As winter settles in Tennessee, project activity has certainly slowed down. The weather has turned chillier, accompanied by intermittent rain showers.
In the week following our last update, progress was minimal. Rick was quite fatigued for most of the week, and on the day he felt better, it rained. To top it off, he also dealt with a stomach bug for a few days.
However, we did manage to install our solar panels, which have been charging our batteries beautifully. We spent some time experimenting to determine whether a series or parallel connection would work better for us. After the storm passed, we decided to revert to the series connection.
Rick also dedicated time to researching our diesel heater, which had been emitting black smoke and clogging the system. After watching several YouTube videos, we discovered that the factory settings were misconfigured. He spent a day cleaning it, replacing seals, and adjusting the settings. Now, it’s working flawlessly—thank you, YouTube University, for coming to the rescue once again!
Another project we started was cutting and staining the fascia boards, which turned out beautifully. We intended to install them, but the weather didn’t cooperate, so they are safely stored in the conex until conditions improve.
Cat tried her hand at butter swim biscuits, and they were fantastic—you have to give them a try! Rick mounted crates on the wall around the door to store gloves, hats, and other items.
We also prepared for the upcoming siding installation. We installed the thimble for our diesel heater and the ledger boards for the covered porch. We just need to mark the area for the J-channel for the water heater, but that will have to wait for now as we transitioned into storm mode.
We pride ourselves on being ready for anything. We’ve stocked our freezer and food shelves, maintained a good supply of gas, and replenished the indoor kindling box and wood holder. We filled a large garbage can with kindling, keeping it covered and dry. We ensured all our bathroom buckets were empty and made a list of necessary items to pick up, topping off our gasoline, diesel, and water supplies. It’s astonishing to see how differently people react; Walmart was a nightmare, with shelves stripped of milk, bread, lunchmeat, and toilet paper. People were rude, driving recklessly and buying carts full of supplies in a panic. While their anxiety is somewhat understandable given the ever-changing forecast, we were raised to prepare for tough times. We've learned that having backups and plans helps avoid unnecessary hardship. Of course, we also recognize that not everyone has the means to plan ahead.
Saturday marked the storm's arrival. We woke to an inch to an inch and a half of snow on the ground. As the day progressed, it turned to misting, and we hoped the storm wouldn’t be as severe as predicted. We went to bed feeling optimistic. However, Sunday morning, Cat was jolted awake at 6:30 by a loud noise that shook the cabin. Rick didn’t stir, so she had to wake him u[. We donned our gear, grabbed a flashlight, and stepped outside to find a tree lying on our cabin. Fortunately, it didn’t appear to have caused significant damage, but it was raining ice and quite cold. We retreated inside for coffee, marking the start of a dreadful day.
Our day was filled with loud pops and the crashing of trees as we watched our beautiful forest transform into chaos. There was nothing we could do but observe. Our poor cats hid all day, while we ventured outside with an umbrella to smoke, witnessing the destruction unfold. Trees were uprooting, and many were losing their tops. It was heartbreaking to see our once-beautiful tree-lined driveway turned into a scene of devastation. One tree fell onto our bathroom, where our solar panels are located, while another narrowly missed our camper. Cat was in tears, as we had chosen this place for its natural beauty, windbreak, and shade, and now it was all disappearing.
The ice persisted for several more hours, covering everything in a thick layer. Most of the trees we had left were leaning precariously, making us fear we might lose them all. Once the ice finally stopped, cleanup efforts began across our area. Landstruck and their crews were out clearing the roads, and several neighbors joined in with their own equipment. We assured them we had everything we needed and didn’t want to be a priority. Our driveway was still blocked, and our road was a chaotic mess.
We were fortunate to have some amazing neighbors who came down our road to help clear it. They stopped by our place with a flatbed trailer truck equipped with a winch. They cut and pulled debris, clearing our driveway and helping to remove some of the weight from our roof. They even pulled down a tree that was threatening our cabin. Their kindness was truly uplifting. After finishing our road, they stopped by again to take our empty gas and diesel cans to fill them up in town while they were getting more fuel. Their actions gave us hope that we would get through this. We knew we would, but sometimes a bit of positivity is all you need to lift your spirits.
With most of the trees gone, we can now see many other roads and plots nearby. One night, after dark, we noticed numerous vehicles driving down the road behind our property, illuminated like a football field. Then we heard it: Life Flight had landed. We were worried it might be our friend, who had mentioned earlier that day he was waiting for an ambulance but hadn’t received any updates. The next morning, a friend confirmed it was indeed him. It took rescue crews five hours to get him out, and he was in rough shape. Thankfully, he has since been discharged from the hospital; they caught the infection just in time.
Cleanup has been slow. We wait for the mornings to warm up before heading out to cut and clear fallen trees, always mindful of what might be overhead. With ice still clinging to branches, a tree could snap at any moment. We also have uprooted trees that haven’t completely fallen, and plenty of "widow makers" just waiting to ruin your day. The winds continued to pick up, but we eventually experienced quieter days with less snapping. Then the sun came out, and the ice began to melt off the trees a couple of days ago. We had to focus on working away from tree locations, although clouds would occasionally roll in and hinder our progress.
Yesterday was a significant melting day, but it was incredibly dangerous to work near trees as ice was dropping rapidly. We decided to take a trip into town to do laundry, fill our tanks, and pick up a few essentials. The drive was disheartening, witnessing all the destruction. We had to take it slow until we reached the main road, which was filled with debris, ice, and slush. Once in town, we took care of our errands but were racing against the sunset to get home. We didn’t want to drive in the dark. When we finally arrived, we were relieved to see that most of the ice had melted off our trees, and they were mostly standing upright again—a welcome sight indeed.
We feel fortunate; many people lost their homes, vehicles, animals, and pens. We’ve managed to clean up most of our yard, though two trees remain on the cabin. The roof is still covered in ice, making it unsafe to remove the trees carefully. On a brighter note, we managed to uncover our Starlink dish, and as you can see, we have internet! We’re still uncertain about the solar panels; one is likely damaged, and we’re hoping the other is intact, though we’re not counting on it. We have one tree left to cut up over the herb gardens, and then we’ll tackle the substantial mess lining our driveway. We will get there; it just takes time.
Looking ahead, we plan to clear more of the woods to prevent future worries about our belongings. We’re not sure how much forest will remain; we suspect more trees will uproot once everything melts and the ground becomes saturated. For now, we must focus on moving forward. A small reminder came today: I’ve had bird feeders up since we moved here but never attracted any birds. we put them out just before the storm, hoping to provide food amid the destruction. Today, we finally had birds at our feeder, and it warmed our hearts.
I realize this blog post is lengthy and could have been even longer. I’ll let the pictures tell the rest of the story. Thank you for taking the time to read this. Stay safe, be prepared, and remember to be kind and take care of one another.
Remember Small Steps Get You Miles
Rick & Cat
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