Crystallizing Beauty

And now, for your viewing pleasure, here is a brief glimpse into the historic Ice Storm of 2008 and its effect on our little home.

Here is a limb no longer supported by the trunk of its tree, but by our power lines, which can apparently withstand the weight because the electric meter is thankfully running, and has been since Thursday evening after a 7-day hiatus.


Tree limbs came down, but thankfully none blocked the driveway. The stone wall will likely need some repairs come spring.


Opposite view looking down the driveway towards the house. Note the limb resting on the power lines!


It always amazes me how limber birch trees are and that they always seem to bounce back to their upright position.


A closer view of the birch trees and how well they can lean over!


This is a limb on the power lines of a nearby road.


You'd never know it, but this was a beautiful garden just a few months ago.


Really, it's the garden. Or what once was a garden.



Here, we can appreciate the beauty of Mother Nature for a moment before remembering how devastating her beauty can be.


Pretty.


The trees are back in their upright positions, but the fence rails are not.


The fence may very well remain this way until spring.


Tree on the roof, but at least not through the roof!


Hi, Joey!


Here we are replenishing our water supply via the neighbor's assistance, generosity, water well. He's a landscaper and irrigation specialist by trade. If the boys hadn't broken the water spigot to our house, he would have actually hooked up the line to that so we could have backfill. This alternative solution worked well enough.


A little candlelight, warm fire, and brothers bonding while playing Uno. See? There is always something positive in a devastating situation! It just may not be so easy to see at first.


Multi-tasking: The boys enjoying a bath in the neighbor's jacuzzi (minus the jets, of course) while watching a movie on the TV and getting clean!


Day 7 of our adventure found us enjoying a home-cooked meal at the church. We brought blankets and pillows and planned to watch movies on the TV in the parish hall, but the boys opted to play with trash bags instead. We were here when G and Tommy came to tell us power had been restored to our house. The power of prayer...