Monday, December 30, 2013

maine ice storm 2013 followup

well, its been over a week now since the ice storm and the ice is still with us.  today the sun finally came out for more than a few minutes.  the wind kicked up and the ice laden tree branches swaying in the wind sounded like leaves rustling.  some ice was falling, but not much.

the old farmers almanac had predicted a colder and snowier winter for northern new england.  so far, so good.  frigid temps again for the next few days.  this is the 3rd frigid cold snap in the last month.


 




 
we had a quick snowstorm drop 6-7 inches of snow last night.  this morning was all pretty and rosey looking

 

   

Sunday, December 29, 2013

maine ice storm 2013

 
 we had a pretty bad ice storm around these parts that started on saturday december 21st and ended late on monday december 23rd.  many people lost their power on saturday, but ours didn't go out until monday morning.  right after i had gotten up, but right before i made my coffee :((
this first pic is how it looked out my back door on saturday morning.
 
jeff and i spent the weekend just keeping up with stuff and hanging out while the lights blinked occassionally.  sunday the power went off and on a couple of times but not for longer than an hour.  monday morning i got up at 6:30 and turned on the coffee pot, but before my coffee could brew the power went out and we knew that was it.  the ice was getting thicker and thicker.
 
we had the woodstove going and lots of bottled water and food we didn't have to cook, so we were good.  when darkness started to fall we got out all of our candle lanterns and some flashlights and spent the evening just chilling out--mostly with jeff playing his guitar--and talking--and drinking a little whisky--maple flavored jim beam--yum!!!
 
when we got up on tuesday morning it was all done and then we had to work to get out of the driveway.  we went to our daughters house--she had power.  one sons home also kept power but the other didn't--his was actually out for 3 days.
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

we had to cut down a whole bunch of young birches and wild cherries that bent over and blocked the driveway.  a couple of them were touching the phone line, but it held up.  a couple of branches were overhanging the power line, but the power company came and trimmed them back.
 
the roads were all good down to julies (14 miles of back road) we had to drive around many drooping trees, but none that totally blocked the road. 
 
funny picture of jeff conquering the elements!
 
 
 
 
i took my christmas morning food to julies to prepare and we planned on going to the sons house with power on christmas morning.  we also took showers there.  then we stopped at the grocery to stock up on snackies and then to mcd's for our christmas eve dinner.  we were on our own for christmas eve and i don't even know if there was church services.  at that point we were too tired to care much.
 
when we got back home the sun was shining and the ice was beautiful.  pictures cannot do it justice
 
 
 
the temps were very cold that night--near 0*  i put on my down coat and went outside to look at the stars.  it is very, very dark here anyway because of no street lights and very few houses, but with no lights from any houses at all it was  actually very nice!
 
we brought in more wood and packed all the dirty dishes into a tote to put in the garage until the power went back on because they were just bugging me sitting there.  got all the candles lit and settled down with our snacks.  around 7 pm the power went on!  i hardly noticed it because everything was turned off so i just heard the soft hum of the fridge going on.  i jumped up and ran around and turned every light on!!!! 
 
then the power went back off!!!!! 
 
it came back on for good (so far) about an hour later.
 
it was kind of a happy/sad kind of feeling though. 
 
it snowed a few inches on thursday and the snow clung to all the ice and made it look even prettier
 
 
it has stayed cold for the most part and we've had very little melting.  this morning the sun was trying to come out and the temps got up to about 33.  some ice was falling, but i think there is still so much ice out there.  tonight its freezing rain again and we are expecting 6-10 inches of snow?  then potentially another coastal storm on thursday into friday. 
 
and we've only just begun.........
 
 
i should mention that there are still some mainers who haven't gotten their power back yet.  a lot of people didn't have power again until saturday--we were very fortunate considering we live in an outlying area that we got our power back so quickly.
 

 
 

 

Thursday, December 26, 2013

the greatest gift notes part 2

*every little thing will be okay--because God is working good through every little thing

*joys are always on their way to us

*gifts always come out of the unseen & hidden places

*you only begin to change your life when you begin to change the way you see it

*seek out all things unseen

*the message of christmas is that this worlds a mess, and we can never save ourselves from ourselves and we need a messiah

*God is with us, God is for us, God is in us

*we were made to worship---every moment you live, you live bowed to something

*you always go farther when traveling light

*the little & the small is lifted up

*our joy goes beyond the walls of this world

*you will go out in joy, and be led forth in peace

*all worry dethrones God :( 
  for when the king rules, you cease to rule

*you've got to use the life you've been given to give others life

*you have been given gifts in order to be a lifeline to others

*rejoicing in the Lord happens while we still struggle in the now.

*the secret of joy is always a matter of focus

*nothing is impossible with God

*the good things in life are not health, but holiness
  are not riches, but relationship with God
  are not our plans, but His presence

*he withholds no good thing from us because the greatest things aren't ever things

*rest here

*there is only room in us when we are done with us

*you are unconditionally accepted and unbelievably wanted

*he comes for you in the wilderness

*be a dwelling space for God.  mary became a space

*the promises came true in the space of her surrender

*simply become a place for God

*before we are called to give, we are called to receive

*be a space for love to come

*space becomes a sanctuary

*he is with us, he will save us

*at christs birth a battle was waged and won for you
  satan falls like lightening from the sky
  the agonies of redemption

*this is a time of awed silence

*WE LIVE IN AN OCEAN OF GRACE

*God stays with us

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

the greatest gift notes part 1

i've been working through this book

the greatest gift by ann voskamp

and, as i do with all my bible studies, take notes of things that appeal to me or jump out at me.  here are some of my notes from this book so far:

*the authority of God made all human beings

*God in three persons, uncontainable affection, knelt down and kissed warm life into you with the breath of His love.

*you are made of the dust of this earth,
  and you are made of the happiness of heaven
  and you are flesh, and you are spirit
  and you are two worlds longing for the home of forever and Him

*the answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God

*be kind....be honest

*we only find ourselves when we find God

*let God find you

*troubles can make us better or bitter.  they can make us rise or sink

*rise

*listen to the carols just a little bit longer

*linger in the quiet

*only when you are overwhelmed with the goodness of God can you overflow with the goodness to others

*laugh!

*laughter is a gift

*we will laugh with relief for all eternity

*all fear is but the notion that Gods love ends.

*it doesn't

*the Lord will provide

*worry is belief gone wrong

*peace is belief that exhales

*hurry empties a soul

*love came down

*you can never be undone

* God is never absent, never impotent, never distant

*all is grace

*love comes surely

* Jews dance when the  ten commandments are read because its a proclaimation of Gods love for us.

* there is a scarlet lifeline of hope

*we are all looking for a lifeline

*risk to live

*rahab, great grandmother of jesus many times removed was a former prostitute & pagan

*God is coming! can you feel it?!