Oriental, Sailing Capital of NC

Oriental, Sailing Capital of NC

Greetings from the Neuse River

Life here along the banks of the Neuse River, overlooking close to four miles of water, is a sharp contrast to living in a city. Most months, it is idyllic; then, there are the months that remind you that Mother Nature is definitely in charge.

This neighborhood of houses face the Neuse River and backs up to several acres of farmland -- most years, soybean --- then thick tracts of pine forests to the main road.

I love to watch the sea gulls, sometimes the pelicans, and cormorants or egrets and the occasional eagle or osprey. The cute visitors are "chickens" that my neighbor called me about photographing who were grazing in her yard. Even at 100 feet away, they were skittish and flew to the further neighbor's yard but just enough for me to photograph them for identification. These "chickens" turned out to be cattle egrets. The flock numbered about thirty -- by the river bank...not sure why they picked her yard.

I suppose you could say this blog is an occasional picture-book of life in Pamlico County or whatever comes to mind at the time.

Friday, September 16, 2011

AFTER THE STORM

Hurricane Irene pounded in and out for a day and two nights. No one was prepared for the havoc she created or --- the flooding. I watched the power of the storm surge on my lawn quickly overcome the door height of part of our house (the "cottage"), sweep into the foyer, reaching the 3rd step at the sunroom and felt sure that its power would crumble the foundation of the entire house. The boarding at the windows held. Cars were moved during the storm to higher ground on the street as I packed bags pondered escape. Logic  overcame my fear. I knew the roads and bridges and would be impassable. Our only recourse would be to remain in the house and hope for the best. The day sky was black, angry and visibility low. The rising water reluctantly slowed its rise upwards as Irene's eye moved over us but didn't retreat for at least another hour or so, until the counter winds began from the west.

It was a storm no one will easily forget in Pamlico. Many homes in Pamlico have been destroyed while others like us are coping with repairing the damage which may take months. And many are assessing why they live here whether they want to stay.
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)