Its interesting explaining to the apprentices what happens here when the power goes out. There is no water, no toilet to flush, no heat, no light, no telephone and NO Internet until the electricity is restored. All these things require electricity to function. Fortunately out here in the rural areas we have our own wells from which to draw water. When you have water you can flush the toilet with a bucket of water, you can have something to drink. You can put on extra clothes to keep warm. There are candles and flashlights and we all have transistor radios so we can listen to CBC radio !
We have experienced so many power outages over the years that we did invest in a generator a few years ago. With it we can turn on a few lights and turn on a hot plate or coffee maker. Even the television works with the generator ! This makes Bryne especially happy. Most of us have gas BB Q's and so it is not difficult to cook a meal either. We enjoyed a supper of rice, hamburgers and corn. After supper we boiled water and did a reasonable cleaning of the dishes.
What I am really excited about is that next time we have a storm and power outage we should have the outdoor clay oven operating. We are just waiting for some decent weather to put a roof on the building and then we can uncover the oven and start laying some fires in it. Thanksgiving is in just over a week and we would like to have the oven conditioned by then so we can roast the turkey and squash in it and bake some bread.
Storms are a regular occurrence here on the west coast throughout the winter. They can be very frightening and intense at times. Mostly its the falling trees that present the biggest hazard. I do not like hearing the trees crack and groan as they break in the wind. It always makes me sad. Fortunately most of the trees here are programmed to handle the wind. Its quite a beautiful experience to watch the wind move through the trees and the sounds that emanate from it. You can actually hear the wind building momentum when its gaining strength and the gusts "hit" the house and trees. Its a very "wild" experience that forces your attention.
When I read "HEIDI" as a child I remember most vividly the part of the book that told of the wind in the trees. It was my favorite part. I really do love listening and watching the wind move through the trees and the dance that is orchestrated.
So for me storms are an adventure. They create the chaos needed to excite you into a flurry of activity as you prepare to "hunker down" and wait out the storm.
