Saturday, August 22, 2009

Summer Stock Sunday - 13












This afternoon was spent battening down the hatches for the imminent arrival of Hurricane Bill, due to hit Yarmouth overnight with heavy rainfall and making its way here to Halifax by the early morning hours.













This is a shot of Hurricane Bill taken by NASA. Its immense size gives me the willies.













Winds are expected to gust up to 110-130 kilometers an hour, with rainfall in the Hailfax area of up to 140 millimeters and a storm surge of 3 meters expected.

For my American readers, that translates to wind at 68-80 miles per hour, rainfall of 5-and-a-half inches, with a storm surge of nearly ten feet higher than the normal coastal waterline at high tide.

As we did before Hurricane Juan descended upon us six years ago, my husband, my mom and I cleared drainspouts and secured loose items in the yard.














I tuck away Mom's mirrored garden tripod she made, and which has a base too wide to fit in through the doors.














Mom and I had to make a little train and scoot the four tubs holding her cherry tomatoes, green beans and cucumbers, because the beans and cukes had twined around everything. We stashed them under the deck.














This is where the veggies have been until this afternoon. Along with my phlox which have just blossomed. They're going to be ripped to shreds.














Xena was very happy to supervise. She was also happy to eat the one ripened green bean I'd picked and laid down on the step.














This was the sight that greeted me the morning after Hurricane Juan. Shredded leaf splatter all over the house. Sigh.

I wonder what will remain of the garden by Monday? I took this picture this morning so I could remember it.














Just a note:

The likelihood of a power outtage may keep my blog quiet for a few days.

For more Summer Stock Sunday, visit Robin at Around the Island.

Susan Helene Gottfried says Be safe, my friend.

Apprentice Writer says Hope all is well.

Travis says I know that hurricanes do travel so far north. But I always associate them with ravaging the southern coastal states, islands, and Mexico.

16 comments:

Susan Helene Gottfried said...

Be safe, my friend. I'll be thinking about you.

Julia Phillips Smith said...

Thanks, Susan. ((hug))

M. said...

Hope all is well. We just got an outrageous amount of rain, but only a few short kilometers away in Vaughan, roofs were ripped off houses and trees uprooted. They've declared a state of emergency in the town, and you can't tell anything happened at all in our neighborhood. Destiny is a whimsical beast.

Anonymous said...

So happy that I had captured some photos of your garden also. You could have called me, would have loved to help batten down the hatches.

Dimple said...

I hope the storm does much less damage than you expect!

Dianne said...

I am holding good thoughts for you

I just heard that Bill is weakening and I hope it stays that way

Travis Cody said...

Is it going to make landfall? I was watching the track yesterday and it looked like it was staying offshore.

This is really weird. I know that hurricanes do travel so far north. They have to go somewhere. But I always associate them with ravaging the southern coastal states, islands, and Mexico.

Julia Phillips Smith said...

M - All is well so far. Lots of wind and rain, but nothing remotely resembling Hurricane Juan as of 2:00 pm. By this time with that hurricane, the smell of popped-open tree trunks filled the air. Very creepy about Vaughan. I have tornado-phobia - the whole time I lived in Ontario I dreaded them.

Miss Shelby Lynne - We didn't have too much to squirrel away. Unfortunately, even though I cleared out the drainspouts, water is seeping under Mom's front door, big time.

Dimple - The eye of the storm appears to be staying out at sea. We're still getting hurricane-force winds, though. But the news footage I'm seeing so far down at the harbour shows much less rock-and-roll than for Hurricane Juan.

Dianne - Thanks for your good thoughts. It's been quite a show to watch. Hurricane Juan was in the dark, so there was nothing to see - only to feel and hear.

Travis - Apparently no landfall *whew*

Nova Scotia's biggest natural disaster problems are hurricanes. We get them fairly regularly. They start down in the Caribbean and roll their way along the eastern seaboard to us. I think hurricanes give us part of our character. Our dark sense of humour is barnacle-like - we hang on through everything.

Akelamalu said...

I hope everything is OK Julia and there's not too much damage. x

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

I'm glad to hear that things seem to be okay up your way! Stay safe and dry.

Robin said...

You guys are really battening down the hatches - I hope it's all a false alarm and all you get is the rain. Stay safe my friend - and dry too!

kayerj said...

wow--good luck with riding out the storm. Hope to see you back soon with some pictures. my summer stock photo can be seen here

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

Thanks for your comment, Julia. Amazingly, I was just wondering today about adding "The Impressionists" to my queue on N*etflix! With your recommendation, I'm going to do it.

Sara

poefusion said...

Keeping fingers crossed the hurricane won't land. I'm sorry you've had to experience this as I know it can be a scary thing to go through. Hope everyone stays safe and no much damage is incurred.

Kelly Boyce said...

It really didn't end up being much did it?

Kim (Sophisticated Dorkiness said...

I'm way behind commenting, but I hope everything is ok. I'm from the midwest so I don't hear much about hurricanes. I guess if I haven't heard much news about it, then it couldn't have been that bad?

Also, your dog is adorable :)