MY DEPENDENCE ON ALL THINGS electrical became terribly clear when the lights went out in the wee hours of the morning last Tuesday. There were no hot cups of coffee to stir the day and combing my hair in the mirror amid candlelight shadows was spooky. It was a howling pitch-black night with all manner of debris being knocked about in the windstorm. I woke from a fitful sleep to find the lawn chair had flow across the yard and my umbrella had left its stand to tumble down the mossy stairway.
The wind whipped most of the last leaves from the trees so I was amazed to see this bright Jack-o'-lantern hanging firmly onto its stem.
As is often the case during southwest storms in BC, large branches (and in rare cases entire trees) from an abundance of evergreens fell on electrical wires and caused outages for thousands of people throughout the Lower Mainland. It took several hours for power to be restored in my area.
There was an eerie calm after the storm. Some broken branches I saw on my walk later would make great crafting material for Christmas wreathes. I saw several people stop their cars to collect the sprigs for seasonal decorations.
It was the first windstorm for this newly installed seat at Kwomais Point Park where I inevitably wandered. Its memorial plaque read Sydney Eileen Peters, 1945 - 2001, She was a Teacher To All of Us. I was curious about this gift given so long after her death and hoped to learn more about Eileen some day. This is the second of two benches that replaced the old wooden one.
Heading through the forest path, I could see a park building. The glow through its window winked at me like an eye in the distance.
The cheery light got me thinking about the appliances and other devices shackled to my everyday existence. I recalled the odd sense of freedom I felt earlier that morning when waiting in the dark for daylight to appear. For a few flickering moments, I imagined how liberating (and also difficult) life might be if released from the powerful grip and allure of all things electrical.To view more sights from around the globe visit Our World.
Copyright by Penelope Puddlisms
It's frightening how dependent we are on electricity, isn't it? But once in a while it's good to remember how lucky we are when everything can be turned on. :))
ReplyDeleteBeautiful shots from after the storm. I can't imagine being without electricity. It would be ok in mild weather for a while but going without it during an ice storm one winter was challenging and scary.
ReplyDeleteLovely shots!
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine what life was like in winter before electricity!
We have grown dependent on our power consuming appliances. Even my "off the grid" cabin has electricity, solar cells charge batteries for night time lighting.
ReplyDeleteGreat post!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River.
ReplyDeleteWe lived for several months with no electricity when Clint and I were teenagers. We thought it was exciting. Mom cooked on a pot-bellied wood stove when it got too cold to cook on the wood stove in our summer kitchen outside. The well was at the bottom of a steep hill, so water had to be brought up in the car in 5- and 10-gallon milk cans.
ReplyDeleteI saw the remnants of your storm last week, though, and the roads near your house, and it sure didn't look like fun. Rob's kids were terrified by the noise of falling tree debris.
K
Lovely photos ~ despite the storm ~ glad you are safe. ~~ thanks, namaste, Carol (A Creative Harbor) USA ~ OWT ^_^
ReplyDeleteNice shots, that looks like a beautiful park. I can't imagine life without electricity. Even our water stops when we lose power, as we have a private well in our front yard that uses an electrical pump to bring the water to the surface!
ReplyDeleteTerrific captures and a great reminder of just how dependent on electricity we are these days -- as well as cars, cell phones, computers etc etc etc! Hope your week is off to a great start -- preferably with electricity!!
ReplyDeleteSylvia
We got that storm a day after you had it...no power outages though, although I couldn't figure out how that could happen with the ferocious power of the wind...I was in awe! I watched the trees right next to the house whipping around. One tree didn't fall, but the top of it sheared off and fell away from the house...you can bet I felt thankful that day!
ReplyDeleteLovely photos...I can see it had been raining and I love the smell and feel of the kind of day you describe...something I miss here, where it snows now, covering leaves and branches. xx