Touchdown

We don’t live in Tornado country. My husbands great (maybe another great) grandfather was in The Great Oklahoma Land Rush and staked out his very own homestead way back yonder. I’ve often said to Honey, “Honey, lets skip town and leave this rat race. Lets go out to “the farm” and set up house keeping there.” The Farm is still in the family, however, there’s nothing there; no house, no barn, nothing, except torandos. Honey usually responds with “No thanks. Do you really want those tornados?” I then respond with a “no not really, but lets leave town anyway!!” 😉

Yesterday I was at the computer and I could hear thunder in the distance. The lights started flickering and I shut her down. I sat looking out the window, and as the trees began to be horizontal, I said to myself, “Self, I think you ought to check out the local weather.” I turned the TV on to see that we were under a tornado watch…..then I have to do that thing in my head…..watch, warning, watch, warning. WATCH meant there is a spotting and we ought to seek cover. At that point after I’d figured out the watch, warning thing…. that Broadcasting Warning Signal that always interrupts the show your watching….well, it came on! It scared the crap out of me!!! I’ve never had that happen, so I knew it was something to take seriously. It read, seek cover immediately a tornado has been spotted in your area. Take all loved ones and pets to the basement or interior room of the house. Pronto, I told Becca to grab the little “Toto” dog and I’d get the 105lb Lab!!!!! Right. The lab, Boomer, wouldn’t go down the stairs. He is getting old and he can’t do the weight on his front legs. So I let him go and the three of us, including “Toto” went to sit under the stairs.

It’s been a good 10 yrs since we’ve had to hide under the basement stairs, and boy is there a lot of crap under there. I was kinda screaming like a girl and we managed to get in. I have a hand crank radio there for such a time as this and I turned it on. There had already been a touch down in VA and it was heading towards Annapolis MD. We aren’t really close to Annapolis, but we stayed for a little longer. At one point I ran up to get the lab and take him through the backdoor and into the basement walkout. He was much happier to come this time. The dogs were very excited. The “Toto” dog, Lady, can smell a storm a hundred miles away and then sets into her panic mode. Panting and shaking and thinking she’s going to die. I resembled that a little.

We had clocked winds at a gust of 86 MPH!!!!! Yikes that’s some pretty heavy wind. Of course all I could think about was my garden. How many times does a storm take it out? In about 45 min’s the rain let up and the storm was heading across the Chesapeake Bay to my parents and sister’s house. So, I gave a call over there to give them warning……I had no clue it was coming. My poor sister also has a dog like Lady, scared of it’s own shadow. We all survived and thankfully or unthankfully, only one person was killed when a tree feel on their car.

My garden survived without a thing blowing over. We went out and you can see some amazing pics on Becca’s blog. She just received her macro lense when the UPS man drove up in the brown truck right after the storm passed. She got some amazing photos of raindrops. It’s cool. My garden is flourishing and was thankful for the rain.

First planting of Pole Beans

Second Planting of Pole Beans

Third Planting of Pole Beans

Corn that the crow ate!!!! ;(

My rigging of string that finally worked to keep the crows out, but it was too late!

A Zinnia volunteer among my Limas.

Since I ran out of room I planted my seedling basil in between my onions.

Another Zinnia Volunteer among my onions

I love volunteers!!! These are Zinnia that have been coming back for 3 yrs!

Opps, sideways volunteer Cleome. I think I’ll let this one go. They do get monsterous and drop seed pods everywhere, but the sure are pretty.