Wednesday, October 16, 2024

These conversations

 --   So some people talk about politics.

And some of us talk about weather, and climate change. Goodness, what about Hurricane Milton?

Some (many) of us talk about women's issues.

And some of us talk about art...in all its various forms....music, poetry, painting, sculpture, pottery!

I've been posting over on "Alchemy of Clay" some of the art I liked at the recent exhibit at the Columbia Art Museum - on loan from the Brooklyn Art Museum, 

I must give a big comment about cousin John in South Carolina (though he probably won't ever read this.) He was an angel of refuge for me. But while receiving a comfortable home, I got to know a very intelligent and interesting man that I wouldn't have without staying with him for 8 days. We had at least one meal together daily. He wouldn't let me cook, which probably was a good thing.

 I bought some groceries after we decided on two meals which would also leave him with left overs. Like many busy people, he likes to cook a big amount and then have several meals out of it. But I must comment that the man likes a very big serving for a meal, so leftovers probably don't go very far. He also runs about an hour each day! I was thrilled to have such wonderful things provided for me.

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I've safely traveled (on Wed.) to a dear friend's home in the piedmont of North Carolina. The news yesterday was that non-potable water would be tested in Black Mountain to see where leaks were in an emergency 18 inch line. That water would only be useable for flushing since it would have so much sediment in it.

I have loved renewing my friendship with Martha in her sweet house. I'm so blessed! But I'm also eager to be back in my little apartment. The maintenance man called me and told me elec is on and there's water coming into toilets, but can't be used for anything else. So I'll be sure to pick up some water bottles by the case before I go home. Sunday is my target travel date for now (I wrote this on Friday 10.11.24)


This is probably already in the works...we just haven't noticed it!






Above: When the cleanup begins. Spruce Pine downtown.

Below: Unincorporated town of Swannanoa, after Hurricane Helene! All the brown is mud drying which turns into dust if you drive over it! The building hanging over the erosion has a 10 foot drop from it's floor to the mud below.





Meanwhile, myself and many of my friends are doing the following:


I'm busy blogging about where I evacuated to, where a normal life could be experienced! But that was before I returned to live the life I'd chosen here in Black Mountain NC.

Looking into the mouth of a dragon fruit.





Do you suppose they are firey spicy?



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An interesting YouTube demonstration of the debris flows in the mountains, if you're interested. I didn't know that after a first pulse of mud and debris, there can be a second or even third pulse. That's how a firefighter lost his life going to help someone after the first pulse of debris in the Garren Creek community of Buncombe County. That was a site of quite a few people who died from Helene.





Photo by Lynn Bauer

Today's quote:

Maya Angelou said, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better.” 



17 comments:

  1. A good opportunity to get to know a cousin.. although you could have done without the disruption.

    Just a thought about the mud and the dust..how much of that would be clay?

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    Replies
    1. A lot of it is clay. It seems to be the most clinging part of what has washed away. We know about how clay is carried in water and many of these streams up in the mountains are where some local potters can find clay beside them.

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  2. Fortunately, you had a refuge … or two.

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  3. ...Barbara, you have gone through so much, take care and be strong.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Tom. My major problem today and yesterday was the internet went out for hours. So I didn't get to read or comment on blogs like I like to!

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  4. So much here, Barb, a roller coaster of feelings. Yet you take time to be grateful, to see the little good things,, and to continue to hope. You are one strong woman.

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    1. Thanks Sue...I keep moving my mind from being an evacuee for two weeks into being a survivor from the hurricane. Now that I am able to be here again. Feelings are still pretty stuffed down in my survivor mode. They'll come soon though.

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  5. Hello,
    Thank God for your Cousin and your friend, they were there for you when you needed help.
    I like to cook a meal that has leftovers too. Take care, stay well and safe!

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    Replies
    1. I now have several meals' worth of left overs, some from my first attempts at cooking at home, some from free meals that I've picked up when they were offered.

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  6. Glad you're home. Great that you had willing family and friends to provide a refuge but there is nothing as comforting as home. I do hope the water situation is manageable and that you don't have too much trouble processing the emotions of the past couple of weeks. It must have been traumatic.

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    Replies
    1. My level of trauma might be pretty large compared to just going along through my life if there weren't a hurricane. But it did interrupt my life, as well as my community. Someone on the radio out in a smaller town said today that this is the season of love, where people want to give something to help the survivors and the first responders. They were honest that money is probably the best thing to send them, though they are receiving truck-loads of supplies and he said where there was an empty warehouse. It's hard for volunteers because the Red Cross and FEMA have left lots of our areas (probably helping those in FL with hurricane Milton)

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  7. Glad to read you did find another bolt hole.

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  8. Glad to hear that you are back home. Your cousin was a lifesaver and it was nice that he could offer you a place to stay. There are angels following people here on earth and it is nice to know that. Have a good day, Barbara.

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  9. Well done, Barb! Home and safe. You have had such a time. Many have, as well. It seems like a blessed relief to be home.

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  10. I am so glad to read this and know you are safe!

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  11. Glad to hear you ar eback home and that damage was not horrific where you were. The hurricane in NC was so unexpected and destrioyed such beautiful areas. but worse was the terrible loss of life.
    PS: I lived in Brooklyn most of my life, and visited the Brooklyn Museum often! It was a magnificent museum with an extensive ancient Egyptian collection among many other collections, including an old Dutch house that was one of the first in Brooklyn when it was New Amsterdam. That house was located very near where I grew up! I blogged about it many years ago.

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There is today, more than ever, the need for a compassionate regenerative world civilization.