Hurricane Irene Pt2

The problem is that the deer suffer from overpopulation which can mean that indiviual animals suffer from malnutrition.

I don't feel qualified or confident enough to suggest how to manage nature on that large a scale. Maybe humanity will learn to manage it better, (- if 'we' are meant to..), so far I've been generally disappointed with the results.

since Jen didn't post it yet.. our governor now said "to get the hell on the beach" now that the storm passed.. wants to make sure the businesses are taken care of this winter

I guess there's no issue with increased bacteria near ocean beaches due to runoff from the storm, haven't heard any word on that..

they claim they tested the water up and down the jersey shore... and that it is safe

That's good, wish we could say the same about the Hudson. (lol!)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HALLOWEEN-ANIMATED-5-FT-SPINNING-FLOATING-WITCH-PROP-/140565523324?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20ba5bab7c

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HALLOWEEN-LIFE-SIZE-ANIMATED-WITCH-CAULDRON-GEMMY-PROP-/180712400297?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a134c65a9

Giant Skull
http://www.ebay.com/itm/HALLOWEEN-LIFE-SIZE-GIANT-SKULL-DECORATION-PROP-/140580710492?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20bb43685c

Neat Water fountain..i'd change the water to red though. :)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/HALLOWEEN-ZOMBIE-WATER-FOUNTAIN-PROP-DECORATION-GARDEN-/140432136110?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20b26857ae

oops think Celeste thought she was posting to my D-mail.. LOL

I was wondering where the heck that went!! I posted a new coffee thread when there was only 60 post on the one we were on and now this. Lets just say im "having a week"!!

LOL! I have many of those moments.

The kids returned from camping in the Adirondacks last night. We insisted they leave last Saturday, cuz who knew what Sunday would be like? Anyway, the park closed at noon on Saturday and reopened on Monday. They stayed in a motel for 2 nights. After the rain of Sunday, they had a beautiful week up near Raquette Lake, NY. We just love it up there. Too cold to swim and the lake level was very high, but they had fun nevertheless. The kids 7, 5, and 3 had a ball. Anxious to hear all about it today from them.

Just getting back, here. Power came on Thursday. The pics of devistation are sooo humbling. Outlaw heart's sentiments made me wonder if all teenagers are thunder beings. NJ clearly was hit hard. And i am so glad pirl is back in her usual wonderful temperament. Don't recall when i've seen such contrast in a garden's "after" and "before" shots. I'm sending my thoughts and prayers for a safe and sane recovery.

Glad to hear everyone was safe and sound in a motel room during the worst of the storm, Jan.

Have no fear for the deer and finding food, WC. They enjoyed a grand buffet of Regal Splendor hosta for breakfast and tender, beautiful new foliage and buds from roses for a snack. Why won't they eat the hostas that aren't flourishing?

The poor hosta plantaginea the deer feasted on twice in July ended up being covered by deer mesh and I tenderly cared for them and even fed them - a first for me. I was happy with the way they responded. Then came Irene. The same exact field was hit with limbs and branches. They must be quivering in their roots as they wonder what will happen next!

Rosemary - isn't it grand to turn on lights and have hot showers again? Last night I was searching for something in the garage, in total darkness, having forgotten we had the power again!

I think the water quality, at least down in my area, has been compromised. They closed the shellfish beds on the Delaware Bay to harvesting because of potentially high bacteria levels due to runoff from the storms. We were supposed to take our DGD and a friend waterskiing on Tuesday but didn't feel the water was safe.

Re deer, there are far more now than there were pre-colonists because in the past, predators such as wolves kept the herds down. Now there is nothing to keep their numbers in check and they proliferate and die of starvation if not kept to a reasonable level. Also they do a tremendous amount of damage to rare plants and to other flora which support a host of rare animals and insects. They are a true enemy of biodiversity.

The Smithsonian did an experiment whereby they set up an exclosure on ten acres in Virginia, to see what the forest would be like without deer. The fence has been up for 21 years now and the differences on either side are striking. Inside the fence there is a full range of succession plants and many more species of trees and bushes, as well as many more species of birds and other animals. You can read the full interview here:
http://www.npr.org/2011/06/15/137192604/what-does-more-deer-mean-for-forests

Well given the choice of a wilted lettuce or a fresh crispy one I'd probably choose the crispy one too Pirl! lol

- Thanks G. gal, I'm sure the Smithsonian is politically correct, .. I've seen their research station off the coast of Belize and have read some of their reports, I think they have a great museum though.
- not going there, I'm done with that. ☺

Our area can hunt deer with bow & arrow (not too many people skilled in that), shorgund or black powder. The toughest 'predator' is the automobile which is tough on the people. I wish there was something tasty to plant which acts as birthcontrol.

Hello, I'm alive. We were soooo stupid. If my kids had tried a trick like this I would have grounded them for life. We had already paid for, booked, arranged, taken days off, blah blah blah for a conference thing that was happening in the Hudson Valley. No refunds for hurricanes and we wanted to go! We were supposed to get there Sun evening. So we carefully tried to wait until Irene had passed Springfield before we left. First we lost internet. That's ok, we weren't going to be home to miss it. We were all packed and foaming at the mouth! It should have been a clue that all the nearby gas stations had no electricity and hence no pumps finally we found one. So we left. Headed out the Mass Pike. DH driving the van, which in gusty wind is like driving a sail.

Heading out on the Mass Pike there was lots of rain and gusty wind, the marshy parts and wetlands certainly looked higher than usual, but it wasn't scary or anything. Then all of a sudden it turns sunny and clear and we're looking at each other saying that wasn't so bad, we drove straight through to the other side! After about fifteen minutes of clear skies it got dark and rainy and gusty again. We both said OMG we just drove through the EYE of the hurricane! We're lucky we're not in Kansas! Anyway the Taconic State Pkway was closed -- another clue -- but we just kept driving South. Too stubborn and cheap to stop.

We get to within 2 miles of the conference center, which is up on a mountain, and ALL the roads to it are blocked. We finally ended up 30 mi west of where we wanted to be, an extra 3 hours later. Wish we were as intelligent as Jan.

Keeping my dog in with a "horse" fence has kept the deer OUT for the past two years. The result is that now I can grow rhododendron. No one believed me that the deer were eating big chunks out of it, but now I'm sure.

I've been trying to get rid of invasives for the past few years too. Among them, our neighborhood is way overplanted with Norway maples. When a huge branch broke off my neighbor's tree and suspended over the street, it was dangerous, but now we can enjoy planting native shrubs in the sunny spot that resulted.

I'm with Perl that the wonders of electricity are mainly a good thing. Trouble is that with lights on I can view the mess inside our house. I had been hoping Monday would be like a "snow day"and that the governor would grant us credit as nonessential workers when I called in because of unsafe conditions outside my house. No such luck.

crossposted with Carrie. Whew! Glad you're safe.

The dangling branch stuck in the power lines above our street was unnerving to us as cars and teenagers kept passing underneath it. It doesn't look that big as I look at the photo now, but it's going to supply a fair amount of firewood now that it's down. The hanging branch was fractured in two places and dangling like this for several days

Me too!

Quite an adventure, Carrie.....glad you got home safely.

we went to drop off boxes at Randy's co-workers house.. he was completely flooded out.. lives in Lake Hiawatha .. a block away from the lake.. the house shifted off the foundation even.. once we got 3 blocks from his house.. the curb side garbage dump started... I was speechless.. just devastation everywhere

Glad your both safe Rosemary & Carrie.
Sorry to here that Allison, i've been watching the new and I too have been speechless just by the pictures. Can't imagine seeing it first hand. :(

This message was edited Sep 3, 2011 7:42 PM

he lives in a small cape cod... and the water line was 3' up the wall.. just nuts.. once we saw the wall of garbage people are putting on the curb.. I couldn't speak other than profanity

Remind anybody else (besides me) of the Blizzard of '78?

I remember. Power losses are worse in the winter because of the loss of heat. We have a fireplace which helps. However I don't like to remember the 14" of water in the basement a couple of yrs ago.

Sorry Carrie! I wasn't born till 81! Lol
so glad you are safe! It's kind of an awesome story to tell though!
The best part is the happy ending where you are safe and get to tell it! :)
I always wanted to be a storm chaser. Cause well, I'm just crazy like that.

I know, at least, a little more about NY state than I used to. (DH ALWAYS drives.) I thought "upstate" was North but then learned it was just "not-NYC" and now I know "upstate" can be south of Boston, if I'm not wrong....I like a map. (Call me old-fashioned.)

I'm upstate. From NYC.... if you scramble NYC you get CNY which is where we are. Central New York is lovely. Especially in the fall. :) i

My wedding was after a blizzard in 1983. Thanks to my mom, a better general than Eisenhower on D-Day, for getting everything and everyone where they were supposed to be. Still married, after all these natural disasters.
Martha

*For some reason half my last post is missing? It was all there when i posted it. Anyone else finding edited posts of theirs?*

How is everyone holding up with all this rain. Worried about my jersey peeps. My far end of the yard is like a pond. I should get some koi!!!!

Oh my!!

On, no...not good!

That looks like some yards around here...I should drive around and take some pics

Computers always act funny


Here's a pic from a friend of a friend....this guy doesn't want to be a groundhog anymore!!!!

I wonder if they can swim?

I'm pretty sure they can fly.

What a great photo!

Makes me feel sorry for the critter. Who'd a thunk. Great pic

Incredible.

And here in Texas we have pictures of creatures on fire. God in Heaven, send us rain.

Lou, what are they saying about Tropical Storm Nate...is it just going to effect Mexico?