October 12, 2014 Street Scene, Springfield, MA
I think autumn in New England is overrated. However, it hasn't stopped a certain species of tourist, the Leaf Peeper. The Leaf Peeper's goal is to take pictures of as many multicolored trees as possible before all those beautiful red and gold leaves litter the ground (a problem for those of us who have yards full of leaves every October and have to dispose of them). Some years the leaves fall as late as November, making the job even more tedious.
Pynchon Point Park, October 25, 2014
Leaf Peepers are responsible for traffic jams on the roads. They can be recognized by the upward tilt of their heads and the clicking of their cameras or camera phones as they capture fall foliage for posterity. Accommodations around here are booked for a solid month. Why people will travel such long distances to look at leaves is foreign to me.
I suppose I'm jaded because I live here and all I have to do is look out the window at the huge tree behind my house decked out in orange autumn finery before the winds and the rain (or maybe snow!) knock the leaves into my backyard. They are not so beautiful when its time to rake them.
Fall Foliage, October 25, 2014
Back in 2011 there was a period of beautiful fall weather at end of October. A cold front moved up the East Coast and brought snow and cold. The trees had not yet lost all their leaves. When the snow fell, it was heavy and wet. The combination of heavy wet snow and autumn leaves was a recipe for disaster. Trees crashed onto roads, cars, homes and power lines.
Many communities were without power for a week or more. I had no electricity for a week. Since there was no heat, many people, especially the elderly and families with children, stayed in hotels or shelters.
I chose to stay home (at night anyway) because my house faces south and there was enough sun to warm up the house during the day. I couldn't prepare hot food since my stove runs on electricity. I lived off ready to eat food (fruit and yogurt) from the cooler, Chinese take out from the restaurant that had electricity, and horrible cafeteria food from the high school which was designated an emergency shelter. I also used their shower facilities. The public library, fortunately had power and I spent much time there; they had light, heat, books and best of all, computers!
The laundromat was also open. It was packed with people doing laundry, and it was warm from all the dryers going at the same time. During that week there were electricity haves and have nots, it depended where you lived on the power grid.
That week was an ordeal I wouldn't like to repeat. Towns banned Halloween trick or treaters from making the rounds, it was too dark and dangerous with fallen trees and no lights.
By the way, these beautiful autumn trees can turn into monsters. During the storm many fell on the roads and crashed onto the roofs of houses, costing homeowners thousands of dollars in roof repairs.
This month's poem is After the Storm.
After
the Storm
Monster trees
weighted down
with snow and ice.
Monster trees
are the reason
the power is out.
Monster trees
whose lost branches
smash through roofs.
Monster trees
lie in the road
to crash your car.
Monster trees
in the dark
are out to kill you.
I think that I shall never see
a poem as deadly as a tree.
A tree whose broken arms crash down
and bring the power lines to ground.
If you like Balkan music, please visit my other blog The Alien Diaries. There's enough to keep you occupied all winter :)
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