing to warm and in the 60s-70s, then back to rain and wind, and as we all know, the weekend will (if it has not already, depending on where you are) bring snow and ice.
We have prepped as well as we can for the unknown of the next 2-3 days. After almost 23 years here, we have learned a lot about winter in North Central Mississippi. Our biggest risk factor is power failure. This house is total electric, so without power, we have no water (after the pressure tank and lines runs out), no heat or cooling, or ability to cook, keep food cold or warm it up, and of course, no TV, Internet, or computer. We prepare for the potential of no water by getting extra water for the cooler for drinking, and I fill jugs in order to ensure we can wash hands and brush teeth. Another large 5 gallon bottle is set aside to be able to flush toilets in the event of power and water loss. We do have the charcoal grill, and the propane griddle if worse comes to worse, and the propane heater for the deck so Randy might not freeze if we need to cook something.
I have to admit, growing up in north central Texas in a rural area taught me the necessity of preparation. Water would freeze in the pipes. Rural farm houses then had no insulation, and most pipes were exposed. Our fuel for cooking and heating was butane, so we at least had warmth and could prepare food, and I don’t ever recall losing electric power, thanks to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the New Deal, and rural electrification as part of the New Deal Administration. My maternal and paternal grandparents had electricity and heat, even if they did not have indoor plumbing at the time. Their water came from a cistern that held rainwater collected through a gutter system on the edge of the roof and funneled into the cistern. The space heaters were turned off at night, to save fuel, and we slept warmly under quilts, made by hand from aunties, grandmothers, mothers, and neighbors at the quilting bee. Dad would get up early in the morning to light them again before it was time for us to get up and catch the school bus. In winter, we closed off all other rooms except the dining room and kitchen, and used the dining room as a “living room.” Heating only one room, open to the kitchen which also had the oven and burners lit for cooking was practical and saved fuel.
The bathtub was filled in order to have water to flush the toilet, at least as long as the septic tank did not freeze. A “bath” was done by scooping water out of the tub, heated on the stove, and poured into a basin to be used with soap and a wash cloth. Anyone my age or older knew the story of how to take a basin bath.
I have my online class in the morning, assuming we still have power; if not, I can just sit here and Zen out, meditating on my latest creation. I have said before that I am drawn to color, texture, shape and pattern. I have never been inclined to learn to crochet or knit, though I think they make beautiful textiles and enjoy using them in various ways. I watched my Grandma tatting when I was young, just amazed at how she could flick her tools and turn that white thread into something so beautiful.
I have been collecting examples of what I want to do on the screen porch interior, and found the paint colors I want in a magazine ad. I love nature colors, especially greens, and blues and the colors of sand, dirt, tree bark, pink and red flowers, and the light–that glorious light that beams down from the sun and the moon. That inspired my latest piece. I hung it today, over my desk so I can glance up and see it any time I need a short break, or inspiration, or cherish that I can do something just because I want to. It is like saying yes to myself, opening doors and windows and opening experiences.
My blogging friend Anne introduced me to Gregorian Chant this week when she posted about listening to Christmas music. I asked a question and she answered it with some examples and suggestions. Today, I looked it up and learned the history and then listened to several selections on YouTube music.
I started my workshop on writing a memoir Saturday and we have daily writing assignments this week, and then we select one to read aloud at the next class. Because my primary purpose in taking the class is that I want to write a memoir related to a specific life event, I am focusing homework on writing about personal experiences as they occur throughout the week. A memoir is different from a biography or autobiography. In a sense, I have done a lot of memoir writing throughout my life: diaries, journals, blogging.
How what I experience influences how I “be” in the world
In union, almost monotone? perfectly synchronized, the rising and falling of the breaths and extensions of spirit I feel at peace, transitioned and transported to a realm of calm and stillness
The softly pounding background of the music, the lilting soprano voices of Ave Maria bending near, stars raining past and reigning above calling me to focus on the drifting sounds of wispy clouds
feeling at peace
as the melodic sound of voices rise and fall soft as a shrouded bell and regulating my breathing in and out in and out
Even Steffi is still and calm behind me on the bed her eyes closed, heart calm feeling the celestial reach of the heavenly voices. We close our eyes together, noses near each other breathing in and out the same air and levitating us into the calm tranquil domain of floating in the space of just being.
Eclectic Mix of Genealogy, Bipolar Depression, Mental Health, Mental Illness, DNA, History, First Nations (aka Native Americans), Military History, World War II, Cemeteries, CrowdFunding, Christianity, Authors/Writing, and Gaming (RPGs, Board Games, Wargames, etc.).
All photographs are original images with all rights reserved unless otherwise credited. Kindly request permission prior to using.
Suzassippi's Lottabusha County Chronicles 
