A category 1 hurricane is expected tonight and it is the first of the season. As it approaches, I work on memories. 1954. Hurricane Carol. I was 9 years old and watching its Category 3 fury whip the calm cove near the Cape Cod Canal into a frenzy. I was enjoying it. Excited, even. Then, our neighbor’s boat, “Coquina” broke its mooring cable and came crashing into my father’s boat, “Hunky Dory”.
I no longer liked the hurricane. It switched to abject fear in one silent collison of wooden beams (the wind was howling so loud you could hear nothing else). I went upstairs to the linen closet, closed the door, and waited out the storm amidst the smell of clean towels and sheets.
Some prefer macaroni and cheese as their comfort food throughout their life.
I prefer the scent of “Tide”.
©Pat Coakley 2010
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tonight tonight (i keep singing that song from west side story) there’s only earl tonight, what you are what you do what you saaaaay.
the blue colors omg wonderful. the hand, the story, stay safe!
Kathi, I just went to the movies to see George Clooney! That’s how calm it is here! Although beastly humid with occasional tropical downpours. It appears to be winding down to a tropical storm when all is said and done! I’m grateful. I bet you’ll have a better night’s sleep with tropical storm Earl than Cat 3 Hurricane Earl. I would hate to live through that type of storm at night as well!
I’m more for the mac & cheese comfort than the smell of Tide comfort. I remember the Hurricane Gloria was supposed to hit NY, but it was a bust. Earl is looking like a bust as well.
How strange to see the phrase “hunky dory” in your post and in Sam’s comment on my post.
Did you like the Clooney movie?
It was a weird movie. Ever seen a movie and said tentatively, “I think I liked it but I’m not sure.” That’s how I feel. But, George is looking very buff! O, la la!
Awesome image and super pairing with your memory! Anyone says 1950’s and I am back in my childhood and remembering, also. Where I live it is tornados. My Dad’s Starcraft was overturned in one. We had huge canvas tarps we had to lower and tie down on the screened-in porch when the storms threatened. We had to work together with one or two holding and the others fastening the clips. To the basement we would go and that was no comfort. Ha. I like Tide, though! Hope Earl wasn’t too bad tonite.
Earl’s biggest impact was to blow away the humidity and leave several inches of much needed rain. So, all in all, it’s a sum gain!!
oh yeah i was definitely overprepared, the electric didnt even go out! everything is clear and fine today, we got lucky on this one. i watched a series of Pancho Villa movies on the TCM channel. what a funny and annoying character, ha ha. sitting there watching this mexican general and his escapades while the wind whipped the phone lines like jump-ropes outside the livingroom window
Kathi! Up here it’s like Earl blew out summer and Fall came right in. It’s beautiful and that horror humidity of yesterday is totally gone! You are right…we got lucky! Hilarious thinking about you watching Pancho Villa as Earl swirled outside!
The scent of Tide! High tide it would seem.
Earl was not a big bust here. He was a big bruiser. We’re still chain sawing fallen trees and accumulating piles of dead leaves reminiscent of fall in New England only accompanied by marching battalions of millions of ants.
Big winds are quite frightening ( just ask my dog who has his own prescription for Xanax, I am not kidding ).
What is it about the fragrance of fresh linens that feels like security. Is that how the term security blanket came to be?
As we pass the letter ” E ” in the seasonal alphabet, I hope mightily that the Hurricane Center doesn’t exhaust the English Alphabet and cross pollinate over to the Greek one as we pass the letter ” Z “.
That happened a few years ago, and I can tell you- I was never so happy to see Novembers’ arrival.
Glad that we only sent you the parts of Earl that you needed and didn’t send you back into the closet.
I didn’t realize Earl was so impactful on St. Croix, Bon bon. Your dog has his own Xanax script?? If dogs came with these scripts for the owners, I might buy one. I remember that season of the Greek names! Wasn’t too long ago and living under that threat constantly takes a toll on you. Day after week after month of “preparing” can rattle a cage, animal or human.
I missed this one… On a subject other than our friend Earl, your images are somehow getting darker, but more powerful and mysterious, Pat. I really like this direction you’ve taken.
Don, I like how you describe this new direction. Yes, the darkness is palpable but unlike other phases, it doesn’t seem to be the ONLY element in the image. Thx, as always!