The Ice Storm

I'm sitting here and looking out of the window feeling pretty sick to my stomach. We have ice and the branches and trunks of my young pine trees are almost touching the ground. This is not as bad as the one I witnessed in 96 near Richmond and Williamsburg where one could only describe the scene as devastating!! However, if this does not pass soon and worsens then I know I am going to lose scores of trees. Like I said, feeling quite ill right now!!

Sorry to hear that,ice storms are so destructive.Hope everything turns out ok

Oh, I am so sorry - we thought we were going to get that here today too but it didn't happen, just cold rain. We have had some pretty bad ones in the past and it is such a helpless feeling watching your pretty trees bend over, and wondering if you will lose power. Hope you get through it ok.

Oh Louisa...hope it warms up enough so that everything will be ok. We just got the really cold rain too. Unfortunately, I've seen lots of trees destroyed from ice storms. Hope it all does ok......vic

Sorry to hear about all that ice and I do hope that your trees make it through.

Louisa, sorry to hear about the ice. It is always so rough on the trees. I do hope they will be fine.

Hope your trees survive. We are having snow this way I came from church about 12;30 and it was starting to snow=by 4:30 we had about ten inches and couldnt see anywhere hardly durng that time. Still snowing=lines are getting heavy=mabe electric outages-just heard state roads men calling wires down on scanner and too many accidents to count this afternoon. So glad I am home warm and safe. Shirley

Ice is bad. I'll never forget the ice storm of '98 that hit Maine and Canada. It looked like a war zone. We were very lucky in Westbrook and only lost power for a short time. There were some folks that went close to 3 weeks without power. Trees snapped like pencils and ice on the powerlines took telephone poles down. It was very scary.

Louisa on a lighter note... pine trees... we have tons in Maine and they survived the best of all the trees. The trunks and limbs are very flexible. I have a couple huge ones in my back yard and I was scared to death they'd crash through our roof during the night. They swayed with the wind and the limbs bent right to the ground but they never snapped. I saw younger trees with trunks bent in a U shape that never broke. Those pines are survivors! I hope that the ice melts away soon for you. Wouldn't want anyone to deal with a storm like that.

Oooooh, too much for me - stay warm.

Louisa, please take care and stay warm!

oh Louisa! It sound so cold! I hope your trees and plants do well! Tim should be there soon. He'll help you doctor them up! Hmmm...are we sure we want to move up there?

Erin

Thanks guys!! Poppysue, (((hugs)) you made me feel better - that the trees might make it after all!! Erin, this is not the norm for this area. Sure it snows sometimes, but not every year and then only like a couple of inches. I have heard stories that in years past it had been worse. Well the trees are still bent over and they look so sad with their drooping branches. I planted two new Thujas last year and they are splayed wide open :-( It's supposed to be out of here today or tomorrow and then it's going to warm up into the 50s. Crazy isn't it!!! So I lost plants to the drought whilst I was away in Europe and now this. I wouldn't mind so much but we worked so hard getting the plants into the ground in July last year!! Had we had an established garden, it could have taken a few knocks but this is brand new and struggling now!! Ah well, another year, another plant or two!! Roll on Spring :-)

So sorry Lousia. Take care of yourself. Ice can be so destructive. Hope it clears before long without to much damage.

Thanks Jim!! I appreciate your concern :-)

Heartbreaking Louisa,you've worked so hard and now this' Hope it melts today for you and be very careful' When we had our bad ice storm in 83(7 days no power)it was like a "war zone" hearing the limbs cracking/falling' Moved my car within minutes before a giant elm branch crashed to the ground,whew' It was a good experience for families as no conveniences,just surviving,a very long week for many. No problem for the kids and me though except the 19 degrees inside the house,fun,lol'

Louisa........just got thru looking at the weather channel, and good news.....it's suppose to be a warming trend across the south......hope you start to hear the melting soon!!!


"eyes"

Your good wishes are doing the trick - keep sending those vibes this way - I do believe the trees are trying to stand up again!! Phew!!!

I did read somewhere not to knock the ice and snow off branches as the winter build up is what makes the trees strong. I had planted some new leland cyprus and although young they took to the ice and snow just fine. Although you may lose a branch or two before the thaw, you may find your trees stronger than ever!

(((((((((LOUISA)))))))))))))

I'll send you some Pine trees from Oregon and Washington if yours dont survive...and some doug firs, and some nobles and some hemlocks....and some ponderosa pines.... let me know.

this must be some really freaky weather world wide, my husband and daughter are stranded in turkey, flights have been cancelled for the past three days, they are holed up in a hotel. they were awfully excited when it snowed in Izmir, which is a rarity, I guess they didnt think too much about the snow in Istanbul. Well, my poor daughter who was so excited is now pretty mad at the snow.

I just found out that they opened the airport today, I hope my family makes it out. But I'm wondering if there are 3 days worth of people trying to get out of there, what chance do they have of making it out today??

Louisa, I'm thinking about your poor plants and hoping that they survive, and what ever doesnt, we will trade in the spring. I have a hydrangea earmarked for you and a rose (yves piaget) I dont know why I didnt send them? Was I waiting for you to move into your house and get settled, and then what...did you have a heat wave or something???

Louisa,

Hope everything is ok. If I need to come over and plant trees for you in the spring, let me know. :) If I could move the monster trees in my back yard, I'd let you have them. They're huge and I'm tired of raking all the leaves each autumn.

Aside from the trees, how are you?

Candee I wouldn't be able to knock the ice off the trees - it would take me a month of Sundays to do that - too many trees!! I hope this little wave does make them stronger and thanks for that encouragement!! Pebble, don't worry about your family!! I know what you are saying though - the weather over there has been terrible and so it is in Germany too. Lorraine and her family are travelling back from Spain by van on Thursday and I hope they take it easy - they should arrive in Germany at the weekend. The weather in Germany has been atrocious and very dangerous!! I shall be praying every minute till they get home safe with my Ben!! By the way, I would love to grow hemlock. It is the most beautiful evergreen I have ever seen, but then I do love all of them!! Can't wait for Spring and Yves Paiget...wink!! Carla, thank you, you can come here anytime and plant anything you want - if you can get your spade in the ground that is!!!! Apart from the weather I am doing fine, still unpacking boxes and perhaps sweating the small stuff which I shouldn't do!! Hope you enjoyed your holiday and it's lovely to see you back again!!

thinking warm thoughts here. We'll all help you replace anything you lose!!! love ya

Tig you sweet thing you!! :-) :-) :-)