March Roars Out

With a vengeance. 

In the past 36 hours, over 5" of rain, wind gusts to 70 mph, total 9 hours without electricity.  Tornado's, hail, many trees down.  Kids and teachers out of school today.

The garden looks very sad.  Hopefully it is all over with now.  Overheard before dawn in the hospital halls "We needed the rain but could we have it without the weather?"

I went out in a slow down later afternoon and gathered up a bunch of the blown down greens to fix with dinner.  Many large branches came down in the garden.  There are some casualities, hard to see the extent with all the debris and low light.

Sitting and waiting in the pre-surgery waiting room, I struck up a converstation with a lovely mother/daughter team.  Mom came to S. Florida from France in the early 50's.  We talked about making your own 'dirt'.  Lovely folks.  The daughter told me about a house near Lake Ivanhoe that has every inch of the front yard growing edibles.  I want to see this.  I got called back before I could get the details and did not see them again.

Looking around the front and back from the porches, it looks like I will have plenty of green tree matter and deadfall to join in making more dirt for the gardens.  Good thing hubs talked the trash folks into leaving the broken bin - it will be making a fine long term compost holder.  And I will have the chance to scoop up from the neighbors!

Last night the tomatoes in the front garden looked really bad.  Flattened.  I watch the wind storming through with them right in the path.  I didn't get to check on them until just a bit ago.  Quickly go them upright and staked a bit.  Guess maybe I should consider staking earlier?  Or, in this case is it good that the wind bent them over and they should bounce back - whereas staked they might have snapped?

Hope my fellow Floridians are fairing well and warm thoughts for their gardens.