storm adventures

Posted byGary FultzPosted inUncategorized

They clocked winds over 120 mph in our area. The last 2 days most of us in quite a huge area of northern Minnesota have no electricity. Our car barely fits under high line wires to get to our small town for supplies. Big equipment moved trees out of the roadways. We had a big oak tree fall on our house in the middle of the nights storm. It spanned the width of the house. We are fine. Our daughter is fine with some ptsd from our house moving around in the storm.

The tree is off the roof now. Our generator is working but needed repairs twice. It’s a big generator that starts immediatly upon power outages. We have a top of the line service agreement which we needed in an intense heat wave. It will be a few days before electricity I believe.

Meanwhile, plenty to do as I have a building I can’t get to because of a huge pine tree. Our secondary drive has 10 trees across and all tangled. Clean up today will help us find our lawn. We have roughly 40 trees to cut up around the place and then we can get into the woods and trails. Our treeline looks thin…sigh.

Thanking God a lot. We are fine. Our neighbors are fine but in the same shape. Internet and cell signal is quite iffy. I can’t text pictures.

It’s life. Storms are a part. People come together. It’s amazing how much our communities are helping one another.

Just in case I’ve been weird lately, now you know my excuse.

gary

Published by Gary Fultz

Outdoors Man, Hunter, Fisherman, Guide, Writer / Author, Photographer, Public Speaker, Musician, Song Writer, Story Teller, Follower Of Jesus. Love God and family and total strangers

89 thoughts on “storm adventures”

  1. Thank God that you and your loved ones are safe Gary. I did not know of these extreme weather events in your area. May His protection continue with you and your family in the storm’s aftermath. Down powerlines and fallen trees are not small things to negotiate.
    My continued prayers go out to you.

    Thank you for taking the time to update us. Much appreciated.

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    1. Thanks Suzette. It was unusual weather for our area. This one had me concerned. We felt the house shift. It’s a strange feeling of being trapped in a shifting house. Then the tree fell on us. Life is fragile.

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  3. Oh boy, sorry to hear this, Gary. A nightmare scenario, for sure. Glad to hear you’re all safe. Are these storms common in your area? Here’s hoping the recovery goes smoothly with no more inclement weather. Be safe, my friend.

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    1. Thanks Mike. I have not seen a storm quite this intense from a very protected house before. This area seems safe from bad storms. Now half our protective trees are gone. I’m thinking of cutting up a tree a day so I can get into the woods by August. Now that I look at it, I better go faster so I can mow the lawn in a couple weeks. People are helping each other

      ..that’s good to see.

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    1. Me too David. Safety in storms is taken for granted far too much. Safety in life the same. We build houses for safety. this one was shifting around and winds reached category 3 hurricane. I can now imagine worst case scenario…Mike U alluded to the stuff “nightmares” are made of. I agree.

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      1. The storms I experienced in my seafaring days were part of being at sea. There are a couple that I will never forget. But being in your home when a storm hits is something else. I only experienced fear once lying in bed at three in the morning listening to the tiles being ripped off our roof. That was back in 1983 and nothing compared to what you just went through. I can’t imagine what it felt like when the tree fell on your roof. Praying for your continued safety.

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    1. We are being safe Dwight. Not bubble wrap safe but listening for half fallen trees shifting as we walk around. A wind direction change will put more on the ground. Generators are great until they burn out parts. The generator techs must like us. 3 service calls, three different burned out parts. 50 hours and going again…yea

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    1. Thanks. The storm has been over a couple days. Now the cleanup is going to take more than a month on our place. One thing at a time. first we got the tree off the roof, then we found the lawn…or parts of it. then we found our picnic table…it’s spread out and a foot high. onward a step at a time!

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  8. Thank you Gary, for sharing this and letting all your friends know. I’m sure many have and are praying. Though I know you have seen your share of very rough weather in your location over the years, I must assume the personal damage y’all have suffered this time is unprecedented. Most of all, I am certainly glad you are all okay. You also are blessed with a great local support group with people helping each other. I would love to be there to help. It could be, at least it is my hope, that y’all will be able to make relatively short work of it. I would appreciate updates as you are able.

    It is such a miracle on the Lord’s part that He is able to make spiritual connections with people we’ve never met or ever will and that we truly care about one another. It is why prayer is such a great thing. The Lord created this “wireless” spiritual medium that can go anywhere and work anywhere and distance does not matter. We are blessed to have such internet friends for the level of relationship it provides so we can make greater connections in the Spirit to help each other out. I hope, pray, and believe that you and all your neighbors will be able to get everything repaired and restored once again. This is a perfect example of the Kingdom of the Lord at work with the Lord directing all though most of your spiritual friends are not physically present.

    Just a thought, and I hope I’m not adding to your workload, but maybe you can document all the coming restoration blessings for the Lord’s glory. I’m sure your wheels are already turning… All praise to our Lord Jesus for everything. Amen

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    1. Thanks RJ. I just spent a couple hours with a generator tech. 3rd time the generator needed better parts to keep going. Lots of people helping people out there. There is a “spiritual atmosphere” permeating the helping one another stuff going on. It’s ok to share and talk about God, neighbors and encourage one another through a tough time. I’m not sure how long it will last but it’s like opening windows to each other’s lives. That’s part of the adventure as we say “yes” to helping one another. Opening doors come next.

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    1. Thanks Betty. Recovery will take time. Our place will have stages of recovery. Mostly cleaning up trees one at a time. Some of our stuff will not recover. I suspect there will be artistic renditions of irreparable things that resemble “art” at the end of drives and by mailboxes.

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  10. Thank God you are all okay. And thank God your neighbors are alright also. Praying for you, your family, and your community. I do hope you get your electricity working again soon. You have certainly come through an incredible storm…

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    1. There’s hope on getting electricity today, Linda. Our generator seems to take breaks which is not in the contract. It was incredible storm. I am not wishing for that kind of adventure again. Our house did more than groan. It shifted and trembled. I think the nails in it loosened a little. The big oak tree that fell over the top probably held it in place through the worst of the storm.

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      1. My prayers are with you in these days and hours after this brutal storm. Thank God the house did stand through it all. I am so glad your electricity will be restored. One day at a time…be sure to get some rest and be safe as you begin with all this clean-up.

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  11. Wow! Sounds like you have a ton of work and repairs ahead. We had no idea there were storms like that anywhere, short of the tornados further south of you. You and your family will be in our prayers.

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    1. A very nontypical storm for here Pete. I asked my wife if we had moved to Oklahoma. I’m glad we were back from our wilderness trip. I don’t want to go through that kind of storm camping again.

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    1. Thankyou SanVercell. Prayer is needed and good. In cleaning up our trees, many are hung up in standing trees or twisted together with tension like a spring. “Careful” is a good word going ahead.

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  13. Grateful you and your family are OK Gary. Uncertainty and storms are certainties of life, but I’m encouraged by your Faith’s certainty that God we see you through every storm that may come your way. You and your remain in my prayers brother too soon find the calm after the storm.

    Keep Looking Up ^ … His Best vis Yet to Come!

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    1. I have always liked the calm after the storm Fred. Maybe its a type of illustration to our lives which will only find the calm in Jesus and fully realize it when the best calm ever comes

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    1. Thanks David. I really appreciate your prayers and all those praying. I’m hearing some great stories about miraculous safety/protection things that happened. A good case building for guardian angels.

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  15. It’s surprising the big oak tree didn’t take out your house. Is your roof still intact? Thank God your family and your neighbors are okay. You definitely have your work cut out for you. Good luck in clearing your property. Praise the Lord for good friends and good neighbors-of which I’m sure you’re one of them, too. 🙂

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    1. It’s crazy Nancy. If the oak tree had fallen a little to the right or left, it would have crushed the house. instead, it fell on the peak of a large heavily built gable over our front entry door and spanned the whole house. We had put on a metal roof. The metal held and the peak of the gable held. Our ridge cap has a dent. That’s it. I do hope the mice in the attic died of fright though. we have another 40 trees to clean up around the yard, 2 driveways and around the sawmill and shop areas. Our woods trails will be quite another story.

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    1. A big amen from me with that prayer Ken. I do feel prospered with firewood…lots of logs for the sawmill and tons of firewood to share with some neighbors that cannot get their own fuel for the winter anymore.

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  17. God’s army of angels at work! It’s amazing that the tree hit in the perfect spot to cause the least amount of damage. Good luck with the clean-up, Gary. I’m sorry you lost so many trees, but I’m happy to hear you and your family are unscathed.

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  19. What a nightmare, Gary. I’m sorry for your tremendous loss of trees and destruction of property. Thank God, you, your wife and daughter were unhurt. It’s a horror show, for sure; it will, in time, be fixed and you’ll carry on. Things could always be a lot worse. Thank goodness for clean-up crews, friends, neighbors and strangers who come together to help each other. Prayers, Gary. 🙏🏼

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    1. Thanks Nancy. I’m glad we still have a house. My hand was on a door handle to our daughters bedroom when the tree fell on it. The door jerked so hard I thought it might break my hand. Didn’t see that coming. Well, visibility was about 3 feet in the worst of the storm. One crazy and very loud night. I don’t think I had heard a storm roar quite as loud.

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  20. Wow, Gary. I don’t know what to say. I have never experienced weather that extreme. I’m so glad you and your family came through it in one piece. I know you saw some miracles, and you will probably recognize more during the clean-up. The God who brought the wind is the same God who protected y’all through it. God is so good. You, and everything you need is going to the top of my Emergency Prayer list.

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    1. Thanks Wynn. Prayer is good. We may end up stronger in every way with all the work ahead. Lots of helping each other. Lots of sweat and hot dog roasts ahead. Lots of discovering little/big miracles and storytelling. Lots of gain in the pain….Lots of “eyeroll” moments

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  22. Wow! 120 mph winds. Alot to cope with, all at once.
    I’m sincerely sorry.
    Sounds slightly similar to The Holler, which can be very harsh, in very different ways. Out here, fires can create fire tornados.
    Stay safe and well.

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    1. yes Cindy, I think you are more likely to experience extreme weather than we are. Except for huge temperature fluctuations here our storms knock down a tree here and there. Not extreme. Every 20 years we see an area of straightline winds. This one had straight-line winds plus some rotation. I guess it was borderline on becoming a very large tornado. 2″ of rain came with it. Glad no fire came.

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  24. Wow, what an experience! Reminds me of Winter Storm Atlas when we lived in the Black Hills. Really something to go through; then beautiful to see how the community came together, and how people bonded.

    So this is why God allows tribulations. He redeems and blesses, and gives us a few peeks into what He’s doing. Fall-on-your-knees kinds of stuff.

    Praising God for your safety, and that of your family. Praying for your near and far future.

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    1. You are right Kathy. Storms and tough things tend to do a whole lot of good. I had some heart to heart talks with 3 different technicians as my generator broke parts 3 different times. I figured it was for a reason

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    1. Thanks C. A. Not surprising our troubles don’t make the news. Northern MN has a low population number. If this happened in a big city it would be newsworthy. We appreciate your prayers as God knows the needs and doesn’t need our media or care about all the unchecked boxes.

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      1. Happy to hear all safe 👏Nature disasters we always facing and we must overcome and live , this is destiny 👌🤔 thank you so much for feedback and graceful wishes dear friend 🌷❤️🙏

        dear friend 👍🏻🙏❤️🌷

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    1. storms do have a mind of their own. Big trees snapped off and 10 feet away my wife’s flowers are standing straight and tall. Our double wide house is not exactly geared for storm resistance. It felt like riding on a train until a big oak held it down. One should be trusting the Lord before the storm hits….it’s hard during.

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    1. Thanks for the thought Wayne. I found out I have muscles that needed awakening….they are sore. Probably good for me. We are doing well and people are randomly helping. So many have it worse than us. I’m thankful to have big equipment on our place.

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    1. yes, so true. Most people are counting their blessings just being safe. The rest is just stuff no matter how expensive. Faith is the greatest blessing of all. Sometimes it takes a storm to realize that.

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  33. I’m sorry about the property and tree damages but grateful to hear you, your family, and neighbors were spared from physical harm.

    Father God, thank you for protecting the people in this area. Continue to cover them through the cleanup process. May the community draw their resilience from You and be unified through the strength and grace of Christ. I pray that everything meant for evil will be used to strengthen Your children and draw the lost into a relationship with their Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

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    1. Thanks Manette, and thanks for the prayer. Ironically cleanup has quite a few risks. Many of the downed trees are under tension that can make trees swing suddenly from a branch or top breaking. Slow and steady with an eye out for possible dangers is a good way to do it. Many people helping each other. That’s a great thing.

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  34. Sorry that I am late to reading the posts from this last week. I praise God that you and your family are fine. The comment about trees under tension is a nasty problem. When Katrina cut through southern Mississippi, the church where my brother was pastor had few damages, but a member was cutting a tree in his front yard and it snapped back on him and caused serious internal injuries. He spent a long time in a Mobile, AL hospital. It was probably a miracle that he survived.

    Stay safe.

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    1. So many dangers are not visible. One of my friends just lost 3 fingers in clean up over the weekend. It could have been an arm or worse. I am 40 trees into a couple hundred yet to go. I have time tho and am using our big equipment helping neighbors clean around their houses first. Our wooded areas can wait.

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  35. Good Morning, Gary. I’ve read through a few of your reader comments here and your replies and am blessed. I wanted to check in on you and see how y’all are doing. I’m sure the work is ongoing but hopefully y’all can take a break today and enjoy the 4th. I saw that you had some more difficult weather a few days ago and I hope that didn’t make things any more difficult. I want you to know that I am highly encouraged by the heartfelt comments of your many readers. So many people care and express the love the Lord put in their hearts.

    Life is hard. The spiritual life is harder. But the spiritual life has the Lord Jesus. And the spiritual life with Him is filled with the knowledge that our efforts pay off and produce fruit, that He answers prayer and makes good things happens that would otherwise not. He fills us with strength to do our best to accomplish what we must. He blesses with love and hope and faith. He is right there with us working alongside us though it is actually the other way around.

    I hope you have made much progress and are none the worse for wear. You are blessed to have all your neighbors helping each other. I’m so sorry for your friend who was so severely injured. I hope your family is well and good. I had the thought that maybe the Lord allowed for the tree to fall on your house to keep it in place and protect it. From what you said your house did not suffer much damage. Again, I do hope you are all very blessed up there and enjoy this day. The Lord is good. Have a good one.

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    1. Thanks R. J….I have not been online hardly at all. We have high heat today and more storms coming. I’ve been cleaning up 40 downed trees in our yard and driveways here and as many in a recent widows yard. Then I will move to the woods and trails for a couple hundred more. Between saw mill logs, firewood and branches we will get the most out of the wood for the next few years. In depth sharing and discussion happens a lot with neighbors and total strangers. Opening up others to that depth seems to be a gift of mine as well as some others I have come across lately. More to come on that in time.

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  36. Gary, I am not sure how I missed this post of yours – I am so thankful you and your family are ok – so to speak. The ravages of weather on life lately has me even more cognizant of the temporal and liminality of this world. I pray that as the days and weeks have passed you are finding a new rhythm that includes peace and that normalcy is returning. Know that you are in my prayers.

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    1. Thanks Erika. I’m taking some time off from tree cutting and clean-up just for a tastes of normal. We have some 150 year old pine that went down…always sad. We have a sawmill so they won’t just make tinder for a forest fire. We sure do appreciate prayers. The house felt like we were riding a train in the storm until a big oak pinned us down. I think our daughter has a new form of ptsd showing up when there’s thunder and lightening. Lots of neighbors helping neighbors…good to see.

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  37. Never weird. Always wonderful. Sorry I’ve been away and couldn’t let you know sooner how grateful I am you and your wife and daughter were/ are ok, I pray, today. Oh, Gary…you’re right. Storms have a way of bringing communities together, as never before…It’s good to be back. I’ve missed you and your words and photos…❤️

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    1. Thanks Deb. I’m missing from internet action myself. I think it will be awhile digging out. Thankful for each tree still standing and nice calm days. Congratulations on 2nd book coming out!

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    1. yes, it’s been awhile since posting anything. I think it was Erma Bombeck who said “normal is a setting on your dryer” I will go with that. I have another hundred trees to take care of to open woods trails and so on, but our buildings and drive is good. I can mow the lawn without hitting too many tree parts. I fixed the last roof leak in a building today. I probably will not ever get caught up on clean up from that storm before another takes its turn. I am quite sure this is a picture of life here. Our best “normal” is when we are getting along relationally, going the same direction and walking close with God. He leads us in and out of valleys. We don’t get to stop and fix everything in the valley. I need to remember those things often.

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