By Bonnie Brown

Columnist

I can’t tell you how often I complained about the screaming hot weather this summer.  Every day.  It was uncomfortable just stepping outside.  I looked forward to cooler weather and voiced my thoughts to anyone and everyone.  It was my topic of conversation wherever I went.   

I used to not mind the hot weather.  I barely sweated . . . er, glistened.  I loved being outside cutting grass, working in the garden, washing the car, etc.  But as I’ve gotten older, my heat tolerance has decreased considerably.  

It was definitely a hot weather pattern with record-breaking heat this summer along with NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) predicting an 85% chance of an above normal hurricane season.  

Then along came Hurricane Helene in late September.  Really?  Not a huge amount of damage in Florida or Louisiana where most hurricanes land.  But Helene did most of the damage in the mountainous regions of North Carolina.  I know this because my brother and sister-in-law live there.  

This hurricane was devastating with 103 dead and others unaccounted for, and damages estimated at $53.6 billion.  It defies reason that a hurricane comes to the mountain regions and certainly those residents who had no flood insurance find the experience unimaginable.  

Meanwhile, we sit here in the sweet spot of decent weather.  We escaped the fires that have dominated the news.  We didn’t experience any tornadoes in our neck of the woods.  No serious winds even.  

In recent weeks, we’ve experienced several seasons with the warm weather, then cooler temps signaling the appearance of autumn, followed by the really cold weather just as football season was finished.  Perhaps we should consult the Farmer’s Almanac about snowfall estimates for our area this winter.  

Thankfully, we have been most fortunate to have been in a region that Mother Nature seemed to ignore when she was on a rampage.  Seriously, think about it.  Our biggest complaint was the drought we were experiencing.  But we could at least hook up the hose and water the flowers and plants.  

A lot of folks enjoy Florida for the year-round warm weather.  But now the concern is the frequency of these destructive storms and folks are rethinking their decision to live near the Mouse House.  Even Disney had to shut down a time or two because of the weather.  

Back to North Carolina.  How can you reasonably expect to have such damage from a hurricane when you are in the mountains?  Those folks whose homes and roads were washed away and destroyed didn’t.  It was unthinkable.  

Many people and organizations have pitched in to help these folks, but they can never replace the beautiful trees and landmarks that were destroyed nor more importantly their way of life.  We send our prayers to all of the people affected by this horrendous storm.  

So, let me back up and retract all my complaints about the hot weather, the drought, and the cold weather that came on suddenly.  We have been so fortunate to live here in the Magnolia State.  Welcome to the Sip!