|
Moonlight Sonata
Ice Images - Ice Storm '98
The surrounding images were taken around my home in Richmond, Ontario. With the exception of "Ice Beer", "Birth of an Angel", "Moonstruck Road" and "Foster's Barn", these images were captured during the Ice Storm of 1998. My children and I were without power for 12 1/2 days, from the 5th of January until the 17th. We were one of the first sections out of power.
My black cat, Salem, my familiar for 17 years, died on the 3rd and I had to bury him under rocks and ice. It was a sad and powerful time. The worst part of the storm occurred on January 8th, Epiphany, and the devastation to the local sugar maples, as well as other deciduous and coniferous trees was massive. I have a hydro line in my back yard and the transformer blew in a massive blaze of blue light - it was the eeriest thing I had ever witnessed. The tree at the back corner of my house came down on my roof, just missing my chimney. I had no wood in so I was burning furniture, thinking my power would be back on shortly.
Many friends and members donated wood, coffee and the comfort of their companionship to my children and I. I stank of gasoline and wood smoke for 12 1/2 days. Thank heavens I had a small generator that had been in for repairs and another friend brought to me. Another pair of friends came on an emergency run with a trunk full of firewood and White Russians. We used the giant icicles my children and I were melting and using for water, as stir sticks. Another friend and her husband brought me a truckload of their own firewood and it was delivered by the husband and sons of another dear friend. I think my bladder moved to a permanent location behind my eyes.
Another friend took my daughter in after Day 6, and when they brought her home, gave us an abundance of groceries. We lost most of the food in the house. I was extremely agitated that foods come with stovetop and microwave directions but no one thought of the wood stove. I made the best pot of chili I ever made but the popcorn was a disaster.
It truly was the storm of the century, 60mm of freezing rain fell in a 2 day period. Losses that will be felt for many generations.
Ice Storm '98 - Golden Lake by Atham-Z
Of all the people in Eastern Ontario, I somehow got off really easy in that ice storm. I watched the TV news about trees and hydro poles toppling like toothpicks and how terribly people were struggling, but we lost power a couple of times for about 20 minutes a shot. Some people in my area were stranded by trees falling over their driveways, and basically lost it feeling so isolated and cut off and helpless.
It was a real learning experience for people in Ontario about just how dependent they are on electricity. I figure much of the new millennium angst was in memory of that ice storm. The business of storing water and fuel and back up power systems being all a memory of what it was so difficult to do without in 1998!
Links
|