Seedmama: My heart goes out to you. It brings back to me our experience with a similarly devastating ice-storm in 1997. Ours was after Christmas, January I think, but your post brought back to me the sound of branches of our particularly large maple crashing down on the house; large chunks of ice crashing on to the roof and ricocheting off on to the driveway; watching the explosions as transformers on the hydro poles went up in flames; and seeing the top of my choice flowering crab fall off into the driveway, just after I had moved the van. It was a nightmare, but we were safe, together, and had a fireplace and a gas barbeque, and those things brought us through. It was over two weeks before power was restored to everyone - we had itermittent power as the Hydro crews removed branches which fell on the power lines across our yard and I used those times to start meals which I could finish on the barbeque. It's amazing how creative we can become if we have to. So hang in there, and try to enjoy Christmas, and leave the cleanup until Spring. We had to because our weather continued to be bad, but it was amazing as soon as the weather began to warm up to see perfect strangers just arriving on your property, cutting up downed trees and stacking the wood for free, and clearing up branches stuck in trees, and downing those which did not straighten up after the ice melted. We all pitched in and helped each other and things went faster than we expected. Maybe your comunity will come together like ours did. But take your time and see what nature has presented: it may be nicer than you think and remember 'this too will pass'. You will feel down sometimes, and that's O.K., because it will pass. Enjoy the holidays with your loved ones and we'll look forward to seeing your new beds in 2008. Northerner.

Will Take care of yourself. that is rotten to be sick in this weather. Nice to see you about time you came out and said Hi! Welcome...Keep us posted on how you are doing... Hi Dan Welcome too what is with the brugs in the street do tell..... Hi Karma, Carol,Mary and MJ...Carol that is so cold with the snow and the below temps...Stay warm...Didnt we trade this summer? Thanks Mj I used to have this print made out of foil from the fifties I think. It reminds me of that picture. I have to find it now.... We went into town. What a adventure. Fiance driving. LOL I about wet myself all the slipping and sliding. We live in the christamas tree capital of the world. Lots of pines. Anyways we stopped at a stand and got a tree fro ten bucks. We could have cut one but we are lazy and cold this year plus they are fresh. LOL Only came a couple of miles away. We got it all put up and decorated. I will take pic later. Planted a bunch of brug cuttings in the gh. Hey what does RP Stand for in brug language I cant remember what it is. LOL Gab soon ribs and saucerkraut fro dinner yummy....Barb Mary I dont fell sorry for you. Just kidding I do. Stay warm too.

That's good to know Pal. I had intended to email her but am just now checking in. I have a cousin in Guntersville, AL who has a tree on/in his house. Everyone is okay though!! Here we have had awful storms this week and many tornadoes touch down. It was reported that these are the worst storms (number of, etc.) that our area has had in 30+ years. I believe the count for TN is 34 deaths. My dad has not had power since early Monday from another round of storms. He won't come to mine or my sister's house. Has to go down with the ship! LOL At my workplace - it is so sad to see so many of our old, beautiful trees destroyed. We have gorgeous gardens here but so much clean-up. We had 30 something windows broken out in our building last night. The parking lot looked like we had astro turf due to all the green leaves/branches. Hope others in AL check in - thankful Allison is well and everyone else stay safe!! tina

We lucked out north of Santa Barbara, only four inches with another .7" forecast by Tuesday. Santa Maria was wisely designed with many spreading grounds to catch the storm run off. Yesterday, all the sports fields and parks around us were full, allowing the water to soak back into the aquifer which supplies a large part of our drinking water. Today was supposed to be partly sunny, except it continues to be very blustery with scattered showers. My rain gauge shows nearly half an inch today. There is actually, finally water flowing in the river.