Storm

The wind is raging out of the southeast today. We have a huge old pine that's off that direction and with in striking distance of the barn. We should have taken it down before we built the barn but is was a monarch of the forest and the section of top on our side of the tree had already broken off. That weights the tree away from the barn and all things being equal it should fall away from us. Of course trees falls in high winds and things aren't equal during the big storms. The barn is creaking and it occurs to me we never braced off the gables back to the collar ties. I had forgotten that until the creaking in the general vicinity of the water barrels captured my attention. Having the barn blow down for want of a couple of braces that I meant to put in before the roof went on would be embarrassing.
The winds have been high enough and the storm strong enough that the world outside must have a lot of power lines down. For some reason now that I have a small photovoltaic system, the loss of power in the outside world makes me feel like the pig that built his house out of brick--a little smug. I should feel compassion for those less fortunate and I intend to if it turns into something worse than inconvenient for people. But smug is it this morning and that worries me a little bit. If the tree falls on the barn or the barn blows down I will feel like I caused it by feeling smug. Smuggness is an awesome feeling if you get away with it unscathed, but since "pride cometh before the fall," it is a tricky feeling to enjoy.

The storm has melted all the snow and now we will have to start getting ready for winter all over again. All those things we didn't get done are painfully visible and we'll be out there trying to get a few more done. Hopefully it will snow soon and bury them till spring this time.

Last night the rapid temperature rise and high winds caused a down draft on a dying fire in the wood stove and filled the barn with smoke. This started after we went to bed and this morning everything in here is smoked. Smoked clothing, smoked furniture, smoked dog and smoked us. An aging bladder gets me up in the night and I awoke to find the place smoke filled. I aired it out and left the door open but it was too late. We are smoked. Since the stack temp was low, it is an acrid creosote smell that we will probably be living with for awhile.

Today, we will go out and dig little drains in the road to keep water from washing it out. We have received an inch of rain with another on the way. These tiny little trenches just lower than the area we are draining do a remarkable job and are worth the effort. Usually just scraping with your boot is enough. It reminds you of playing in the mud as kid, great fun. Stomping puddles next to Kris is tricky though. You want to make sure you have a good escape route and don't mind sleeping with one eye open for a few days.