Perhaps all hurricanes have a distinctive sound, but I’m going to write about the difference between one in North Carolina and one in New York. There was obviously wind with both storms, but wind on Long Island was really loud. In NC the recent storm traveled over land for a great distance, and the wind was getting tired. It wasn’t very loud, although you could hear it at different levels – by the house and high on the ridge. Having an engorged stream raging behind the houses in NC was distinctive. There were undertones of water, but to me it sounded like two farm tractors with motors running.

I think, without exception, the weather after a hurricane in New York was glorious. The sun was strong in a bright blue sky. The distinctive sound of chainsaws was pervasive. On Long Island the trees were tall and thin, toothpick trees my dad used to call them. They would snap easily and always aimed to cause the most disruption by blocking roads.

The day after our recent storm, sounds were missing under gloomy skies. It was unnaturally quiet with no traffic on I-40. The road was closed because a bridge was out, and half the road had fallen into the Pigeon River at one point. On this street the silence demanded my attention. There was not a single chainsaw to be heard! Not one! I was not aware of any tree falling on this side of the mountain. Of course, I am very thankful the old oak tree stood its ground and dropped very few small branches.

I sit here writing about unimportant things, where only a mile away there is flood damage. Asheville was hard hit, and the number of deaths is still rising. If you pray, please include the people of Waynesville and Asheville. Thank you.