" Botanists say that trees need the powerful March winds to flex their trunks and main branches, so the sap is drawn up to nourish the budding leaves. Perhaps we need the gales of life in the same way, though we dislike enduring them."
~ Jane Truax
"In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider.
~Ecclesiastes (ch. VII, v. 14)
photo source: google images
March is the month to tap the tree sap in the Northeast of America, and the first full moon in March is called "The Sap Moon."
I love the book passage and bible verse I quoted above because I do believe we grow strong when we live through adversity, although sometimes strong winds can grow too strong!
A couple of weeks ago I had to take my cat to my veterinarian in the Bath Beach section of Brooklyn, NY, and while looking for parking I came upon this scene!
We had a day of strong gale winds -- very much the type that can occur in the month of March, but unusual in that they were frequent strong gusts of up between 40 and 60 miles an hour. Many tree limbs were tested, and there were problems in many areas with fallen branches and tree limbs, but obviously this giant tree was uprooted by a strong gust and fell upon a parked car and crushed it!
Luckily no one was hurt, and hopefully insurance will help both the homeowner and car owner re-coup some of their losses.
The entire sidewalk and home's boundary wall was uprooted too!
Seeing such terrible devastation that probably happened without warning, and within seconds. made me stop and reflect how quickly life can change the same way.
It made me very grateful for all my blessings, as day to day problems and frustrations seem trivial when you realize how quickly all can be lost in an accident such as this.
I hope seeing these photos make you realize the same, and help you give thanks today also, and may the March winds blow nothing but good things you way!
~WOW! Pat those were really strong winds!
ReplyDeleteInteresting facts about trees I did not know.
Thanks for sharing.
Have a wonderful weekend.
~Melissa ;)
Isn't it a shame how quickly things can go awry. I live in Minnesota so we do get an occasional tornado. A few houses on the end of my block were destroyed. Our home was spared (thank heavens above) but it was littered with their personal papers, baby pictures and clothing. It was so sad. The ironic part - we lived in a subdivision with underground electrical and telephone wiring - they had a phone hanging on the only remaining wall and it rang! It was the homeowners sister calling to see if they were okay. ~ Robyn
ReplyDeleteWow! I don't think I've ever been right there when a big tree like that came down. Makes me wonder how fast it really gives way...if you were standing there watching could you see the sidewalk start to heave in the moments before it fell? Interesting.
ReplyDeleteI love the first photo...very pretty. And the quotes...how true!
Oh, Pat! That is terrifying. So glad you were safely away from that tree!
ReplyDeleteSending you much love...
XO,
Sheila :-)
You're so right about how life can change in one devastating moment. Enjoy the precious moments of this unusually warm day.
ReplyDeleteHi Pat,
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad no one was hurt! Those winds must have been really strong!
Hope you are having a great snow free weekend!
Wow! You wouldn't think that the winds could build to that level in the city where all the buildings are blocking it. That car owner must've been some surprised and I'm so glad s/he wasn't in it at the time.
ReplyDeleteInteresting scripture...I'm off to look it up now.
Whoa, winds like that are terrifying! I hate the wind!
ReplyDeleteWe have a railroad track behind our house and when the wind whips it sounds like eerie howling from some unearthly creature. Sends chills up my spine every time.
Hope you're having fun Pat!
Oh I bet that was so scary when that tree came down! Thankfully no one was hurt.
ReplyDeleteIs your kitty ok?
Pat, I know you do research on the Civil War graves in New York. I just found out that some of my ancestors were in the Civil War and lived in New York. So I was wondering how I could go about finding where they were buried. Do you have any idea?
Also, do you know if there is place I can go to look up the cemeteries in New York? My grandfather died before I was born and my dads real mom died when he was only two. Both lived in New York and I have the city they lived in so I was trying to figure out which place they would be buried in. Any ideas for me?
Thanks
Joanne
Poor families! I hope they will be able to recoup their losses.
ReplyDeleteStrong winds can be destructive but winds carry good things too, like pollen. When I know we're having strong winds from the east, I know they'll be hot and possibly carry the threat of fire.
These pictures remind me of the thousands of trees that came down all around us when Katrina blew in, devastating so many lives!
ReplyDeleteThe winds can be very powerful. As my husbands says, it's not that the wind is blowing, it's what the wind is blowing!!
ReplyDeleteThere is a message from Nana Trish on my blog...please read and respond to her!!
Thanks,
Sharon
Pat, These pictures and your reflections on them are wise warnings to us all. We need to remember to enjoy every day of our lives and to always treasure the loved ones God has blessed us with. Life can change forever in a moment.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post and so very true. Thank you for sharing with us.
ReplyDeleteThe picture of the distruction of the tree was amazing.Thank God no one was hurt. Mother nature can be brutal.
yes, we just never know...
ReplyDeleteand may the March winds do the same for you!
I never knew of the "sap moon." It's been an interesting winter, weather-wise. Those of you in the city have been hit more than those of us in the "hinterland."
ReplyDeleteYour new grandson is precious!! Would love to kiss those sweet little cheeks!!
ReplyDeleteLove,
Sharon
Your post reminds me of a large tree that fell on a beautiful old home -- right in the middle of it!! They tore it down and rebuilt it in basically the same style. But you are so right, things can change in a minute.
ReplyDeleteHello Pat, I missed visiting you lately. The time change has me up way to early. But then, I went to bed early.LOL
ReplyDeleteYour photos of the wind damage is a wake up call to how quickly our life changes sometimes. Think about the tornadoes that are so destructive in a matter of minutes. We need to live each day with thankfulness for our blessings don't we.
My nephew collects sap each year and makes his own syrup. Yum. They live in MI.
Leo is so cute in your side bar photo. I know you miss seeing him.
Have a wonderful day. Oh, I am glad you read some of my posts. My friend Beverly, How Sweet the Sound, put that on for me. I had fun looking back too. That is a great feature. I am truly computer challenged. Sigh.
Hugs...Jeanne
Wow! Back in the late 1980s we had strong winds in the south of England which pulled down a lot of the big trees. They did a "what happened" recently on the radio about the areas and they said how allowing the light into parts of the old woods had allowed lots of little trees to grow in the new light and that the act of distruction was actually helping regeneration.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad no one was hurt in your winds by the tree.
These pictures remind me of the storm with possible tornado winds that occurred in Brooklyn while my daughter was living there...maybe a year ago...I guess one is never safe from nature!
ReplyDelete