Straight Talk

Keys, deer, and the dragon = blessings

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Teresa Tabor

This year has been a tough one for our family, as it has for many others in our region. Western North Carolina has made national news for the worst reason possible with the devastation that has occurred from Hurricane Helene. And while blessings may sometimes be hard to find when your very foundation is rocked, if you look hard enough, they are there.

When my mom was sick in the hospital and we heard they were taking her to Asheville, I was home getting ready. It was a cool January day so I remotely started my car to warm it up. With key in hand I got in the car and realized I had forgotten something. I put the key in the ignition; my purse was in the seat and I went back in the house, only to return and find I had locked the car with my spare key in my purse, along with my husband’s truck key. Three keys locked in a running car with no way to get them out. BUT … my phone was in my pocket. So, I was able to call a locksmith without having to walk a half-mile to the nearest neighbor that may or may not have been home. I gladly paid the locksmith who arrived within the hour and I was on my way. And the car didn’t run out of gas. Blessings.

My husband and I have lived in a solar powered cabin for more than 15 years. Last year, a portion of our house was wired for electricity to run a washer/dryer and a refrigerator. One morning last March a lightning strike took out the solar system, the TV, the cable box and the washer. Instead of replacing the system, we had the rest of the house wired for electricity. About a thousand dollars later, we were up and running. Where’s the silver lining in that cloud? My computer was not plugged up so it didn’t get hit; the flea market washer that replaced our fried one is way better; and our instant hot water heater that was plugged into the solar came out unscathed. Blessings.

This summer was the first one in – ever – that I was going to be able to be at home and I was looking forward to gardening and actually contributing to the upkeep of the farm. My husband and I dutifully bought plants and seeds and planted in the plot where we have grown vegetables for many years. A few weeks later we were admiring our handiwork; three different varieties of beans were up and some were blooming and we were looking forward to a good harvest this year. The next evening, deer had begun nibbling in the garden. Deer repellent was applied but by the end of the week, the deer had wiped out the beans and cucumbers like the repellent was just a flavor enhancer. I had one more chance to protect what was left – two rows of clay peas. I strung up cans with rocks in them, put moth balls in jugs with holes, spread moth balls on the ground and put up a makeshift scare crow. They didn’t eat the plants; they were waiting for the peas to come in. And then they wiped them out. Needless to say, I have a crock pot just crying out for venison. BUT … a friend called and said he and his wife were going on vacation, did we want to come out and pick his cranberry beans, because they already had plenty. So, away we went, picked and canned a double run of beans. We were able to buy and can tomatoes and green beans. We were offered 20 lbs. of meat at a fraction of the cost so that went into jars as well. Blessings.

Last weekend, my sister and I were going to Kentucky for a baby shower for our niece. We weren’t sure we should go but we didn’t want to miss any more precious time with our family. We traveled up I-40 in a bit of rain, and an occasional patch of wind but arrived safely on Friday evening. A quick scan of Facebook indicated that a portion of I-40 had slid into the river a mere two hours after we had traveled that same road. Now, a new problem. What if we can’t get home? Even though the damage to WNC was only just beginning, the memes were saying that all of Western North Carolina should be considered closed and that there was no way back. While we were safe in our sister’s house, home suddenly felt like the most important thing in the world. The road we ended up taking to get home is known as the “Tale of the Dragon” with its 314 curves and we were happy to take each and every one of them.

Nothing anyone can say can make up for the loss and devastation that has been experienced in North Carolina. But many organizations, communities and churches and others are trying their best to show that they care. That, in itself, is a silver lining. Neighbors helping neighbors is what builds community and brings us all together and I am proud to be a part of that community. Blessings.