I refinished the
eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) box a woman ordered for her 25th anniversary present for her husband. Due to fact that there is a hurricane on I drove over to her town to deliver it so she would have it before the actual anniversary. She was very pleased with it and is certain her husband will like it too. Here is what the sky looked like over there:
On my way home I drove past a friend's house and saw her tending her garden. I stopped and we had a great talk. We usually walk together but the heat has prevented that since June so it was good to see her. I took pictures of the flowers in her garden - she does great work:
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In other words: a nice day.
You never know with these hurricanes, but I hope you're far enough inland that you won't get much besides rain. On the bright side, a major storm frequently knocks down plenty of trees for firewood and bowls. We're bracing for the flood of refugees and the scarcity of gasoline that sometimes accompanies them.
My former manager just moved to Charleston two weeks ago, and last night she was heading back here, just in case. These mountains historically shield us from major weather events, but one slips through every now and again. This might be one of those times. We'll know in a couple of days.
We have a couple of dead cedar trees out back. They straddle the line between us and the neighbors. The house became a rental for a few years, and one of the tenants trimmed the trees in order to...I don't know why, they were insane...and since then they just dried up and died. I'm not sure what type of cedar they are. The bigger one has a diameter of maybe 20". Is that enough to make bowls? I'll have to talk to the neighbor and see if he wants to cut them down this fall. They may just get dragged off into the woods to rot.
It was a good day, AllenS, a bit somber at times, but I try to be here now.
Windbag, you are correct. Storms are unpredictable and even though I have lived through at least a dozen major hurricanes no two are alike.
I just spent a half hour on the phone talking to a guy who lives down on the coast. His house is 12' AMSL and he has worked himself into a panic. Asked me what I would do - being me I said "To start with, I wouldn't live on the coast unless the house was on a hill or a bluff at least 35" AMSL". That didn't help. So I asked him to graph it out - what happens if he stays - storm might hit, might not. If it hits his place, what is the storm surge? If he leaves, what happens? Can he haul his stuff to high ground before hand? In any case, rather than panic he needs a plan. I told him to call his wife, she is better at sorting these things out.
Historically I have gotten some great windfall wood from hurricanes and ice storms. Still have a bunch, but I have gassed up my car and my saws just in case some white oak or redbud or dogwood becomes available.
As for cedar, I once got a log 4' in diameter - really. I was amazing. Had some rot but I was able to turn some huge bowls out of it. A 20" diameter log would easily make 15" bowls, so next time you drive down here to the flatlands haul a couple of rounds with you, I can use it. Wait until the water subsides, you'll be fine.
Sixty just cruisin' and chattin'. Do you drive a pickup?
I do. Why do you ask? Are you covetous of the contents of my rifle rack?
People in Hollywood — the ones clutching their jade eggs— are saying the East Coast deserves this for spawning Trump. They’re saying this would have never happened under President Hillary.
Just trying to visualize your day, Sixty. I practice visualization. It started as my being a baseball coach but I find it helps me professionally and personally. The focus of my visualization is seeing myself doing something well. But, I also like to visualize others doing something well. I have visualized you whittlin' after looking at some of your fine craft work.
It's Nice To Be Nice*
I make stuff for folks and deliver it too,
What the hell more do you want?
I'm even good for a neighborly chat,
Some folks can some folks cahn't.
It beats seeing a useless shrink
Or going on a useless rahnt.
* When I was in my teens I got a job at a Bickford's in downtown Brooklyn. Bickford's I assume is long gone. Anyway, I quit without giving notice after three weeks and as I was leaving the manager said that to me, "It's nice to be nice." I now understand that he was trying to improve me, improve my character. He didn't have to do that, he could have just said to himself good riddance to bad rubbish, but he didn't, he made an effort. The things you remember.
Hey Troop, if you're out there write a post about Bickford's.
How far are you from the coast? Are you going to flee to the interior?
Spins, this morning I visualized digging a trench to divert water away from the garage door to my shop. I have to do that every so often and it always fills in again. Mysterious.
But after the visualization I put my vision into action, ran the shovel like a pro, dragged three cart loads of dirt and gravel back to the mound in the back of my yard. Then I took a shower and drove to the bank - I was checking to see if they had my money in a cool, dry spot. They do.
Later I sat down as I had gotten the idea that I needed to check my eyelids for leaks.
They're good.
AllenS, I am about 100 miles as the crow flies from the ocean and the elevation here is 545 feet, so it's going to take one heck of a storm surge to flood my crawl space. I will try to stay up to date on where the storm is going and if needed, secure any loose objects that might blow around.
@sixty: will you liveblog Hurricane Florence — at least until your power goes down?
With a visualized and actualized trench, funds banked up, and your self closing shutters in working order it sounds like you're set for the blow, Sixty. Take care of yourself, and you too windbag!
Thanks, MamaM. Sixty certainly sits closer to the danger zone on this one. If the projected path turns out to be accurate, it's supposed to park itself over us after it drops to a tropical depression, then dump a ridiculous amount of rain on us. Being in the mountains, floods don't necessarily worry me, but they can wreak havoc...and have. In 2004 we had a horrible mudslide after Ivan tore through. Five people dead. About fifteen homes flattened. People came into the restaurant and just sat there in a daze, not able to eat.
I've seen some power trucks lining up, ready to be deployed, but they'll have to wait and see where to report to. They may need to stay here. You never know. Gas stations had lines this morning. People topping off their tanks and getting gas for generators. We're a popular destination for Florida people anyway, so when they flee, they come here. My generator fired up on the first pull, so I'm pretty happy with that.
Чикелит - as of 6 this morning my internet connection is already getting dicey - some sites are inaccessible. I will do what I can, and my first report is as follows:
Ominous clouds appeared in the northeast - that is never a good sign. More to follow.
Care is being taken, MamaM - hatches are battened, and later I will secure the recycle bin as it is light for its sail area. Maybe I will move my vehicles so that if trees snap they won't land on said vehicles.
Heavy rain, mudslides and flooding can be devastating in the mountains - I can remember what Agnes did in the hills of West Virginia and PA. Very bad.
I should probably sharpen my 066 - the 088 is ready to go, but a backup saw is always a good thing.
I don't have a generator which is okay in summer storms but one can get mighty cold when an ice storm wipes out power. I keep forgetting to build a fireplace in my house. I wonder why.
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