High Ground

I love the wind before a storm, a storm is coming into day and the wind is ripping through the trees out my front door. The temperature is cooler today, partly due to the wind and partial cloud either way it’s comfortable in my house today. I have the front door open and the sound of the gusting wind is great. I suppose this is not the same feeling to those in the Gulf Coast getting ready for the arrival of Gustov.

Dianne is from Louisiana and knows about hurricanes and she has family still Baton Rouge and Dianne is quite concerned. We have been following the storm’s approach for the past two days mostly on the INTENRNET since coverage by local medical has been sketchy at best. Local media has been all full our coming storms and the fires in the state.

I sometimes get a little smug when I see these catastrophes round the county, especially in places where the occur frequently and am quick to say, “why would any one live there” under their on volition. I think I am safe here in the Rockies, no hurricanes, twisters( rarely) and never of any consequence and occasional heavy snows—but even the snow is gone relatively quick. But, we are not so safe here, along the Great Wasatch Front. We are just biding our time. Sooner then later our water is going to run out—its just a matter of time. We do live in a Deseret and the only reason we have what we have is due to irrigation and some benevolent deep well, which are drying up. And then there is the “big one”. The City of Salt Lake is built on a major fault line, that according to all the geologists, is ready to slip and when the fault slips will liquefy the ground and most likely destroy a good portion of this city and surrounding area. We shrug our shoulders for the most part and increase our food and water storage and return to watering and mowing our yards and watching The Weather Channel and the Five-0-Clock news and wonder why those folks continue to live in Louisiana and Florida. I have sister who lives in Tornado Ally in Colorado and she has been wiped out a couple of time but contuse to live there and she is brilliant!

I guess home is home regardless of where one lives and you love where you live or you get out. You take what nature throws at you but your are thankful for all the other days you are blessed with beautiful sunrises and sunsets, winters with out snow or freezing temperatures and great tasting watermelons. The catastrophe hits, you look round and see who made it through, help your self and neighbors, where you can, and get on with your life. My mother-in- law lives in Baton Rouge, she is elderly and somewhat frail and many in the family are trying to get her to live her home and ride out the storm with them but Mom does not want to leave her home and move in with a bunch of youngsters who is all fussing and caring on. Mom knows what she is doing, she has seen it all before and she will get by one way or another after all like she has said numerous time “ I’m on high ground here. I’ll be just fine” then she winks and says good bye.