“Name the season’s first hurricane Zelda and fool Mother Nature into calling it a year.”
The heat wave continues. An early morning breeze which made the deck pleasant has disappeared. Although this room is the coolest in the house, I’ve already started sweating.
I’m watching the weather as I’m keeping an eye on Earl. The Cape and Islands are on a hurricane watch. We are 24-36 hours out, but Earl’s track seems to be getting closer. I took down all the candles from the trees and will clear more of the deck later. Also, I have to buy a few provisions as the larder is a bit empty. The good news is the weekend weather will be a delight, compliments of Earl.
I remember only one hurricane from when I was a kid, and it was a huge one. I was seven when hurricane Carol hit. Even then I found raging storms mesmerizing, and I remember standing at the picture window in the living room watching the tremendous wind blow the trees nearly to the ground. The rain fell sideways sometimes one way then the other. The house shook. The sound of the wind was tremendous. My mother kept telling me to stay away from the windows, but I just couldn’t. It was like I could feel the wind all through my body.
We heard the loudest crack, ran to the side window and saw the huge oak tree from across the street had broken in half. The top part, with all the branches, had fallen across the road. When the eye of the hurricane arrived, my dad took us so we could check out the tree. There was this eerie stillness outside, and I swear the world was a different color. I remember climbing through the branches and seeing the split trunk. It had been the biggest and oldest tree on the street.
The next day my dad drove us to the ocean so we could see the waves. They were still huge, even tremendous. They washed up and over the seawalls to the street which was covered in water. I wanted to feel the spray from the waves, but my dad wouldn’t stop. We were just one car in a line of cars slowly working its way up the street as everyone gawked at the power of the wind even a day after the hurricane.
Explore posts in the same categories: MusingsTags: Earl, hurricane carol, the eye of the storm
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keepthecoffeecoming.blog 
September 2, 2010 at 11:31 am
We lost our cherry tree and one of the old apple trees in Hurricane Carol. Diane took the other apple tree, the one my dog and I used to sleep under. I never found hurricanes as worrisome as thunder storms but then again I was never in a hurricane that was very bad.
I remember going over to Revere beach one time when there was a hurricane well off shore. The wind was pretty strong just the same. I opened my jacket and held like wings and the wind lifted me up off my feet just a little bit. Of course I was considerably lighter then. Nowadays my mass would have me well anchored to the planet.
September 3, 2010 at 8:48 am
Caryn,
I love my giant blue spruce during Bob, the worst hurricane to have hit here in years. I lost for two days, it cam back on then went off again for another two days. Fallen trees covered the roads. Houses in Chatham fell into the ocean, and the erosion caused the ends of streets tro disappear. You’d look down a street and see the pavement disappear under a wave.
We also went over to Revere Beach!
September 2, 2010 at 11:44 am
I do hope Earl calmes down before it hits You!
I too love storms, hurricanes are rare up here. But we had two of them just a couple of years ago. The hurricane Gudrun hit us 2005 in the middle of the winter. More trees fell than they usually cut down in a year and hundreds of thousands people were without power for weeks. Then the hurricane Per hit us two years later. Also in the middle of the winter with almost the same result.
In both storms my cottage was sheltered by the forest, so nothing happened to my cottage. But I enjoyed every second of it!
have a great day now!
Christer.
September 3, 2010 at 8:49 am
Christer,
I turned on the TV early but there is no real change in the forecast. I guess we’re in for wind and rain but nobody is sure exactly how much wind. The worst of the storm is on the ocean side, east of us.
I have only a couple of more things to do to be ready.
September 2, 2010 at 1:50 pm
Might be time for you to pack Gracie’s bowls, some doggie food, a few doggie toys (oh and some stuff for yourself) and generally point the car inland
September 3, 2010 at 8:50 am
My Dear Hedley,
I figure if I survived Bob this one should be easy. Thanks for your advice, but I figure we’ll hunker down and keep an eye on the storm and the house.
September 2, 2010 at 4:10 pm
I agree with Hedley, Kat. This one looks like it can do some real damage. Maybe get a hotel room in Boston, is that far enough away from the Cape? I remember Erin down here when we had a summer intern living with us and he couldn’t get off work in time for all of us to leave the island. By the time he got home the police had closed off the bridges and we were stuck. At 3AM we watched our family room get hurled into the Indian River and the sound was deafening. We never stayed for one after that long night. We are lucky to have survived. Set out plenty of food for the brood and get going!
September 3, 2010 at 8:51 am
Z&Me,
I don’t think this is really all that bad. Not even the weathermen are sure. I figure if I storm proof the house and yard I’ll be fine.
We’ve lived through a few really bad hurricanes, and Earl isn’t even close in intensity so I figure we’re safe.
September 3, 2010 at 6:58 am
Just play the Dixie Chicks “Earl”
They had the right idea
September 3, 2010 at 8:52 am
I’m laughing, Pete!