GW calling HDD!!! Are you still there in Southern Texas? Your silence is ominous...

...and those poor Cubans!

I sure hope Ike doesn't hit the Gulf Coast too badly. You must be relieved to have the worst of it miss Florida, Mike. Have you had much heavy rain/wind/damage?

K

Hi Mike and Kerry i am still here and will remain.
Thanks for thinking of us in Texas

We had a few days of decent east wind. A few of my potted palms that I use to shade some broms blew over. I was finally able to reset them this evening since it appears that the wind from Ike has finally ended. My seedlings have been drying out quickly with all the wind, but I just mist them twice a day and they seem to be quite happy, even thriving.

Yeah we really lucked out here. A bit of wind with overcast skys. Unfortunately when we get lucky someone else down the line gets unlucky.

Places like Haiti and Cuba have really taken a beating with these recent storms. It's tough to see anyone have to deal with this weather, especially those that have less resources to deal with it like many of us here.

You're not evacuating, HDD? It doesn't look good..... :-(

Well...where would you go if you are running from a storm the size of Texas?
Mean while here is a one of the many photo's I took today. Nothing special but a nice big plant
{{gwi:455769}}

Hi HDD, that sure is a nice big neo...is it a johannis cross...?

And no pressure...BUT...how about posting those photos of Chester's ;-)

See new bigeneric post.. thats one of Chesters..The other pic;s are packed in water tight space bags

I don't know where I'd go, but if I wanted to live to tell about it I think I'd hop a plane to Anywhere, USA, and get the heck out of Dodge!

Lisa - yeah, very scary stuff! The waiting must be awful.

I've been in pretty constant touch with HDD, and as she says, all packed and battened down, and waiting...very stressfully. HDD has several animals, so what to do? Leave them to fend for themselves?

8 hours of 100mph winds expected Friday night...I cannot begin to imagine what that would be like, but sounds like Hell.

OMG! May Mother Nature lose her ire, HDD!!

K â¥

Not much flying here but hurricane hunters and debris in a few hours...will post after the storm

Hang in there HDD.
Good luck.

Sander

I've been through quite a few hurricanes, but nothing above cat 2 passed over me. The actual storm is almost a relief because of all the waiting and worrying leading up to it. Andrew was my first hurricane and luckily it hit 40 miles south of me although the forecast for the longest time had it heading right for me.

I have a brother in Houston and he's taking it pretty well but his wife is stressed. He says he's filled the hot tub with ice and beer and he's looking forward to having time to read a good book and drink lots of beer.

I've been through a few myself, but not of that magnitude. Iniki was a cat. 4 on Kaua'i and did massive devastation there, but O'ahu didn't get the brunt of it, at least not our part of the island.

I'm just remembering the images from Katrina. That was so awful, and it sounds like Galveston will be under water soon too!

Here is a link that might be useful: Hurricane Ike Update

A friend of mine that lives there just found out there was about 9 feet of water near his home. They had not recovered from the one that hit 2 years ago, he fears that they have lost everything this time. The last time it was right after Katrina, and they were kind of overlooked. He is hoping to be able to get back there tomorrow.

My brother is happy to report that there was only minor damage to his house. Some water went into the kitchen after blowing up into the attic via the roof vents, a very common occurrence. And he has some blown out fence panels. He has no power and says he is looking forward to going to work on Monday since his office has juice from backup generators. He might even go in early and stay late and not complain one bit.

I don't think he has any bromeliads, but I'm going to make sure he gets some. Who knows where to get good bromeliads in the Houston area?

HDD making one report
We are ok...damage is massive and widespread. It wasn't Katrina but we have 20 times the population here. Amazing that our loss of life is less than 15 so far.
No power for 2-6 weeks. Supplies are hard to get and transporting them in is hazardous at present.
I have 2 trees on my house and major roof damage...The brom area is a disaster. Life will go on :)
Buying bromeliads in Houston you have 2 sources if you want anything past a guz or Ae fasciata.
We will have a large scale sale on broms in a few weeks.
Thanks for all the heart warming emails from my friends GW members.

Thanks for the report...2 trees on the house & roof damage...wow...sounds like a traumatic experience.

Very glad to hear you're OK HDD...!!!

Glad to hear you're safe and sound, HDD!

Happy to hear you're ok. Best of luck for the clean up, sorry to hear about the broms.

To HDD and anyone else in the area,
I'm thinking of you all as you deal with the damage - I can't even imagine what you have gone through :-((
Take care of each other.
Kind regards from Von

Much relieved also to hear you are O.K. HDD, but so sorry about the damage.
News reports mention fear of malaria and rattle snakes - is that for real?

Good luck in the clean up...

Cheers,
K

HDD, should I try and get somebody to drive a truck full of supplies to you? Besides shade and electricity, what do you need?

Hi HDD - It's great to hear you're OK - Don't fret, the roof and the broms can be replaced, the main thing is that you're OK - keep your chin up!, all the best, Nev

It's good to hear you are ok!!! All the best with the clean-up, one thing at a time.

Japie

Thanks all
No power here means no gas...so please don't come here and get stranded, that is a very kind thing to offer. Curfews are in effect and being enforced so looting has been minor
I have plenty of fuel...to run the generator. They are restoring power but the closer to the coast will get power last...debris, tree's and downed power poles have to be moved first...they are repairing the power north of us so fuel can be brought closer and closer to us. The storm in 1983 was far worst in strength. It was a long 18 hrs but not as bad as it sounds...We have to boil any tap water until the water goes down and that has happend in almost 80% of the area's...they have got many water stations powered up with back up generators so the contaminated water is isolated now
I bunkered many broms..but not all were lost
I am just so glad there was no panic evacuation like
during Rita. Loss of life would have been in the tens of thousands. We stayed put so the surge area's could get out and all will be normal in a couple months.
Pictures later
Hugs to all
HDD

I think Texas and Louisiana will soon follow Florida with laws to keep gas stations running when the power goes out.

"The Sunshine State in 2006 approved a law  believed to be the only one of its kind  that requires nearly 1,000 gas stations along interstate highways and other major evacuation routes in the state to install wiring allowing them to use backup power sources to pump gas during emergencies."

Even most of the grocery stores have installed backup power generators. Two straight years of hurricanes hits convinced a lot of people to get with it and we are now much more prepared to go without power for a few days or weeks.

Supercool that you have the internet working.
Good to hear you're safe.

All the best,
Sander

Sounds like you dodged a bullet, HD. I'm glad to hear you made it through.

Something I'm wondering about in regards to hurricanes in Florida. After one hits, would it be legal to go out and salvage otherwise off-limits broms that have been blown out of trees?