A Wild Night

Oklahoma was hit with a oober-high winds, rain, hail and in some unfortunate places, tornadoes.  Our local television station preempted all programs to keep us informed of the path of severe weather.  Which meant that I did not get to watch the last two contestants preforming on American Idol.  "Oh man!" (as Clone would say) that dog-gone question of "what do you do when you don't get what you want?" is visiting again.



I kept looking out our windows to see if the wind had haulted because I have heard that it becomes dead calm before a tornado touches down.  Cautionary forecasts began at 5:00 p.m. and were still being forecast when I decided to go to bed around 8:30 p.m.  Yes, this is my bedtime.  Yes, I am officially an elder.

A half-mile-wide tornado moves north in Canadian County after having just crossed Oklahoma 3, the Northwest Expressway, west of Oklahoma 4 moving toward Piedmont 

As I was making my way down the hall to our bedroom, the sirens sounded and I turned on my heels and went to our guest bathroom instead.  It is in the center of our home with no outside walls and is located  on the Southeast portion, which we have been told is the best place to use as shelter.

A storm chasing vehicle heads east on I-44 toward a severe storm north of Stroud

I had already stocked the bathroom with blankets, pillows, water and flashlights.  I had also piled a few of the things I chose as important... my computer... my camera...my cell phone.. flash drives which store 1000s of pictures and a few file folders containing hard copies of documents not downloaded on my computer.  I just realized that I did not take my purse with my drivers license, car keys and credit card.  Hmm...

He-man-hubby and I spent a short time in the bathroom as the storm quickly moved up to Kansas.  I went to bed listening to thunder booms and wild winds churning outside my window.  I silently offered prayers for safety for those in its path.

This morning I awoke to hear reported on the news that seven people had died in last night storms and many, many more had been injured... some in critical condition.






I went outside to see what the wind had left us.  There were a few scattered branches on the drive, dirt washed out of the garden beds and a pile of soggy leaves to clean off the patio.  Nothing like the photo above.  How does one clean up such massive destruction?  

I will gladly remove the slight signature of mother nature's furry from our play things...

...and our walkways

...and our drive.

 

 ...and our lawn 

Our newly formed lake, where torn branches now swim will dry up soon.  But grief will not dissipate soon for those where tornadoes have taken their homes, their livelihood their families and pets.

Today, may you be safe... may you spend time with those you love.... may you honor mother nature and her tremendous power... and if you are able, may you give hopeful thoughts, dollar bills, water jugs, clothing or shoes to those who woke up in Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma without any.