Tropical Storm Isaac passed my Florida home without too much disruption. The storm brought a few inches of rain and gusting winds that cleared some dead branches out of our hundred year oaks.
In our front yard, tree squirrels and a nest of mocking birds were inconvenienced and had to cope with Isaac's gusting into warm rain squalls. Birds flew away to hunker down in thick bougainvillea or in low spots near the inner banks of the creek. The squirrels spent much of the night and day huddling on the lee ward side of the tree.
A huge storm, Isaac intensified into a Hurricane picking up a gazillion more tons of water in the Gulf than fell here in Sarasota. So, again we were spared and Isaac's additional rain will help refill our reservoir in the celery fields.
But hurricanes have always been kind to us in Southwestern Florida.
Tropical storms that slip past Cuba tend to travel north- and northwest-ward on their way to the northern Gulf Coast visiting the Panhandle of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and New Orleans. They very, very seldom turn back into SouthWestern Florida.
Isaac, it will be said, did not do too much to promote the local economy. A few batteries were sold, a few popcorn poppers went to the preparation conscious and a rush on at-home movie rentals occurred before the strongest winds appeared.
Peering out the kitchen window during the height of the storm, I spied a wonderful tea in the brewing: numerous natural blessings from Isaac were floating in the pool.
Here were gorgeous bamboo leaves, delicate vinca or periwinkles, dead leaves from the young orange tree, a few drowned bees who rarely fare well in pools, miscellaneous bugs, vegetable fibers and a small raft of dead ants. The pictorial collage presented by Isaac seemed endless.
In our front yard, tree squirrels and a nest of mocking birds were inconvenienced and had to cope with Isaac's gusting into warm rain squalls. Birds flew away to hunker down in thick bougainvillea or in low spots near the inner banks of the creek. The squirrels spent much of the night and day huddling on the lee ward side of the tree.
As usual, during the passing of hurricanes,
rain came in bands of showers attended by gusting winds.
But hurricanes have always been kind to us in Southwestern Florida.
Tropical storms that slip past Cuba tend to travel north- and northwest-ward on their way to the northern Gulf Coast visiting the Panhandle of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and New Orleans. They very, very seldom turn back into SouthWestern Florida.
HOWEVER ---
Here were gorgeous bamboo leaves, delicate vinca or periwinkles, dead leaves from the young orange tree, a few drowned bees who rarely fare well in pools, miscellaneous bugs, vegetable fibers and a small raft of dead ants. The pictorial collage presented by Isaac seemed endless.
A few of the visual blessings wrought by Isaac.
Yes, how fortunate I am to be living here.
