Stormy Weather

Storms are a part of spring in Texas. And Thursday evening, a nasty one decided to pay a visit to the ranch. Strong winds had the trees dancing in circles, bending this way and that while rain gauges remained empty because the rain came down sideways. 

As we stared out the back windows of the house we watched in awe as a couple of our trees succumb to nature's fury. 

Afterwards, we went outside to assess the damage.

We were mighty grateful this tree fell away from the house.

While this one was virtually turned into toothpicks.

Even this massive live oak couldn't stand up to the strong winds.

Nearby, an office trailer was flipped completely upside down, coming to rest in the exact same spot it had been before, but with its wheels now in the air.

Word has it that it was a tornado that caused this damage and more. But the beauty of the sunset after the storm was definitely breathtaking. 

With our electricity out, we ended up spending the night at our camphouse, grateful we had some place to go. Because when morning came, it was time for the cleanup to begin. 

Yet while the storm may have inconvenienced us, some of our feathered friends lost their homes.  A pair of cardinals have flitted back and forth across the yard for days now, working to build their nest that had been in one of the downed trees. And these Carolina wrens found themselves in the same boat. Though they decided to steer clear of the trees all together.

On a pedestal just outside our kitchen door/window is a galvanized bucket these two thought would make the perfect home. We didn't even realize what they were doing until we saw one pop out of the bucket. By then, the nest was halfway built, so there was no way we could disturb them. So the bucket will remain untouched until these two little birdies decide it's time to move on.

Have you had to weather any storms this year? Have you ever noticed how even God's smallest creatures find a way to carry on?

Three time Carol Award finalist Mindy Obenhaus lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, the youngest of her five children and two dogs. She passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. When she's not writing, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her grandchildren. Learn more a mindyobenhaus.com.

Oatmeal Panic in the Southeast!

As I type this, we are preparing for the storm. I may edit later but, just in case we don't have power for a while, I am setting up the post now. Yup, I'm already looking at the worst possible scenario. ( Ruthy says it's a writer trait, looking for that worst case possibility). Having lived through major ice storms in NC for decades, I don't hold out hope.

The birdometer has been telling me the weather is going to be rough. What is the birdometer, you ask? When I am going through a ten pound bag of birdseed a DAY and the birdfeeders look like Grand Central Station, it means trouble is on the way!

You may not see the crowd of birds. Most are blending in. That's what they do in the winter.

 
People posted a lot of  LEP (Losing Electricity Preparation), things I hadn't thought of:

• Turn up your thermostat so your powerless house will hold heat longer.
• Make sure to run your taps even if the temps aren't that cold. You don't have heat inside the house keeping them warm anymore.
• Where is your caffeine source coming from?
• Do you have cash? ATMs and credit card machines won't work even if the gas stations and stores are open.
• Make sure to take a shower and wash and dry your hair beforehand.
• Have you done the laundry? Do you have clean underwear?  (My personal fave.)

I ticked off my list of survival grub. I had the milk (it can stay on the screened porch), the bread, Girl Scout cookies for ManO.

But if the power was off, how would I get my cholesterol lowering Gluten Free Oatmeal and fiber without a hot, piping bowl of oatmeal?  I quickly searched the Internet, ran up to the grocery (the panicked crowd hadn't deluged Fresh Market, just the regular stores) and came back home to bake before the storm. I hit a winning recipe on the first try! I adapted my recipe to make it less sweet, more breakfasty than dessert or snack.

Before: I do love my cookie scoop and parchment paper.

After: If I give the snowman a cookie, will he keep the snow and ice at bay?

Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies (Recipe adapted from Delectably Gluten Free Blog)

1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 T vanilla extract

1 cup Pamela's Baking Mix

2 tsp ground cinnamon

3 cups gluten free oats

1/2 cup chopped  pecans (feel free to add other ingredients like chips or dried fruit)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350° F. In a large bowl, using a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar on medium speed. 
Add eggs and vanilla and mix until smooth. Slowly add the baking mix and cinnamon and blend on low, adding oats.

Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts until evenly distributed. 
Drop by the spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. 
Bake for 10-15 minutes depending on the size of the cookie (until golden brown).  
Let cool on cookie sheet before transferring to a cooling rack. 

The birds were right. And so were the weather people. Storm started as I finished my post and added almost half a foot of snow and ice. 

Epilogue

 The big news, you may have seen it. Picture of gridlock in Raleigh goes viral  ManO went back to work part time this week, saw the snow and left work. Along with the rest of the Triangle. It took him an hour and a half to go a quarter of a mile. My daughter's twenty minute commute took 3.5 hours. The snow started hard and stuck quickly. Everyone was leaving at the same time. Thank goodness most folks got home safely. This wasn't a matter of people not knowing how to drive in snow but not being able to go uphills when traffic was at a standstill. 

We didn't lose power but our son and family did (their survival food was pizza delivered). About five inches and an inch of ice stopped the world for 36 hours. But we took advantage of not being able to go anywhere, caught up on tv shows and carb loaded (hey, I had my blog technically done). It could have been worse. My sister in MD got 20 inches. My sister in NYC got a ton. Both had ice. 

And next week they are calling for temperatures in the 70s.

Oh, and the funnier version of the picture of our calamity is here. Staypuff Man attacks Raleigh  

So what about you? Do you have a plan of attack when the power goes out? Go to foods? Tricks to make the time bearable? How many quilts are going on your bed if necessary?