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winds in our area got up to Hurricane Category 2 strength - nobody was prepared as the forecasters had predicted much lower wind speeds
houses were shaking, some being destroyed; trees and powerlines were falling; electricity was cut off; phones and internet stopped working; very sadly 30 deaths in our region
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_12e224c0ac1f48c7846ca871283e5d4c~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_1307,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/654ba3_12e224c0ac1f48c7846ca871283e5d4c~mv2.jpg)
our beautiful little forest before the hurricane
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_0e956951b8da4f06b06c262070483221~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_737,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/654ba3_0e956951b8da4f06b06c262070483221~mv2.jpg)
after Helene, many trees were lost
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_a49f7a528baf4d7e92cf57069ddfb478~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_735,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/654ba3_a49f7a528baf4d7e92cf57069ddfb478~mv2.jpg)
one of my most favourite places to sit and watch nature
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_01765a9631ed49fab0b985416746ec3a~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_823,h_617,al_c,q_85,enc_auto/654ba3_01765a9631ed49fab0b985416746ec3a~mv2.jpg)
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_8d90f523070746beb814b6a37cfb2e56~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_747,h_560,al_c,q_85,enc_auto/654ba3_8d90f523070746beb814b6a37cfb2e56~mv2.jpg)
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_c1989f7b74094db19a26b22c0291e1c0~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_747,h_560,al_c,q_85,enc_auto/654ba3_c1989f7b74094db19a26b22c0291e1c0~mv2.jpg)
now it's a bit of a mess
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_a44a8e58eda94bd48b9a46c9087685e7~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_735,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/654ba3_a44a8e58eda94bd48b9a46c9087685e7~mv2.jpg)
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_36f9c59622b2426289493d3cee51078c~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_735,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/654ba3_36f9c59622b2426289493d3cee51078c~mv2.jpg)
lucky that the tree and gazebo missed the bedroom
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_e0757fe9c3254378a13541e7b7d13823~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_1307,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/654ba3_e0757fe9c3254378a13541e7b7d13823~mv2.jpg)
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_79871501ef5c40be94813bb8f23c6352~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_1307,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/654ba3_79871501ef5c40be94813bb8f23c6352~mv2.jpg)
our squashed shed and neighbour's workshop
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_8e700f3b1b824bda9cb9b61b4bbd65cd~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_735,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/654ba3_8e700f3b1b824bda9cb9b61b4bbd65cd~mv2.jpg)
Ray spent so many hours putting up that fence that is now squashed (14 hours a day in 95+ F heat one July)
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_40b1df6b07b0403b821127bdd88fa93c~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_735,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/654ba3_40b1df6b07b0403b821127bdd88fa93c~mv2.jpg)
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_12080877db304c9f98d8ff011fec6b4a~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_735,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/654ba3_12080877db304c9f98d8ff011fec6b4a~mv2.jpg)
we were so much luckier than many of our neighbours
nextdoor, they had a tree through a bedroom
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_bcbc3fc00f6f4637a34c44ba7c6032bf~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_735,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/654ba3_bcbc3fc00f6f4637a34c44ba7c6032bf~mv2.jpg)
sadly, one of our neighbours died during the storm
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_dacf856a450d4afb9b0acd57b6475a64~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_735,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/654ba3_dacf856a450d4afb9b0acd57b6475a64~mv2.jpg)
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_935d3752575647e99823119920475ee6~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_458,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/654ba3_935d3752575647e99823119920475ee6~mv2.jpg)
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_ea13dca38b6442349fe82e178afde6fc~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_562,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/654ba3_ea13dca38b6442349fe82e178afde6fc~mv2.jpg)
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_7c79691f8280488996e7a0562017d04f~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_735,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/654ba3_7c79691f8280488996e7a0562017d04f~mv2.jpg)
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_8d5cf1464a1743bfba8803981e5287ea~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_652,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/654ba3_8d5cf1464a1743bfba8803981e5287ea~mv2.jpg)
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_646c59387c7b4d2cb973709e2e39ad81~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_639,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/654ba3_646c59387c7b4d2cb973709e2e39ad81~mv2.jpg)
the house across the road caught fire when the electricity returned; 8 fire engines
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_f39bd9f5a6644b54b2d228a56e163ebe~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_735,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/654ba3_f39bd9f5a6644b54b2d228a56e163ebe~mv2.jpg)
our friends' daughter was absolutely terrified as the winds and trees tore through her house; her dad and a friend drove to save her; they took a chainsaw and cut through the path of fallen trees to reach her in the middle of the storm; I am so thankful that they are all safe and well
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_99c2540b93ce46e284ec82139deccda4~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_738,h_989,al_c,q_85,enc_auto/654ba3_99c2540b93ce46e284ec82139deccda4~mv2.jpg)
trees were down everywhere; people are cutting them up and leaving them for the county to pick up
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_2376e7ae640945c195f7fd3cd46294bd~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_735,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/654ba3_2376e7ae640945c195f7fd3cd46294bd~mv2.jpg)
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_8223b8e5a28e42acbbd064c97559644f~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_735,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/654ba3_8223b8e5a28e42acbbd064c97559644f~mv2.jpg)
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_216ce3dda2c54b669ce160679c0ba18d~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_735,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/654ba3_216ce3dda2c54b669ce160679c0ba18d~mv2.jpg)
lots of scenes like this around our house
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_f385dc6843f3493bb49584c5931759b0~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_735,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/654ba3_f385dc6843f3493bb49584c5931759b0~mv2.jpg)
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_ac94b76f97d74810a9ad4bb961c11dc2~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_735,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/654ba3_ac94b76f97d74810a9ad4bb961c11dc2~mv2.jpg)
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_04e145dfe1a14b85b1251ac37feca66c~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_741,h_989,al_c,q_85,enc_auto/654ba3_04e145dfe1a14b85b1251ac37feca66c~mv2.jpg)
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_f55124cb0d32413caacd6c986c2dae8c~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_735,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/654ba3_f55124cb0d32413caacd6c986c2dae8c~mv2.jpg)
many powerlines down - we were without electricity for a week; some neighbours for two weeks or more
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_0ee6fce140704442853acb8d0cec63ec~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_512,h_512,al_c,q_80,enc_auto/654ba3_0ee6fce140704442853acb8d0cec63ec~mv2.jpg)
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_178a69e15a4b4c2d94c1edc57693a516~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_571,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/654ba3_178a69e15a4b4c2d94c1edc57693a516~mv2.jpg)
before we went away, I did the "penny on top of the frozen water" trick so I'd know if we had lost electricity not aware that a hurricane would sweep through the Augusta area
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_21dab8f57ba34ba5834531c20f0b0bf3~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_1307,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/654ba3_21dab8f57ba34ba5834531c20f0b0bf3~mv2.jpg)
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_b0e2de7e76fb4f77b81b508a803a9a2d~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_1307,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/654ba3_b0e2de7e76fb4f77b81b508a803a9a2d~mv2.jpg)
4 bags full of rotting food from the freezer
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_6d5f26e353a94d7192ec1995c3a89a2f~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_735,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/654ba3_6d5f26e353a94d7192ec1995c3a89a2f~mv2.jpg)
we lost internet for two weeks
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_fa8a607cbaf042d28bafcaaaee4dc853~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_456,h_989,al_c,q_85,enc_auto/654ba3_fa8a607cbaf042d28bafcaaaee4dc853~mv2.jpg)
waiting for the insurance adjuster to come out, so we can clear out the trees; until then, this is our temporary bedroom as there are trees that could fall on the bedroom
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_624d55d201ff40d68c833a7c232aedef~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_735,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/654ba3_624d55d201ff40d68c833a7c232aedef~mv2.jpg)
there's still beauty in all the destruction
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_65374599b3a141d1aff9b770c51298ba~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_1307,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/654ba3_65374599b3a141d1aff9b770c51298ba~mv2.jpg)
and things to make us smile
love this sightseeing dog
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_aec313a8639f48b9a6a09f1b0ecc1590~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_632,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/654ba3_aec313a8639f48b9a6a09f1b0ecc1590~mv2.jpg)
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_97157146c6e4465e862cbd5de6e835bf~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_481,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/654ba3_97157146c6e4465e862cbd5de6e835bf~mv2.jpg)
love our neighbours! you're not kidding - this is truly "the nightmare before Christmas"
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/654ba3_addce2e9c8304a4fb7d1459fa43c4285~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_741,h_989,al_c,q_85,enc_auto/654ba3_addce2e9c8304a4fb7d1459fa43c4285~mv2.jpg)
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