Call me "Crazy," Ike.

I know I shouldn't be happy about a hurricane, but I am truly amazed by their power. Ike blew through Central New York at about 2 a.m. Monday morning and the winds pushed against the back of my house, the south, for two straight hours. Actually, it popped a window out of the hinges and that is what woke me up. The air smelled like the ocean and the sky was bright gray. I can't even imagine the strength of it in Texas and I am now in awe of such might. In the end, nature always prevails.

And then, yesterday, the clean up began. Most of CNY was without electricity and many schools were closed. I did a couple of observations at schools that were open and then I came home to pick up all the debris in my yard. This might be mighty chimpanzee of me, but I love my garden tools. It is so great to pull them off the nails in the garage and put them to use. Such hands-on work is much more fulfilling that the labor of the mind and I simply love being outside, even if the temperature has dropped and there is still a wind. It is labor that is worthwhile.