More wind and rain at the farm
Here in the northeast, it certainly has been an eventful winter, weather-wise. There has been plenty of snow and the week before last, we had plenty of rain accompanied with plenty of wind. The rain came down in torrents and the gale-force winds were rather frightening. I've mentioned before that my farm is something of a wind tunnel and I always worry about the tall trees on the property. I was very sad to learn that a beautiful, stately pine out in the woods could no longer stand up to Mother Nature. Please enjoy these photos of a rainy and windy Bedford.
1 The wind was so fierce that it toppled a tall pine tree out in the woods. It fell across one of the carriage roads.
2 The heavy winds and the water-drenched soil proved devastating for this tree.
3 One of many raging rivulets
4 More downed branches for the crew to clean up
5 Now raging, just the day before, this was a calm, gurgling brook.
6 Another raging brook
7 An overload of water here
8 With all the moisture, this lichen is bursting with green!
9 The brooks were overflowing everywhere!
10 This brook is the result of water pouring off a meadow.
11 A giant puddle of standing water in a meadow
12 This brook is rushing through the wetlands.
13 A very soggy paddock
14 And a very soggy tennis court
15 These red tailed hawks certainly enjoy all the wind. They make quite a game of it!
16 The carriage road leading to the stable will need some repairs - it has significant erosion.
17 A rivulet even formed through this grassy area, raging towards lower ground.
18 The road I live on was actually closed to traffic because a tree had fallen across it.
19 There were many road crews out clearing that day.
20 This is the nearby Cross River Reservoir - Its frozen surface has been covered with of the newly fallen rain.
Photos By Eliad Laskin
It is amazing the force of winds. Just be glad that 2 feet of snow did not follow it. Matti
Posted by: Matti | February 9th, 2010 at 12:33 am
Wow! It looks like things have really warmed up enough for such and immense amount of water to swell up little streams and the lawn. What a difference a week makes. Currently it's 12 degrees here in maine. Unlike D.C., we eat 3 feet of snow for breakfast!! But here's to looking forward to spring!
Posted by: Daniel Viger | February 9th, 2010 at 1:37 am
Hi Martha,
I'm always amazed at how small the root systems appear on tall trees that topple over. We have super tall Tulip Poplars, it's amazing how unstable they are in wet soil and high winds.
I hope you get some snow tonight!
Posted by: Lynn from For Love or Funny | February 9th, 2010 at 7:05 am
I hope that you enjoy the rain as much as I would, here in Arizona we don't get to see very much of it. Which makes gardening a challenge for some one from the south! I am still learning how to adapt to the environmental differences in the garden.
Posted by: Teresa Harper | February 9th, 2010 at 7:12 am
Good morning Martha,
Really plenty of rain ! Was the ground frozen so the water couldn`t run thru or do you have heavy soil conditions - not much natural drainage ?
You said, you are living in a wind tunnel, do you have special doors/windows and how do you protect your garden ? What about having your own Wind energy ? Would it work ? I will move in a beautiful but also very windy area, no many windbreak trees or shrubs at this time. Any suggestions what to plant & do ? Have a nice day and stay warm- they talk about the major snowstorm ......
Posted by: Dani & cats | February 9th, 2010 at 7:27 am
I saw a tennis court in your pics.
If you still play tennis in your 60s, you are to be congratulated!
Posted by: Nan | February 9th, 2010 at 10:17 am
Don't haul away the fallen tree Martha... give the rabbits a fabulous home! Mother Nature knocked that tree down for a reason
Posted by: R. | February 9th, 2010 at 11:04 am
Martha - I am preparing for a second snow storm of more than a foot in the Philadelphia region. What a winter!
Posted by: Teresa Touey | February 9th, 2010 at 11:07 am
Hi Martha,
The fury of Mother Nature is amazing.
Sorry you lost a tree. How tall was your pine?
Becky
Posted by: Becky HK | February 9th, 2010 at 11:17 am
Hello Martha,
I enjoy reading about your winter weather in your blog. I live in sunny Southern California and find the east coast enchanting in the cold months.
Martha, you have enriched my life so much. You are truly one of the most amazing people ever! I love you!
Posted by: Rachel Kennedy | February 9th, 2010 at 11:32 am
Yes the harsh winter is inclined to take its toll on roads, etc. Here in British Columbia the roads often suffer damage from all the rains, winds and, heaven forbid, the snowy conditions of 2009. Well, we could use a little of that snow on the mountains right now. And, of course, there is all that cleanup that needs to be done.
Posted by: sherey | February 9th, 2010 at 11:36 am
Yikes! Poor tree. I live south of Chicago (where the suburbs turn country) and we are getting covered in snow here! Yes, there is lots of shoveling to do, but it sure looks amazing!
Martha,I was wondering, do you use water barrels or other means on your farm to save water for gardening? How much do you usually collect?
Posted by: NeatNicole from Illinois | February 9th, 2010 at 12:22 pm
Good evening! What a cosy and cute blog! Beautiful pictures, your house and surrounding looks peaceful and fabulous
I recently discovered your website and the past 3 days I've been making gorgeous dinners and baking with my two doughters. I posted some images from your site on my blog and attached your link, hope that's all right!
Thank you and your team for great inspiration!
Best regards Camilla.
CRJ Design
Posted by: Camilla Roald Johansson | February 9th, 2010 at 2:56 pm
Your pictures where interesting in the fact that mother nature might be telling us something about the land. As you stated you live in a 'wind tunnel'. In some cases where there has been damage, would it be prudent to have a landscape person come and evaluate what needs to be done to accomodate the needs of nature so your farm will better reflect what nature intended. You have done a great job at managing what you have but maybe some extra input would help. Keep up the good work.
Posted by: Ray | February 9th, 2010 at 2:56 pm
it is amazing and a little scary how strong wind can be!
Posted by: Wendy (Give Love Create Happiness) | February 9th, 2010 at 3:16 pm
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Lots of Plenty
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Plenty fierce gale force winds that topple stately pines,
Damage control, road closed, crews fixing hydro lines.
Mother Nature deals the hand, you play the one you get.
Tall trees reaching out in heavy winds help one another, yet,
Some succumb as fast moving water can do lots of damage.
Once calm gurgling brooks fight endlessly to ward off ravage.
Rivulets overflowing everywhere, giant puddles fill the meadow,
Raging torrents cascading down, a dream to steal "the gentle low",
A very soggy paddock where the 'big boys' often spend their day;
A very soggy tennis court where the humans like to play;
The water as it seeks its level catches the lichen's grey,
Turns it to bursting green ready for St. Patrick's day:
Rivulets and newly formed water ways thru the grassy ground,
Raging and spewing, attacking everything, their wetland found.
Red tailed hawks gaming, embracing the high gusty wind,
Stay aloft for hours and never bat a single wing.
Nearby the frozen Cross River Resevoir catches the falling rain,
And at home watching intensely, Francesca's nose against the pane.
.
Posted by: celia stock | February 9th, 2010 at 4:03 pm
Hope your down spouts and rain gutters were free of debris. We have few rains and lots of leaves, timing is everything.
Enjoyed the pictures.
Posted by: Margie | February 9th, 2010 at 4:46 pm
We have had similar experiences this winter in nearby Maryland, Martha. I wistfully remember that 'bare ground' that is in your photos - yes, just a mere week ago! That wind and rain bro't in a warm 60 degrees (AND other havoc!) but by the end of that week, the air had turned bitter. Then, the end of the FOLLOWING week (just last weekend) produced 2+ feet of snow in the mid-atlantic region of the northeast. Today/tomorrow's snow event will produce another 1+ foot and tremendous winds/drifting - this time, an event that should be reaching farther north into your neck of the woods, Martha. Byebye, bare ground! One pleasant irony, though, I've found after all of our storms is, while I am shoveling, I hear robins up in the trees or flying high overhead in large flocks - I can't make them out with my naked eyes, but I hear them 'tutting' to each other, and I smile. They actually have been around most of the winter!
.
Back in the hot and humid summer while we were getting all that (what I tho't was wonderful!) rain, I had no idea what ol' El Nino was capable of carrying over into the winter - it just didn't occur to me! Weather-oriented girl that I am - well, live-n-learn, I guess!
.
=^..^=
Posted by: Cindy Bricker | February 9th, 2010 at 6:21 pm
Here in east texas we have had so much rain, doin!t know when we will get garden in ground. Martha I have been a fan of yours forever and that is a long time. betty
Posted by: betty mills | February 9th, 2010 at 8:45 pm
Hi Martha,
I met you and Kevin in the Paris airport this past summer, and you both asked me what my favorite issue of your magazine was. There were so many questions and thoughts at the moment, that I did not answer it with I LOVE the THANKSGIVING issue, and how do you get an invite? It always looks so fabulous!
I am sorry to hear about the tree, but enjoy the beauty of your farm! It's so spectacular!
Posted by: Karin | February 9th, 2010 at 9:07 pm
Hmmm...Bedford looks a bit like North Texas, wet and cold. Show of hands - who is ready for spring?
Posted by: Brenda Mays | February 9th, 2010 at 10:53 pm
Hi Martha, You certainly have had an unusual winter this year. Your photos certainly tell the story very well. I love the photos, but not the bad, damaging weather. We have had an unusual winter, also. No snow, but plenty of wind and rain in November and December and then quite warm weather so far this year. We had lots of mudslides and way too much flooding. Where I live, we lucked out and avoided the bad things. Sure loved your show today! You looked absolutely fantastic and I can tell that you did loose weight! Congratulations on your special diet work! The segment about the gardening was wonderful and the segment about the Valentine cookies was really fun. I had no idea that Russell Simmons was so serious about the areas he is involved in. Loved listening to 'Ask Martha' again and learned lots of new things. Thanks for all you do. Love, Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | February 9th, 2010 at 11:49 pm
Gardening was really a great thing to do.I am glad you posted an information about it.Actually i am sort of a garden lover and i am looking for some data about it.
Posted by: Hydroponics | February 10th, 2010 at 1:07 am
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Hi Martha,
.
Did you purchase the property knowing it was a wind tunnel?
.
Andrea
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Posted by: Andrea and the Weimaraners | February 10th, 2010 at 4:39 am
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I have a similar threat. Three 180 footers, pine grandfathers of the property, stand in a row high on a hill not far from buildings. A field two tenths of a mile long leads up to those majestic topplers.
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Hurricane winds always travel up that run. I've been warned that these conebearers are targets of mass destruction, yet they and their 8 foot bellies still wave in the wind with stalwart grace.
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Watching one crash to the ground would bury me as much as seeing my home ablaze.
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I believe these ancestors of generations of squirrels will continue spreading skyward beyond my visitorship -- so wind, press onward, into that hill!
.
Posted by: Andrea and the Weimaraners | February 10th, 2010 at 5:08 am
My, but you did have a lot of rain! Did you count the run-a-brooks that you have on your property? Seems like you have a lot of them. I am sorry that you lost a big beautiful pine. A storm such as you had always does some damage but I know that you will have things up and running beautifully by spring. I enjoyed the pictures though and all your anamials are safe.
Good luck and God bless.
Posted by: Sylvia | February 10th, 2010 at 4:03 pm
Celia! You've done it again.
Thanks again for another wonderful on the spot poem.
You have to be the most talented writer on these blogs!
Keep 'em coming!
Posted by: Nan | February 11th, 2010 at 12:30 am