Meanwhile in Oregon ...

Here at home in Oregon, the sun is shining, temperatures are still late summer-like and flowers are still blooming.  

But my head has been in Florida thinking about the after-effects of Hurricane Ian.    

So many people in the Fort Myers area where our winter home is lost everything.   We are incredibly fortunate that our winter home is still standing and did not sustain wind or water damage inside. 

We know this now because our son, who lives in Colorado, was able to drive to Fort Myers to assess the damage, take pictures,  and do the awful job of outside cleanup.   We are so grateful.   

 

So Geoff is camping out in our Florida house -- there is no electricity but the water has been turned back on (with boil drinking water warnings).   No air conditioner either and in Florida this time of year that really is a necessity.   I am sure  he is not sleeping very well.

The hurricane left all manner of debris  around the cottage (and the whole neighborhood).   Some of that is from the storage area under the house (basement crawl space) but much of it is from other places  -- it could have blown in from other houses in the resort or the Canal could have washed it in from who knows where.  It's very sad -- and a lot of cleanup work.    

 

Nobody who lives in our resort was injured, not  even the people who are permanent residents. But there was a lot of damage from the terrible winds and from water surge from the Canal and River.  Our next door neighbor's home was just about totaled,  They will not be returning and we will miss them.     We do still plan to return later -- but it won't be the same.     

 

 

Meanwhile though, as we plan for our return to a changed Florida, we continue to enjoy this  beautiful Pacific Northwest Autumn.  And we never forget to be grateful.

 

 

The Dahlias are from a garden at our Lane County (Oregon) Fairgrounds.   When we stopped to take pictures I talked to a garden-club volunteer who was cutting flowers.  She told me that September was their prime blooming month and that I should put the Club's annual Dahlia Show on my calendar for next year.  I will try to remember.

Blue Sky - Oregon October

 

Linking this week to the following sharing opportunities.  Thank you to the hosts:

 NATURE NOTES;  THROUGH MY LENS; MY CORNER OF THE WORLD; THANKFUL THURSDAY;  SKYWATCH FRIDAY;  and FRIDAY  BLISS 

Comments

[DeniseinVA]

How awful Sallie! Your son is a jewel to go down and help clear up the mess. Good to hear none of your neighbors were hurt but I’m sorry you have friends who lost their home and won’t be coming back. Devastating to so many. Your photos always bring a smile. The dahlias are gorgeous!

[handmade by amalia]

How awful, Sallie, the who planet is losing its mind. I'm thankful there are still flowers to gladden our hearts.
Amalia
xo

[Soma @ InkTorrents.com]

So sad about the area. I am glad to hear that your home is not damaged. Pretty flower photos. Wonderful that you are taking the time to enjoy Pacific Northwest Autumn.

-Soma

[Sharon Wagner]

So sad for everyone there. What an epic disaster.

I have whitelisted you for future comments. Cleantalk thinks all my old friends are suspect. I think cleantalk is suspect. Sigh.

[Michelle Keltner]

I am glad to hear that your property was not damaged. Ft. Myers took such a hard hit. Your weather sounds lovely and there is always something to be grateful for. Thank you for linking up.

[John's Island]

Hi Sallie, I love flower photos and you sure have some excellent ones in this post. I especially like the processing to put the emphasis on the bloom. Very nice work! I am sorry to hear about the situation down in Florida. It is good to hear that you did not have major damage to your place. It is wonderful about your son helping with the cleanup! I hope they get the electricity back on soon! Thanks for sharing this post and for your recent kind comment on my blog. Best wishes to you from Seattle! John

[David Gascoigne]

I am very glad to hear that your property in Florida suffered no damage, Sallie. The prospect for storms of this magnitude to become regular events is sadly very real. I was really sad to see the destruction on Sanibel Island and wondered about the condition of the fabulous Ding Darling NWR. But take heart Floridians, both seasonal and resident, that paragon of enlightenment and reason, Gov. DeSantis in his pristine white boots is there to help. All the best - David

[Penelope Notes]

We've seen images of the storm aftermath and they are horrendous in many cases. Yet another wake-up call to say we are vulnerable. Anything can happen anywhere so we'd be wise to enjoy the moments as well as be cautious about where we settle.

[Peter B.]

Glad you are safe and your house is OK. So sorry to hear about your neighbors. You're right, it won't be the same. Hang in there!

[Jim, Sydney, Australia]

A good sky.

[Carol]

I'm glad you were home in Oregon and that your home was not greatly damaged. I haven't been south but have seen the photos. Fort Myers is gone. So sad. Your autumn looks lovely.

[Amy]

oh no, what a stressful situation, you don't quite realize what you have until you're put in a limited state of life.

[Aimee]

I have been concerned about your place in Florida and am relieved that your house survived and that the people who live there year round are okay (very sad about your neighbor’s home). So good of your son to start the difficult process of clean up, especially with the challenges of no electricity. Will hope that they are able to restore power soon.
On a more positive note, I am so grateful for the beautiful autumn we are enjoying and that the fire season isn’t as bad as in years past. Happy October to you - I think dahlias are beautiful too.
Peace,
Aimee

[Linda P]

The dahlias are beautiful. I can only imagine the worry caused by thoughts of the hurricane damaging your Florida home and bless your son for going there in the aftermath in order to reassure you and to clear up. We think of those less fortunate who've lost their homes. Take care Sallie and will continue to think of you.

[Juliet (craftygreenpoet)]

Those flowers are beautiful.

The hurricane sounds horrendous, glad no-one in your resort was injured, hope the clean up operations go well.

[Veronica Lee]

Love the BEAUTIFUL dahlias, Sallie.

You are so blessed to have such a wonderful son.

Yes, Mother Nature can be very cruel.

Hugs and blessings 🌹

[William Kendall]

The power of nature can be a terrible thing.

[A ShutterBug Explores]

What an awesome son ~ sad what Mother Nature can do ~ wishing you all the best in the storm recovery ~

Beautiful dahlia photos ~ so pretty ~ Mother Nature's opposite behavior ~ eh? Xo

Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days ~ Xo

A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)

[ellen b.]

Bless your dear son who has taken this clean-up on himself. What a help that is. Sorry about your neighbor but it sounds like most faired better than expected. The Dahlias are so pretty. Hope you have a lovely week.

[::: Heidrun]

Our thoughts are with the concerned people. We pray for them. The rememberings are fresh from the high tide in our Ahrtal last year...

...thank you for your participation on MosaicMonday.

Have a good week.

[Pat]

I'm so sorry, Sallie, but glad your son is able to help you and that your damage was minimal. I hope with time your Florida home can be welcoming again. I know nature heals remarkably fast!
We lived through Hurricane Sandy which also took a long time to recover from. We were selling our Brooklyn house at the time and fortunately did not have flooding from the devastating water surge that happened with that hurricane, but just two blocks away from where we lived people flooded up to their second floor and they lost everything inside as well as their cars. People in high apartment buildings had no elevators or electricity for weeks and the elderly were stranded. My husband's large Manhattan office building flooded from the East River surge for 14 basement garages and utilities below ground, and for 3 months he had to travel to the New Jersey office until the Manhattan building could be pumped out and repaired. Thankfully, the National Guard and Red Cross came out and helped many. My friends and I and many others brought food we cooked and clothes we collected to the temporary shelters for weeks. Can you believe that DeSantis, who was a congressman at the time, was one of many that voted against giving aid to NY at that time? It seems ironic now.

[Dina Johnston]

Beautiful flowers! Good to hear your home was spared. Such a strange thing to go through.

[Sondra]

Im glad your son is taking care of things for you and it sounds like you escaped the brunt of the storm...

[Lavender Dreams]

I'm so glad to hear your house is in good shape. My husband and I both read your post, we've wondered how everyone is faring. How blessed you are with such a good son to help you out. I know you were so anxious to know about your home and the others around you. Thanks for the update. I'm praying for everyone affected by this terrible storm. Hugs, Diane

[Beatrice]

Sallie, I forgot to say that the flowers posted here were lovely to see and a beautiful break from photos of FL sadness. I hope all will work out well for you when you decide to return.

[Beatrice]

This post was bittersweet to read, Sallie, because while it was good to read that your FL place had survived, the total devastation and destruction in other areas has been sad to see. It is good that your son, Geoff, has been able to be there to check on your home and do anything needed. It is obvious that you plan a return, which made me wonder if you had not considered other alternatives.

[Eileen]

Hello,
You are blessed, photos from Florida have been devastating. I am glad your son could help with your Florida home. I love the beautiful dahlias and the pretty sky shot. Take care, enjoy your day and week ahead!

[Diane Bohlen]

So Glad to hear that your Florida place was not totally damaged. It is so good of your son to go and clean up for you. How sad for your neighbours and so lucky for you. Take care. Love the dahlias.

[Lorrie Orr]

I'm sorry to hear about all the damage in Fort Myers, but happy that your home has survived. How wonderful that your son could go down and take care of your place.
The dahlias are lovely, and I'm glad you are enjoying this unusually warm west coast October. There is much to be grateful for.
Have a good week.