November 27, 2004

This is straight out of the camera - no photoshopping and no changes in saturation. This is the real deal. A spectacular sunrise, it heralded the arrival of a terrific and terrifying storm. Windows shook and vibrated due to 60 mph winds, and water gushed through the cracks left by the caulking that popped out. Water ran down our walls from upper windows and bulged beneath the paint and drywall. I was up all night mopping up with towels. We had to move the furniture and place buckets and bowls everywhere to catch the dribbles from our loft windows. Well, not "we" as my husband was out of town.

This particular storm was the first one of many similar storms in our lake house. This shot is facing southeast, and when winds come from that direction there's nothing to stop it as that's the river channel. Fierce winds slammed into our front windows like a fiend, rattling the rafters and shaking windows. It boomed and the house shuddered and creaked. But the windows held and the house stayed on its foundation and all was well after a little repair work.

Our lake is beautiful and I love a good storm. It's a good thing, because storms here can be quite fierce since we're beside open water. No doubt every one of you have similar weather stories. I take the bad with the good as with these storms come great photo opportunities.

I'm adding this bit on Friday night - I thought about my post this afternoon and decided to post an informal disclaimer. I'm not for a moment comparing my storm experience with those of the hurricane victims. While we've had our times here, my heart is going out tonight to those in Ike's path. I cannot imagine, and never want to experience, the fury of a hurricane.