Preparing for Ike

This is very strange. I am spending a good part of today securing our homestead against hurricane Ike. This is strange because we are hundreds of miles inland, and although hurricanes often affect the coastal areas of my state, the most we ever see from them is a rain shower now and then. We might even get a proper thunderstorm if the hurricane is severe. But this time we're right in its path, and are expecting 40-60 mph winds tomorrow, along with heavy rain, lightning, and the potential for tornadoes.

This is a very different sort of drill for us this time because we're way out in the country without fast access to supplies, and we have animals whose well being we're responsible for. So I'll spend today doing laundry while I still can, making sure the rabbits will stay dry, covering the bees with a tarp so they don't drown, locating our flashlights, batteries, candles and other emergency supplies, filling containers with water, and securing anything in the yard that looks like it might blow away. We get strong winds through here on otherwise normal days, so I can only imagine what we could be in for. My internet connection has already been spotty all day today, so the next couple of days don't look too promising on that front.

It's entirely possible that Ike might make landfall and weaken to a point that all we get is a little rain - we got virtually nothing at all from Gustav. But for the first time ever, I think we might be in for it, so I have wine, tons of books, some oil lamps and good company, and I'm preparing to hole up.