September 14th was a little more than just a blustery day as remnants of Hurricane Ike came rolling through Ohio. Throughout the day, the winds increased in speed and intensity, hitting its peak between 4:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Winds of upward of 70 mph ripped through the Missouri Lick Valley, leaving leaf litter, broken branches and upturned lawn ornaments in its wake. Due to the force of those winds, power outages occurred across the state of Ohio from about 6:00 p.m. on Sunday. Our little corner of the universe lost power at about 6:10 p.m. and we didn't regain power until Tuesday evening at about 8:50 p.m. It's fortunate my husband is an electrician and we could get our hands on a generator!
About 2.6 million people lost power in Ohio with many not regaining electricity until a week later. Newspapers stated that when all is said and done the cost of this storm would reach upwards of $500 million. This total includes insurance claims and money spent in restoring power.
Here's a short video clip to let you experience the sights and sounds of that unforgettable day!
Monday, September 29, 2008
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Kindergarten Blues and Senior High Yaa Hoos!
Yes, I know - a poet I am not.
But tell me, how many people out there have a child going into kindergarten - just beginning their school career and another ready to end his - a senior in high school. (Yeah, I know, there's still college, but we won't go there right now!)
Yup, just what I thought - we're the minority. (Actually, after attending a kindergarten function last week I'm rethinking that. There's more "older" folks than I thought who have "bridged" families!) And just for kicks, let's throw in a 22 year old who's diligently working to get his bachelor's degree.
It's just not fair having all these major events happening at once! Sending your baby off to school whom you would rather just keep safe and sound and protected from the big, bad world while on the other hand you've got another child ready to take on the world as he hits that major step into adulthood. How did they grow up so fast? Mix with that a good case of menopause (yeah - will be half way to fifty this year). It's just not fair, I tell you! (I know, I know - pass the cheese - I'm whining!).
Just to make life a little more interesting, lets add into the mix "mom" who decided last year that she is FINALLY going to go to college! Sigh. Better late than never, I suppose!
For what it's worth, it's a year for change, growth and bumpy rides as the Skolmutch family travels the road called "life".
Saturday, April 19, 2008
The End of the Rainbow
We're all familiar with the famous Irish legend that a pot of gold lays hidden at the end of every rainbow to be retrieved only by those mythical and mischievous little people - the Leprechauns.
Over the centuries people have tried to find that pot of gold, but alas, with no success, bringing about doubt that such a thing even exists. And, in fact, it's been questioned as to whether a rainbow does, indeed, have an end.
The Bible states that a rainbow is a symbol of God's promise never to bring a great flood upon the earth - ever. Scientists on the other hand state that the rainbow is created when sunlight shines through the prism of raindrops, creating this spectacular array of colors.
I can't say how many rainbows I've seen in my lifetime nor can I recall how many complete ones I've have the opportunity to observe, either. But, on those rare occasions when a full blown rainbow in all its glorious colors makes its appearenace, I'm always in awe.
Getting back to that end of the rainbow business. I've never seen the end of the rainbow. When I've been lucky enought to see a rainbow, it makes no difference how far I drive or walk, the end of the rainbow always seems just out of reach.
So, it was on a rainy and somewhat warm day back in late February 2008, that my luck changed. While driving the back roads of Holmes County, Ohio on the way to pick up my son at his Amish babysitter's house, the northern sky was dark and heavy with rain, while to the south the sun was shining brightly. As I veared onto the county road, I noticed in the field to my right a huge, spectacular rainbow. The colors were so rich and vibrant and the rainbow itself was so huge that I had to crane my neck out the window to see its full height. But what made me slam on the brakes and stop (luckily, this is not a heavily traveled road) was the fact that I could see the end of the rainbow! The rainbow's colors stretched out across the field and then arced up to create that well known arch we've come to know when rain and sunshine mix. It took my breath away. Unfortunately, there was no pot of gold to be found, but I did catch a glimpse of something small and green racing across the field and disappearing into the woods.
Over the centuries people have tried to find that pot of gold, but alas, with no success, bringing about doubt that such a thing even exists. And, in fact, it's been questioned as to whether a rainbow does, indeed, have an end.
The Bible states that a rainbow is a symbol of God's promise never to bring a great flood upon the earth - ever. Scientists on the other hand state that the rainbow is created when sunlight shines through the prism of raindrops, creating this spectacular array of colors.
I can't say how many rainbows I've seen in my lifetime nor can I recall how many complete ones I've have the opportunity to observe, either. But, on those rare occasions when a full blown rainbow in all its glorious colors makes its appearenace, I'm always in awe.
Getting back to that end of the rainbow business. I've never seen the end of the rainbow. When I've been lucky enought to see a rainbow, it makes no difference how far I drive or walk, the end of the rainbow always seems just out of reach.
So, it was on a rainy and somewhat warm day back in late February 2008, that my luck changed. While driving the back roads of Holmes County, Ohio on the way to pick up my son at his Amish babysitter's house, the northern sky was dark and heavy with rain, while to the south the sun was shining brightly. As I veared onto the county road, I noticed in the field to my right a huge, spectacular rainbow. The colors were so rich and vibrant and the rainbow itself was so huge that I had to crane my neck out the window to see its full height. But what made me slam on the brakes and stop (luckily, this is not a heavily traveled road) was the fact that I could see the end of the rainbow! The rainbow's colors stretched out across the field and then arced up to create that well known arch we've come to know when rain and sunshine mix. It took my breath away. Unfortunately, there was no pot of gold to be found, but I did catch a glimpse of something small and green racing across the field and disappearing into the woods.
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