By VERNA BROCK
Friends, we are truly living in strange times. I don’t even know where to begin. I suppose the tornado outbreak last week is the spot. I truly hope everyone came through Friday’s crack-of-dawn storm reasonably safe and whole. We at Casa Brock were very blessed, but our neighbors in Woodville were not so fortunate.
Ed and I drove through Woodville on Friday afternoon, and the devastation was shocking. Utility lines were down and covered with broken trees everywhere. Linemen were in full force, working to repair and restore service. Gulf Hardware had half its metal roofing peeled back and blown away (some coming to rest on the nearby elementary school property!).
Our daughter, Emma, works at the Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Building on Apalachee Parkway. Part of its roof, which was being replaced, was blown away. Damage and debris was strewn up and down the road as far as the eye could see. FSU and College Town took a direct hit, leaving destruction everywhere.
WCTV has published an overlay map of the tracks of the three (three!) tornadoes that erupted Friday morning, and one clearly tore straight through Woodville. At this writing, most of our neighbors have power and internet back, but a long row to hoe to get their properties back to normal. Please keep our neighbors in your prayers.
Friday morning, folks were streaming into Wakulla Station to fill up their gas tanks, since there was no power in Woodville to keep gas stations functioning. The Woodville UMC had to cancel last Sunday’s morning service, as well as the 2nd Sunday Sing, due to the lack of power and general chaos wrought by the storm. At this point, the bank, gas stations, and restaurants seem to be open for business, though Food Giant suffered some losses while waiting to have their electricity restored.
Imagine the surprise of a light show Friday evening, courtesy of Old Sol. I never imagined the Northern Lights would EVER be visible in Florida. But Friday night we were treated to hues of pink, purple, and fuchsia filling the horizon. Ed and I tried to have a repeat experience on Saturday and Sunday nights, to no avail.
But we DID see (with some astonishment) the string of StarLink satellites traveling overhead. There they were, all in a straight line like tiny celestial ducklings, 50 bright dots moving across the heavens. We assumed the sight had to be satellites. Stories of alien sightings indicate aliens are far more stealthy, avoiding calling attention to themselves. The satellites definitely were not stealthy! I did confirm on Google that StarLink launches its satellites in large batches, all at once. It was a very cool sight indeed.
Enjoy this brief respite from the exhausting, often unrelenting, summer heat that will soon descend upon us. It won’t last long.
My yard is ripe with the scents of magnolias, Confederate jasmine, roses and gardenias, and the cooler weather is much kinder to these tender blooms. All together, being outside is such a pleasure right now.
Please remember our friends in need of prayers for health and comfort. The world also needs our prayers for peace, now more than ever.
