all clear: high and (mostly) dry now, thank you
THANKS TO SO MANY OF YOU who have emailed or otherwise been in touch asking about how we fared here with Tropical Storm Irene. I measured more than 7.5 inches of rain in my gauges from middle of the night Saturday through Sunday afternoon; up to 10 had been forecast. But somehow other than 6-plus inches in the basement, the storm went through without major damage–a fact I cannot explain except to say it’s all mere chance, as unpredictable as every day in every life. I’m grateful to remain perched on my hillside, with the frogs huddled high and dry in the pine boughs just as they were (above) while we waited Saturday for it all to begin. I am more than anything wishing for quick relief for those hit harder up and down the storm’s enormous path, including, I imagine, some of you.
Glad to know all’s well on your hill. Have some friends in the Catskills who did not fare as well. But the sun comes out and life goes on!
Hope the frogs are back by their pools now!
Hope you get your basement nice and dry soon!!
I have to say, though, what a beautiful calm after the storm – cool mornings and evenings, and nary a trace of that awful New Jersey late-August humidity we often get. The Raritan River is on the wild side right now, but I live far enough uphill that it’s not much of a concern other than having to find alternate travel routes for a while.
I am looking forward to gardening this weekend for the first time in a while, and am trying to prevent myself from running out to the nursery to pick up all the plants you’ve recommended (except for hostas – those are the deer’s salad bar and I’ll be removing the ones I’ve got and sending them to go live with Mom in the city)
Have been thinking of you; so glad to see a post and know that you are okay.
Glad to hear it, Margaret. As Sharon said (I am on the Raritan too!), there is some flooding in NJ, but nothing too bad. It seems my real garden in central VT made it ok, but the devastation in so many of the communities that I love and call home has been hard to watch. It has been especially terrible for my farming friends, who after a slow, wet summer, have lost all of their food crops to flooding and can’t even replant for 60 days.
You are still well off for frogs – what about toads as I heard today their numbers are going down over here.
Our family are so pleased that you and your home are safe.
When I heard Irene was moving toward New York. My first thought was uh oh I hope Margaret won’t be in the path of the storm. Glad to hear you are okay.
We are so dry in Texas, a stern gaze will set the grass on fire.
We were without electricity here in my NJ river town until this morning and we had some water in our basement as well. My neighbors along the river were evacuated and are back in town now although some still without power. Delaware didn’t quite reach flood level here so very, very grateful for that.
Happy you and your home are OK. And I LOVE your frog photo….HOW did you get that shot?
I’m glad to hear that you made it through without severe damage. We were also spared, and are so grateful, but feel so sorry for those that lost so much.
Hi, Lynne, and thank you. Glad you are OK, too. It’s always such a crapshoot; I really thought we were going to be slammed right here as well.
@Madeline: The frogs here are real posers. I just have to go outside and they all start mugging for the camera. :)
Hello, Catherine. I do see lots of toads, too, but they won’t sit still for me as much as the frogs will; they are more skittish, so I get far fewer photos of them. Not having used chemicals here for so many years and having the various water features certainly has encouraged all these lovelies.
I have been thinking of you and your garden all weekend. I am so sad about the Catskills and what is going on there. Will be thinking of you while I garden all week long. I have had my Grandchildren all Summer and my garden can tell I have been away too long.
Thank goodness! I’ve been holding my breath, thinking about you, waiting til i could log on and see how you made it through the storm. WIth the news of Vermont, i feared the worst. So much water in the basement is a big deal, and I”m glad you are otherwise okay. Thanks for being such a beautiful inspiration Margaret. I think of you often out here in the hot and dry part of Washington State.
Thanks, Jen, for the kind words. We really expected much worse. Wishing you will get some rain!
Relieved to hear that you and the frogs made it through!
Glad to hear you survived and now have your power on again. Here on our mtn ridge in Delaware County, we were lucky to come thru with no loss of power and only minor issues with downed trees and overflowing ponds. Our little creek has become a wild beautiful, roaring beast. We had the generator ready and extra gas on hand, and didn’t need it at all.
So glad you and the frogs and
Jack,too, are safe and well. We in Shaftsbury are in a protected spot, but so much of Vermont has grievous damage.
Glad that all is well in your area. The photo of the frogs in the trees was wonderful. I had no idea that they would do such a thing. Truly remarkable.
Margaret, I’m glad you came through okay, with all of your animal buddies. We did well in MD, too, thankfully. Thanks for sharing the wonderful photos of your plant and animal buddies!
Yesterday I was deadheading my hydrangeas which is next to my water feature and I noticed a frog sitting on a lily pad very close to where I was working. I walked right up to him and he didn’t flinch. When I came out with my camera he had hopped out of the water onto the patio and accommodated my photo session. That is a first! I think this is a very un-shy new guy because the others have been weenies.
Margaret do you know what kind of frogs these are? I have some too and babies. My pool is very tiny with a bubbler in it and I also have a granite fountain. Both are homes to these frogs. I am amazed at how they can find these tiny watering holes. I’m not sure I’d be so clever out in the wild.
We fared well in Charlotte VT too. Only branches down.
It is good to know all is well with you Margaret. We dodged the bullet here in Fla, not by much. My sister’s flight from Boston was cancelled so my vacation was rearranged but gratitude reigns. Now there’s one of those K storms moving along but the weatherpeople say something will turn it away. I’m happy you are ok, and your garden. We’ve seen some disatrous images in the news. All the best, Daisy Marshall.
Margaret,
So glad you and your critters are all ok. We got a little rain but mostly gusty winds with little damage in this part of Virginia. had an earthquake last week so I’m really enjoying the calm weather we are having and the plants love the cooler night temps.
Nothing so far has chased my resident bear away from the apple trees. Saw him the other night happy as could be and then my dogs chased him away into the woods. Ah the bonuses of living in the country. Kathy
We watched this all diligently on the news, having survived forest fires, floods and earthquakes in the past. But fortunately hurricanes are something we don’t have to worry about in Alaska. Still….any kind of natural disaster is something I can definitely empathize with. As for me, we’re experiencing nights of 27º in the last week, so my garden is something I’ve been trying to protect with frost cloth with limited success. Just pulled the last of the cabbage, green beans and peas today. All that’s left are carrots, potatoes, celery and herbs and I’ll get to that in the next week. Sad to see it go, but frankly, our growing season is so intense and hectic that this time of year we’re about ready to see it be over. I’m already starting to take inventory and plan next years garden!
I’ll bet all the rain makes you glad you’re on a hillside after all!
Yes, indeed, Margaret. We also feel lucky to have weathered the storm. Our little “slice of heaven” on a hill seems to have been built like a bunker: simple, square, and strong. I remember when we first saw it, after years of looking for the right place, and though it was too small and too expensive, we knew it had good bones and a dry basement. Meanwhile, we keep our not-so-fortunate friends across the river in our thoughts, those in Windham and Margaretville and parts of CT and on and on. Nature, she is an unpredictable thing. Glad you’re ok, too.
Glad to hear, besides a very wet basement, you were ok! Quite an interesting day with Irene! We were fine here in Monterey MA and may have over-prepared-is that possible? I even took in my rain gauges, what a mistake, thinking they’d blow away. Heard we had 10 inches-luckily the basement stayed dry! All the docks on the lake were completely covered with water but they seem to have survived without damage. The pleasant weather now does allow for a good time to clean up and cut back those sad-looking perennials. Enjoy the cool temps while they last!
I’m glad you faired so well margaret. Here in CT we had 6 days with no power and no running water. The “little house on the prarie” novelty wore off by about day 3! Remarkably most of the green tomatoes managed to stay on the plants, so if we could get a few more days of hot weather here in Sept in would be really great!
I am so glad you escaped Irene’s wrath. Our home and garden did not escape, and our town in Southern Fairfield County was hit hard. But rev up those chain saws and get out the rakes, time for clean up and renewal!