Now look at the pictures below. The first one is taken of our driveway after the first day of the storm. It looked even worse a few days later. This is what we have all over our woods. The second picture is after spending the past 3 Saturday's cleaning up after the storm. (You can see the last pile of snow at the very end of the driveway.)
True, it's not summer when the original driveway picture was taken, so surely it will green up. But it will not look nearly as lovely. Too many things have changed. Reid has chainsawed many fallen trees while we have stacked wood like crazy. We've hardly made a dent on the clean up that is needed. I feel sad when I look into the woods and see so many toppled trees that we may not get to for months, if ever. Our walking path is covered up. I used to walk it nearly every day.
Besides feeling sad, we are also feeling soreness in our arms and legs after spending so much time trying to get things to look better than as if a tornado went through. What do you do with all that rubble of leaves and limbs? We've been making burn piles. But we are on a burn ban right now. They are not very pretty, so us and our neighbors are renting a wood chipper so we can start knocking out the piles.
In summary, here's my thoughts: The Negative first.
Our yard will never look the same again. It is a very different look.
I know there are some thinking, "That's what you get for living where you do."
The power company has informed us that to offset the costs of repair after the storm, our rates are going up!
The Positive: We were prepared and could have gone much longer, but I'm so glad we didn't need to.
It could have been worse. I've heard all kinds of stories. Maybe it's the Mom in me, but the worst story for me was of a family in our ward who got the stomach flu in the middle of the storm. Four little kids. They had a rough time.
We have been able to know our neighbors much better.
It brought the town together. It seems everyone has been checking on and helping everyone. There are great people in the world!
We have been able to donate wood to several families in need who now have enough wood to keep them warm all next winter.
We may try to let Mike sell some wood next fall, if he can take it a few hours away. Everyone around here has plenty!
I cleaned out both of my freezers, a job I had put off too long.
Mother Nature is amazing! Unpredictable, powerful, changing, and loud. And yet I also know she is tender, a creator, and bearer of beauty. I found myself standing there with a big smile on my face as I noticed the bulbs coming up between the twigs on the ground. I do believe this will be my favorite Spring.
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