Monday, June 20, 2016

Windy Washday

I know it seems improbable, but this is the first Monday (which is my laundry day) of the season that it hasn't been rainy or foggy or so damp I couldn't hang my laundry out on the lines.

Today has been super-sunny with low humidity but . . . WINDY!


Even the towels dried zippy-quick.  The only trick was keeping the pieces on the lines from wrapping around each other in a tangled strangle hold. 

The wind hasn't been very kind to all the little plants in the garden though.  They're taking a beating from the nearly constant 25 mph winds.  Although perhaps it would be worse if they were taller and hit with more of the brunt of the wind.  It's been blowing steadily all day long, and we've had to chase any number of items as they've been blown across the acreage.  One of our newly built chicken (gosling) tractors even got flipped over on it's side.  Luckily all the goslings were out roaming the pasture at the time.  Sure hope the wind dies down soon.  I don't relish the thought of listening to it all night and wondering what is being blown to Timbuktu.

On a sad, serious note, we did have a severe storm blow through the area last night.  Although we had been warned of damaging hail, heavy rain and high winds, most of it went west of us, and we only had an average rainfall.  Some forty miles from us, many trees blew down, roads washed out or were impassable because of the blowdowns.  Unfortunately, one man was killed when a huge pine came crashing down, and two others (a man and a boy) in a different location were seriously injured.  Yes, it was a bad storm, and we feel so fortunate it missed our immediate area.

I have to confess I was a very Nervous Nellie as we sat up way past our usual bedtime listening to the local radio station and waiting to hear the storm was not going to hit us directly as had been forecast.  It's a helpless feeling when nature brings such destructive weather your way.

24 comments:

Nancy In Boise said...

Sounds like you were lucky that it passed you! It was 97 today and windy here, poor garden and hens. We watered and it looks good now :)

Laurie said...

Mother Nature is a force to be reckoned with. Wind and water can be such strong forces. Sorry to hear that there was loss of life, but happy to hear all is well at your house.

Michelle said...

So sorry to hear of the death and destruction from the storm, but glad to hear you're okay.

Annie's Journal said...

Clothes drying on clothesline outdoor whether all churned up or not, looks so homey to me. I love that photo of yours:) Glad you were spared by the passing storm. We had a lot of T-Storms since Spring till now - summer! Unusual I think.. but at least they are not those scary ones. Keep save always.

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

Glad you are safe - your laundry looks like it was busy getting tangled up.

Vera said...

We have had many storms and very strong winds during the last two months here in SW France, which is very unusual weather for us. I look at 'Lightningmap.org' on the internet when storms are about so we know when one is likely to come our way. Might be useful for you to look at as well because the site covers the USA as well as many other countries.

Sue said...

Not a fan of wind at all, but yes, on laundry day it is very very welcome. I love those ultra strong pins you recommended--though I'm sure the neighbors down the road are missing the extra washcloths and shirts! Ha!

Akannie said...

It's been hot as Hades here...and I haven't hung a single load outside yet this year. We did get a little squall last night finally...under that gorgeous Strawberry Moon !

DFW said...

So glad you guys were spared the worst of the storm. I love to watch them from a safe distance. We had a lady from a couple of towns away, die from a fallen palm tree last week. Scary stuff. The wind is tough but you are right, it sure does make the laundry dry a lot faster.

Rain said...

We had the same weather overnight. Our thunderstorm started at about 9pm and went on for three hours, hail, lots of lightning and we lost power. Everything here was fine but when I walked the dogs in the woods this morning, I saw lots of damage. It's crazy windy here too and I also took advantage with the laundry line! Good thing is that the high heat and humidity broke. I do love thunder and lightning...from indoors! Glad all is well!

Mama Pea said...

Nancy - Ninety-seven? Way too hot for this Minnesota gal. We just finished a few days in the 80s (which is unusual for us in June already!) and we were grumpy as heck.

Mama Pea said...

Laurie - I was really scared thinking it was going to hit us, too. I have to learn to have more faith and not worry about the worst. :o/

Mama Pea said...

Michelle - Thanks, Michelle. To add to the anxiety of it all, our daughter was tent camping right on the edge of where it turned out to be really bad. Their tent flooded (!) and they spent the night in soaked sleeping bags, but came out okay.

Mama Pea said...

Annie - Yes, seeing clothes hung on a clothesline brings such memories of times gone by. I think it was a slower time, too. When the homemaker was at home and had the time (even though it may have been a necessity!) to hang the laundry outside and breath the fresh air and take a moment here and there to enjoy the surroundings of nature.

Mama Pea said...

JoAnn - That it was! But, you know, when I took it down the items actually had less wrinkles in them than usual. I think the wind did a good job of whipping them out! ;o)

Mama Pea said...

Vera - Thank you for passing on that good info!

Mama Pea said...

Sue - Oh ya, the folks down the road are probably wondering why no "presents" come tumbling into their yard anymore!

'Bout the only time I like wind is when it keeps the biting bugs away from me!!!

Mama Pea said...

Akannie - I know you folks in the (middle) Midwest have been having terribly hot weather. What gives??

Mama Pea said...

DFW - Life can really change in a moment, can't it? One is left feeling "if only." I guess we just can't control some things.

First thing before breakfast this morning I stripped our bed and washed sheets, got them out on the line and, of course, they smelled so good when I brought them in. I think clotheslines are worth it just for bed linens!

Mama Pea said...

Rain - Even after the storm is over, remember to be careful walking in the woods because the ground can be soft and the roots of trees weakened from the wind. Don't want any to fall on you or your pups!

Yes, a storm will frequently relieve high heat and humidity. It is good for that!

Sandy Livesay said...

Mama Pea,

I must say the weather this year has been real strange across our country. It's good to hear your family was okay, and you didn't have any major damage to your place. What a shame to hear a person lost their life in the storm, and two others were injured.

That wind will dry your clothes in record time :-)

Hugs and love to you and yours,
Sandy

Practical Parsimony said...

I have had some hot, hot, windy, low humidity days when I could get three loads on the line, one load at a time. Those days were very good days. Heavy towels dried in an hour.

Mama Pea said...

Sandy - Yes, I do believe we are all experiencing weather that is definitely out of the ordinary. Could it have anything to do with those chem-trails??

Mama Pea said...

Practical Parsimony - That was just about the situation here on Monday. Much different than hanging clothes inside in the winter time and it taking three days for them to dry!:o)