That storm is over 200 miles wide, with hurricane force winds (ie., 75mph and higher) extending out for 105 miles on each side from the 25 mile wide center of the eye. It's huge. You take care down there too mimidi. This one is worse than Camille and would only be the 4th Cat 5 on record to do a hit if I'm not mistaken. Often those east of these get the worst of the rains.

Stay safe all in the path!!!

Stay safe thru the night Mimidi.
Our thoghts will be with you
stephen

yeah, it's bearing down on us here in Louisiana. We'll get winds 50-70 mph they predict....we're 60 miles northwest of New Orleans here in Baton Rouge. They are serious about the impact on New Orleans...it's a big bowl below sea level with 2 large bodies of water on either side. They fully expect extensive flooding and widespread damage... it ain't gonna be pretty. We'll be ok here, I think. The power will be out for a few days possibly. I am worried about trees -- we have some large oaks around here and they could have a serious effect on a roof. It'll be a long night...I'm sure we'll be up watching the thing roll in...

Here's my little sentinel, in the calm before the storm...

Stay safe all of you mimidi, jap373, and Miss Sherry! Sarah

Mimidi -Hope you and everyone within range of Katrina, are safe. My thoughts are with all of you. Ruth

Please let us know how you all are as soon as you can. We'll all be saying prayers for those in Katrina's path.

glo

Jane ~ That silhouetted shot of the hummie is a work of art. It's beauty is in it's simplicity. I'd love to have it blown up, framed, and hung on a wall in my home.

Am watching the Weather Channel, and Katrina is going to come ashore soon. Praying that the damage is repairable. They said there are 10 thousand people in the Super Dome, which now has a leak, and no electricity.

Hoping for the best for all the people, birds, animals and historic places in the path of the storm.

LindaSkyview

I, too, am praying for all in the path of this terrible storm. Hope everyone is safe.

What a great shot! I am sending positive thoughts for everyone in the path of this storm.

It's already raining here in NC from the hurricane - it may hit us here in western NC or just sideswipe us - everyone stay safe!

Ellery

Great picture. It is raining here now and some tornado and flood warnings out. But nothing comparied to what is happening to the west of us. Jap373 I do hope you and the others living in the area hit by Katrina are O. K.

Saw a post on the Butterfly Forum where Miss Sherry and her husband left their home and went to a safer area.

Will be praying for all of you in the storm's path.
Verna

Were getting lots of rain here in Ohio... started really raining this morning here in Cincinnati. Supposed to get 4-6" of rain with flood warnings posted for the area. We were really far behind in railfall for the season, but I don't think anyone thought of the possiablity of us getting caught up this way!

The storm damage looked really bad on the news this morning.

Shannon

We still aren't able to contact our friends and family in Biloxi and south La. Praying that everyone is safe. The rain and wind are supposed to hit here later tonight. They are already reporting that we are under a flood watch on the weather channel

Penny

I'm left speechless. We all see the videos. The story of the man that couldn't keep hold of his wifes hand in the raging storm surge. The flood victims perched on the roofs of their ruined lives waiting for help that may not come in time. And all of those who sit, wait, and wonder about friends and family. If you are among any of these, then be as well as you can, good luck, and may you return as soon as possible to the peace of your garden.

I have watched FOX today and just can't believe what I am seeing. Such destruction.

I am ashamed to report my problems in the face of the disaster that has hit so many people - in western North Carolina we had heavy rain and winds today, and all of my plants are in pots, so of course they all took a fall - I went out in the rain this morning and moved them closer to the house, and came home from work, and of course they had all fallen again - including the hyacinth bean, which has become a monster, and was just lying on my tiny lawn like a big purple monster - I tried putting them back, and they blew over again - so I took the pineapple sage and the mexican purple sage that I have been nurturing, and they are HUGE - and crammed them into the tiny plot in front of my porch - now sitting on top of the yellow foxglove and the shasta daisies which did not do well - this morning in the rain I moved the manettia which is covered with flowers into a corner on the other side of the porch where it would not fall over - as I moved these things, I saw two babies fighting around the corner - they had already found the manettia - one came and fed on the B&B, and I froze, and it then went to the feeder, and saw me, and froze - and it was a game of chicken - the first one to move looses - I finally got bored with it, and moved, and he flew off - but came back one minute later - I assume that my salvias will adjust and bloom - they were all curled up because they were lying on the ground - but they will uncurl and have flowers - the Mexican sage is covered with flower buds - I spent all day at work worrying about my silly plants and birds - we had the possibility of heavy flooding, and it did not happen. God speed to those who have it.

Ellery

Mimidi I'm glad your okay ! I hope the worst is over and there will be no more hurricanes or only mild ones for a while! Sarah

With the tremendous loss of life and property in the devastated areas, it seems kind of trivial to hope that most of the hummers survived, but I sure hope they did!!! Linda

Penny, I hope your friends are safe. Remember that there are NO utilities down there,,including cell phones, so it might be awhile before anyone can make contact with loved ones on the outside. Just pray they are all ok!! Mimi and Ward - I too am speechless - thought I had just about seen "everything" with all my disasters under my belt/ but this one has left me feeling so empty. All I can say is God Bless all my national volunteers that are on their way down there to help the families affected. Take care my friends,,and just keep praying/ and try to be a little patient - tho I know that's hard to do when your so concerned for a loved one/friend.

Ellery I didn't lose any pots but so many of plant were blown over or have broken limbs. Not to worry. I can stake the plants and cut off the broken limbs and root them.

I can get over the meaningless looting that is going on there. Just what in the world are those people going to do with those goods that they are stealing? It seems they are stealing just for the sake of stealing.

Mimidi,
I think the looting is the part that bothers me the most in all this...it isn't enough that so many lost so much including lives, but now they have looters making it worse. These people should spend their energies on helping those who need aid. It just breaks my heart to know that these people are so callous. I hope everyone stays safe down there. I'll keep saying my prayers too.

glo

I think we all can be thankful that we live in a nation where so many will risk so much, even their own lives, to help in such horrendous disasters. The outpouring of aid is just remarkable. The assistance that is coming from all branches of government, corporate and private sectors is amazing. God Bless America. Linda

Glad to hear that you are ok, Mimidi. Sprightlygreen has checked in on the Bf Forum, but still no word from Miss Sherry. I hope that she has something left to come home to.

Such devastation. My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved.

Mimidi
I am glad that you are ok and that the rest of our little group will be able to check back in in time and let us know that they are ok as well.

Believe it or not there are several agencies that are active on the GC to help in the rescue of wildlife as well as domestic animals. At least the dolphins at the marina in Gulfport were moved to a safe place and they are doing well (holiday Inn swimming pool). I also am concerned about our little feathered friends.

I am having a hard time tearing myself away from the tv. I switch back and forth between the stations to get the latest updates. Like most of you I am appalled at the looting of luxury items and guns that is taking place. Now they say that those arrested will be taken to Ft. Polk in Leesville, La. My thought is save those barracks for those who deserve food and shelter and save the government some money and shoot the looters on the spot where they stand. I have lost all sense of reason when it comes to these scumbags.

Penny

I tend to agree with you, Penny...if they are taking food, formula, diapers for their families it's one thing, I can understand that. Stealing jewelry, booze, guns and the like just irks the heck out of me. I just heard that there's been shootings at the rescue helicopters. I so hope the money and relief agencies give to the deserving, NOT the greedy. I almost don't want to watch or hear any more news. So few take so much away from our wonderful country.
God Bless America and keep us safe from the ignorant few.

glo

Penny and Glo I am in total agreement with you about the looters. Right now busing of people to Houston has halted because of gun shots in the Dome and that area. They scumbags are even taking shots at the Coast Guard rescue helicopters. Heaven help those residents of Houston if these weapons that have been stolen make it there.

In our area the companies sending in workers to start working on the cleanup have halted all plans. They won't but the workers in danger of being shot.

The suffering and misery is so hearbreaking. The masses of human beings waiting to be helped, the dead being left in the streets. The situation is a true-to-life nightmare. It makes me realize how fragile our way of life really is.

Some good news - Miss Sherry just posted over in the Butterfly forum, and her family and house are OK! She's near the end of the posted link below (Yahoooo!)...

Here is a link that might be useful: Miss Sherry

RJM - Thanks for posting that link. There are many of us that are concerned for those who were in the path of this disaster. We over here on the west coast cannot possibly understand the magnitude of seeing 250 trees down at one time after a windstorm of 175 mph; it leaves me speechless. Mother Nature can be so devastatingly cruel. I will certainly remember to be grateful from now on, for all I have and I shall be praying for the people who have lost so much. Ruth

Thanks RJM for letting us know! Sarah