August 25, 2020 – Preparation for a tropical storm

It’s August, and along the Gulf Coast, that means hurricane season. I have lived in south Mississippi and Louisiana my entire life. Hurricane season is part of the fall landscape here.

There are some basic things that we do when any storm is headed our way. Our biggest issue is loss of power. Trees come down in the high wind and knock out power lines.

So we try to make sure everything is caught up and cleaned up.

First things first – Laundry.

Laundry is a big energy drain and really can’t be done with an average generator. I have been doing all the laundry in the house. Everything needs to be clean and put away.

Now to cleaning. When the power goes out, it’s in the 90’s, and the air conditioning can only be run sparsely, you don’t feel like cleaning anything. Best to start with a clean house and a clean barn.

Don’t forget the garden. Especially the okra. When people ask how long okra grows, I always say, “until the hurricane knocks it down”.

Okra grows tall and loves our late summer heat and humidity.

We just go right ahead and eat it. No reason to put more in the freezer right now.

We hope the pumpkins and watermelons will withstand the winds. Nothing we can do for them.

We walk around the barns and pick up any loose feeders, buckets, and random things that may be lying about.

I have seen a pine needle stuck in a tree after a hurricane. Those winds can make a projectile out of most anything.

We also say goodbye to our favorite spiders. I know that sounds crazy, but spiders are helpful around here. They catch insects like flies and goats and mosquitoes.

So be safe if you are in the path of any storm.

Do your proper preparations, and be sure you have a good book to read.

Blessings!