The columnist left “tension” by proud power of the storm, which left “everywhere” on the rural property just outside of Orillia
Where do you start reporting this story? Yes, it was indeed a very important weather event, and here we are two weeks later and still seemed to be the effects of the ice storm. From our human point of view, the loss of power, isolation and the crisis adjustment challenging, but recoverable; From the point of view of nature … “What the hell has just happened?”
Although the weather forecasts gave us a fair warning that something big would happen, I dismissed it and many others as another “crying wolf” station … Sure, a little ice -cold rain drove towards us, but we had it before and except a few broken branches, what? You can imagine my surprise when the world literally collapsed in a spectacular way outside of my window.
On Saturday, March 29, our power died in the middle of a slight freezing in the afternoon. In the evening it became annoying that we had no flowing water or no warmth, so that the old generator was pulled out of the shed and torn open (a device that my deceased father -in -law bought and installed decades ago, which at the time led to us “eyebrows” with regard to the need to buy.
The rain continued overnight and the strange sound of a snap branch could be heard. At sunrise, this snap sound had been replaced by a flood of shots. A look from the bedroom window confirmed that the ice was taken into a significant layer, and for some reason there was a tree glass over the deck.
Julie and I already met them outside. The landscape was a breathtaking exhibition of crystal bed sound! Despite the visual entertainment, what our collective attention really caused was the sound!
The continuous crack of Breaking trees was strange! Not the crack-weosh-thud who hears in a windstorm, but a really loud, really spicy audience! And not just from time to time: Pow, Pow, Pow, Pow! I spent a lot of time in the rifle series of a local gun club, and this was similar to being there, but without the advantage of wearing earwalks.
We went to the middle of the courtyard to better evaluate the situation and were from the ice world that surrounded us. The trees were down everywhere, and if it were not yet down, the curve of the trunk showed that it would probably join the others every minute.
Seven mature ashes and maple lay over the alley, an oak member lay down strongly on the roof, the tip of a ashtray was tickled the side of our daughter's car, and the country road in front of our square was reduced in half a lane. Hmm, I come that the water representatives will be a little longer than a few hours and repair them.
Julie and I took a walk around the tree farm with great care of staying in the open areas. Desolation everywhere! Every white birch and every black cherry has been relieved. The massive elm, which is the typical tree of our natural path, was in two parts. And the crowns of all sugar hapel looked like a huge weed that had attacked the bushy tops.
Sixteen years ago we had planted a mixture of over 10,000 trees, and I was currently in the middle of a carefully thought-out management plan to maximize the penetration of sunlight into the forest floor and to maximize the more shaped trees. Ha! Nature is doing best again.
Of the 2,000 white pines, none had escaped a certain level of this natural cut, with broken tops and widths that scatter each part of the floor. A close inspection showed that most affected limbs were already weak or infected, while the stronger, healthier limbs remained intact.
The red oaks and black walnuts had been cleaned from the dead upper branches, and apart from a heavy melse they looked as if they could recover well enough.
All black cherries were badly damaged, some of them with their small tribes grabbed two in two witnesses such as firewood. The same applies to the white birches.
The almost 7,000 red jaws had been planted in subjects with a wide track between each section. Depending on their location, some subjects had little damage, while others were a 100 percent loss of broken trees.
Surprisingly, none of the white or Norway trees had damage, their limbs were quite supple and were able to withstand the ice load.
By relying on previous camping experiences and equipment, we went through the week. Our cars became heating centers and cell phone recharging stations. Two other generators were acquired and thus ensured food safety for freezer and refrigerators.
We got electricity back on the 9th day (the evening has never been so good). While I write this, we still urge ourselves without a telephone line or internet access.
Every day of the tree line brings us back to “normal”. If I can only remember that I am no longer 35 years old and should not really do a chainsaw for three -hour layers, I may see how nature heals and impacts nature from this really fantastic weather event!