I'm sure that those of you who regularly read my posts already know how enamored I am with living in a forest. Our home can truly be called The Little House in the Big Woods. As summer is literally heating up, having this much shade all around moderates the severity of the temperature and cuts down on our air conditioning costs.
I wouldn't be honest, though, if I didn't admit that there are some drawbacks now and then. Danny is vigilant in keeping his eyes on all our trees to determine whether any limbs are dead or dying, and if the location of such branches poses a threat to our roof, decks or driveway. When the consensus is a "yes," he will promptly contact a trusted tree removal company to mitigate the chances of damage to the property. In rare cases, we've had to have entire trees cut down due to disease and even a once-in-a-lifetime (knock on wood) lightning strike that adversely affects two giant pines that were growing close together in the back yard.
Last Tuesday, we experience a particularly drenching rainfall accompanied by thunder and downdrafts to beat the band. No tornado sirens scream, but since I'm here in the house by myself (Nicco has taken Danny for a pacemaker check in downtown Atlanta), it's all I can do not to head downstairs to our safe room. Thankfully, the storm is short lived.
But the damage is done.
A dead limb, not previously perceived as an immediate threat, succumbs at last to gravity's pull. Not during the actual storm, mind you, but two days later, making it that much more dangerous for the unsuspecting. What shakes me up the most is where it lands - right over one of our two compost piles!
All I can think of, and thank the good Lord for, is that Danny was not dumping the raw waste from our kitchen into that compost bin at that fateful moment. The weight of the limb and its impact could have killed an elephant, let alone a human being. There but by the grace of God, could have been Danny when that ill-fated branch fell.
The grace of God is indeed truly.amazing, dear friend 🧡 God bless you and your family.
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, Linda, there is nothing more amazing than God's great grace. May He continue to shed that grace on us and our nation.
DeleteGrace and blessings!
You live in a beautiful place. But I understand it has it's dangers as well. We live beside one of Holland's biggest rivers and waters can rise quite high. Keep in mind that we are well below sea level as well... But, as you ended on a thankful note: God's grace is truly amazing, indeed!
ReplyDeleteI've always marveled at the engineering feat the people of the Netherlands have been able to in surviving/thriving in spite of being below sea level, Marya. No matter where we live, we all need God's grace in all things.
DeleteGrace and blessings!
Praise the Lord no one was hurt and you are all safe. Praying for you all. God bless.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Victor, for your prayers. They are so treasured and appreciated!
DeleteGrace and blessings!
Your house is beautiful, and in a lovely place. I understand how things can be hard when living in a forest area, but focusing on Danny being in the right place at the right time concerning the tree fall, I can see how God was watching over him . God bless you and Danny.
ReplyDeleteYes, Brenda, I'm so very thankful for God's love and care for both Danny and me. And thank you for your kind words about our home. We do love and appreciate where we live so much.
DeleteGrace and blessings!
He's there in the storms, even if we don't realize it until afterward.
ReplyDeleteThat's me, by the way. For some reason it didn't sign me in.
DeleteBlogger sure can be strange sometimes, Glynn, can't it? And yes, God is there in every storm even when we don't think He is at that moment. He is our good, good Father.
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When we take the time to stop and think and consider how God worked when we didn't even realize it, it amazes us. That is just like Him to do that.
ReplyDeleteAgreed, Bill! That is precisely how God works so many times.
DeleteGrace and blessings!
So glad you are safe
ReplyDeleteI am, too, Christine.
DeleteGrace and blessings!
God is so good and it certainly was His great protection that kept your Danny from getting hit. I too live in a woods surrounded by huge oaks. It does have its challenges and I find myself praying for God's grace to keep us safe from the storms that come our way. Have a blessed day. Hugs!
ReplyDeleteGod is so good, Debbie, that's for sure! I know you must love all your oak trees that give you great shade in the summer, too. As long as we're aware of what's going on with our trees, we can enjoy them.
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Praise God, Danny and no other life was there in the compost pile when that branch fell. We have some big trees in my front and I love them but not so much in heavy wind. But they are so worth it for all that they give to us. Birds, shade, beautiful color in the fall and warmth from the sun, in the winter.
ReplyDeleteIt's those sudden huge gusts of wind that alarm us, too, Debby, but the shade in summer and the warm sun in winter? That can't be beat!
DeleteGrace and blessings!
It is scary, anytime there is a fierce storm, but even scarier when one is home alone! Getting through the hours a hurricane comes through is no fun at all, but we at least have a warning and know when and what to expect. The tornadoes and wind storms up your way happen so fast. Stay safe, dear friend!! Hope Danny's check up went well!! xo
ReplyDeleteThanks for asking about Danny's check up, Terri. It was all good, PTL! And yes, any storm is scary if there aren't warnings ahead of time. I'm so grateful that this last burst was short lived.
DeleteGrace and blessings!
Thankful you’re okay, Martha.
ReplyDeleteI'm thankful that we both were, Diana.
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Praising God ... from whom all blessings flow! I'm so glad to read (above) that Danny's check-up was good. I don't know how anyone with little faith can face these sorts of challenges.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand that either, Myra. I don't know where either Danny or I would be at this point in life if God wasn't at the center of it all. He is certainly the God of miracles still today.
DeleteGrace and blessings!
Praise God for watching over us so vigilantly! Glad also that Danny's pacemaker check went well.
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy that everything is fine on that front, too, Nancy. Even if we think He isn't, we can rest assured that God is definitely watching over all of His precious children.
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Oh, my goodness - you were blessed that it did not fall on your or Danny. And that it did not fall on the house! You have a very pretty house and God is watching over you.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your kind and caring words here, Sandie. Yes, we are so grateful to the Lord for always looking out for us in one way or another. May His name be praised!
DeleteGrace and blessings!
Oh Martha, I'm so thankful Danny was not at the compost area when the branch fell. He is wise to keep a check on trees and branches in your woods surrounding the house. When we are camping, we know to look for the same thing and what avid campers call "widow makers." On a side note, your house is so lovely in the woods. God bless.
ReplyDeleteAvid campers are wise to call it just that, Karen! No matter where we go, we should always be aware of our surroundings. So thankful, too, that Danny wasn't out there at that fateful moment.
DeleteGrace and blessings!
Like the idea of living in the forest.
ReplyDeleteWe do love where we live, that's for sure, Haddock.
DeleteGrace and blessings!
In our area there have been so many healthy looking trees just go tumbling down from how saturated the ground is. This looks like a really large branch from the tree and I know it certainly was a shocker when it fell. Thankful that Danny was not outside near the compost pile... thankful for the hedge of protection God placed around you both.
ReplyDeleteGod has more than put His mighty hedge of protection around us, Shug, especially in the last several years. When the ground is saturated, and if a tree itself doesn't have roots entwined with another, they are prone to simply fall without notice. We are so thankful for all that God does for us.
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Whew! I'm so glad no one was hit by that, Martha! Yes, but for the grace of God! Love, hugs, and blessings to you!
ReplyDeleteOh, me, too, Trudy! That would have been an absolute tragedy. Thanking God for his mercy in all things.
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I can relate completely. Several years ago we had a HUGE sugar maple removed that grew close to the house. It was a good 4 feet in diameter and spread out over our dining room sky lights. A limb directly over one of the sky lights broke off and fell tearing our rain gutter down. Had it fallen straight down it would easily crashed through our ceiling. It somehow swung 6 or so feet and never touched the roof. Blessing come in amazing packages sometimes.
ReplyDeleteHugs and Blessings
Oh, my, Jim, what a close call that was! And such a shame to have to take a beautiful, mature tree like your sugar maple, but sometimes we don't have a choice in the matter. How wonderful that God spared you from what easily could have been a disaster.
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We have trees galore in our yard. There is a huge oak in the middle of the back yard that must be hundreds of years old. I pray for my trees to stand strong through every storm. We do have a good bit of debris and a few fallen limbs after heavy storms, but praise God, our roof has been protected. Thank God Danny is safe - and you too, dear Martha.
ReplyDeleteYes, Debra, I'm so grateful to the Lord that neither one of us, nor our house, took any blow from this fallen limb. None of the trees in our yard are as old as your oak, but there certainly are some here in Kennesaw that were young during the Civil War. They are huge! I hope you never get anything worse in your yard but leaves and debris.
DeleteGrace and blessings!
Boa tarde, Martha
ReplyDeleteGraças a Deus pelo livramento que o Senhor deu a Danny e a você, Ele cuida de nós, vocês tem uma linda casa na floresta, um forte abraço.
Oh, yes, Lucinalva, we are both beyond grateful that neither one of us was hurt, thanks be to God! Thanks for your kind words about our house, too.
DeleteGrace and blessings!
God is good! Thankfully everyone is okay. I had a huge pine tree fall in the yard a mere 6 inches from the house itself.
ReplyDeleteGoodness, Annie, that must have been over-the-top frightening! So glad to know that the tree didn't damage your home or anyone on the ground, either.
DeleteGrace and blessings!
Yes it is a good thing that no one was in its way when it came down, storms can do so much damage at times
ReplyDeleteThey sure can, Jo-Anne. We feel so thankful that no one was hurt in this latest falling of a huge limb.
DeleteGrace and blessings!
God is good and never far! Aloha Sister ❣️
ReplyDeleteAmen, Cloudia! He is good and always near.
DeleteGrace and blessings!
Thankful the trees fell when no one was around to get hurt by them! Our volunteer group does a lot of tree cleanup after storms come through, and trees sure can do a lot of damage to people and property.
ReplyDeleteThey most certainly can and often times do, Lisa. Yes, we were so thankful that no one was even in the yard at the time.
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Wow, that was such a close call! So glad Danny wasn’t out there at the time—really makes you stop and thank God for His protection.
ReplyDeleteIt sure did make us do just that, Veronica, believe me. We are both so grateful that we were in the house at the time.
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What an amazing story of God‘s grace Martha. I call things like that God sightings. I don’t believe in luck or coincidence, I believe that our sovereign God sends little things like that remind us of his continual presence and watch care over us. Be blessed!
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