Turn on the television today in Northwest Florida, and you are likely to hear reports of "Breaking News, Breaking Weather..." The disaster preparedness people in Florida take their storms seriously, and I'm glad. People living in flood-prone areas can find shelter in various public buildings, but guns and alcohol--according to one of the spokespeople on the news--are not welcome. We have taken our own precautions in preparation for what is now Tropical Storm Ida by putting up storm shutters, securing loose items in the yard, and taking pictures of items that seem to take their cue from the approaching storm. This Camellia sasanqua "Yuletide" has already dropped some blossoms but would be well-advised to cease opening any more buds for at least another day or so.
Yesterday afternoon--no kidding--I found another snapping turtle, Chelydra serpentina, taking a break in the middle of our backyard, on its way to higher ground. It appeared to be traveling away from the retention pond constructed by one of our neighbors. The wind might not be breaking too loudly, but the rain promises to break out in abundance.
Peanut, Daughter's cat, decides to investigate the snapper against my advice. She does whatever the heck she wants anyway, like someone else I know. That trait must be a dominant one in this family.
We had heard a few days ago that some kind of storm was imminent, and Peanut must have been sensitive to either the potential "ethereal blow" or the gathering tension in her humans. She hasn't attempted this feat since she was a young'un.
This morning, before the breaking wind and rain prevented a walk, I decided to chronicle the demise of a house down the road from us. It looks like it needs one of those "No Trust Passing" signs I posted about a while back. When SAM still had his real estate license a couple of years ago he contacted the owner of this property about listing it. The owner said he wanted to wait and see about the market going up some more so he could list it for a hefty sum. The house ain't worth much, but the land sure is prime. He might be out of luck for a while.
He fumbles at your SoulAs Players at the Keys
Before they drop full Music on--
He stuns you by degrees--
Prepares your brittle Nature
For the Ethereal Blow
By fainter Hammers--further heard--
Then nearer--Then so slow
Your Breath has time to straighten--
Your Brain --to bubble Cool--
Deals--One--imperial--Thunderbolt--
That scalps your naked Soul--
When Winds take Forests in their Paws--
The Universe--is still--
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a poem by Emily Dickinson, c. 1862
Love Emily Dickinson... someone 'borrowed' my book, and I never saw it again.
ReplyDeleteBe careful in the storm, and tell that cat to be careful of snappers... Once they clamp onto something, they don't let go till sundown! Or that's what Grandma always said...
Hey, Claude! Thought you wouldn't want to hang out anymore since the recent heated--perimenopausal--discussion on your post. Glad to see you again. Someone recently borrowed my Plato book without asking, and I'm not a happy camper. Somthing must have been wrong with the snapper because the cat's curiosity didn't faze it one bit.
ReplyDeletewhen it comes to heated discussions, I decided not to interfere, primarily because I couldnt think of a way to do it without taking sides, and I wasn't going to do any such thing...
ReplyDeleteUltimately, I decided that you were both grown-ups, and it was best to just let you two settle it on your own.
I'm glad they take them seriously but overall, local and national news coverage of hurricanes is notoriously over dramatized in all the wrong places and painfully underplayed in all the right places. I'm still angry with Alan Strum for some reporting he did after Ivan that was irresponsible.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I guess we're grups, Claude, like it or not. Mature ones, I'm not so sure about. Good for you that you don't take sides. That is a definite sign of maturity.
ReplyDeletePaula, I woke up this morning to see GMA's weatherman, whatever-his-name-is out at the beach with the wind ruffling his pretty hair. OMG! Can we handle the excitement? Guess I missed the Channel 3 debacle. We moved in shortly before Ivan, and I wasn't familiar yet with the local celebrities. What did Alan do?
Best wishes during the tropical storm! I was sort of paying attention, while we are here in Shreveport, LA...but of course, too far inland anyway for much. So glad it is dying down and will not be a hurricane...I pray.
ReplyDeleteBe safe!!!!!
Hope Ida tames down some more before it hits your area.
ReplyDeleteIt's odd but cats seem to know what is a threat and what is not. I've seen mine sit three feet from a huge raccoon and neither paid attention to the other.
Marnie
I have seen 'Yuletide' on many blogs and really like the red. You got a keeper there. Now bring in some of its cousins and really light up the house:)
ReplyDeleteStay safe down there and good luck on the program! Let me know how it goes!
Thanks, Julie! Yes, we were fortunate this time and dodged the bullet. We felt a tiny bit foolish this morning taking down the storm shutters, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.
ReplyDeleteMarnie, the storm has passed, and we weathered it just fine. Got a lot of rain and not much wind, thankfully. Only lost power for a few minutes last night. I welcomed the rain because now I don't have to do any watering for a few days. I've got some winter veggies growing.
Tina, I wish the budget allowed for more camellias, but I'll probably have to wait until next year. Yuletide is a beauty for sure. I'll keep you updated!
Good grief!!!What are you now, 'the snapper whisperer?'.. good grief that cat could have lost a limb or a head. Snapping turtles are docile in water but nasty on land... Glad that Ida didn't cause you a lot of trouble. Michelle
ReplyDeleteI do hope Ida loses some steam before she heads your way, W2W. Animals amaze me with their understanding of weather. I remember the mini-earthquake we had a year ago--the birds were in a buzz of activity before it happened, if we'd only paid attention. Glad to know Kitty didn't get TOO close to that snapping turtle!
ReplyDeleteHa! I like that, Michelle. "Snapper-whisperer." I'm still wondering why the turtle was crossing our yard. To get to the other side, maybe? Seriously, though, the fact that it wasn't aggressive, not even when Peanut got nose-to-nose with it, amazed me. I had to leave a few minutes after I took the pic of Peanut, and when I returned about 30 minutes later, it was gone! One of those unsolved turtle mysteries.
ReplyDeleteRose, thanks for the concern. Ida is now just another name in the tropical-storm-hits-the-Gulf-Coast history book. It's actually been windier yesterday and today than it was Monday night. Outer bands wrapping up, I guess. Animals do have that built-in sense of impending disaster. It's probably a good thing humans don't feel things so keenly or we'd all be crawling under cabinets and never emerging.
Scary poem... that Emily. Unrequited love can do that for people. I like the turtles approach better. Carefully head off for high ground and bring your house with you. :)
ReplyDeleteUnrequited love, unrealized storms... They all lead to disappointment for someone, I guess, TB. Some of the weather forecasters and news people seemed kind of down in the dumps for a couple of days about Ida. She didn't live up to their expectations. Carry your house around on your back? I think we already do with the mortgage/taxes/insurance. Feels like the weight of the world sometimes. Turtles are pretty lucky in that respect.
ReplyDeleteThere'll never be another poet quite like Ms. Emily. I love her imagery. "So slow your breath has time to straighten." That's just brilliant.
ReplyDeleteI hope y'all made it thru the rough weather okay.
I doubt that house would have weathered the storm well. It was a big rain maker up on the Atlantic Coast you probably saw.
ReplyDeleteTC, sometimes I think Emily is describing me to a "T," as if she knew how long it takes me to get out of bed in the morning. My Chinese fire drill days are definitely over! Thanks for the concern. We made it through the storm just fine with no damage.
ReplyDeleteMr. S, the house in the pic is still standing, though maybe leaning a bit more. I do feel bad for the residents on the Atlantic side. It's weird how a storm can peter out and then gather strength again somewhere else.
That's a beautiful Camellia. Love the poetry.
ReplyDeleteGood property but what are the clothes doing hanging on that rod. I didn't get that if the house is in such disrepair.
Glad the storm didn't bother you too much.
Hi, Lola! I think that the clothes are leftovers from the property owners' perennial yard sales held at their residence 1/4 mile down the road from this property. Or maybe they're hoping that the county won't condemn the house as long as it looks lived in?
ReplyDeleteNice quote from Dickinson's work. Beautiful and so are the photos. It'd be in my dreams that I see tortoises in gardens in my city! How exotic!
ReplyDeleteHi, Chandramouli! I've been missing your posts. I hope everything is all right with you. We've been very fortunate to see so much wildlife lately. Our neighborhood has quite a bit of green space nearby.
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