After Irene

After tropical storm Irene, Monday morning is slowly coming together in Brooklyn — shutters and boards have come down, streets are mostly swept, trains and buses are returning. While things are not so bad here, our social network reported that Irene left some of our friends without power or water. Many east coast towns are now coping with the loss of property, and for some the loss of lives. My sister Tes reminded me that as catastrophic and severe as the typhoons on Guam were, there was always good that came with the bad — so look at the good. As the rain subsided we went out for a neighborhood walk.

Not much damage to speak of here in Prospect Heights. A downed tree drew helpful neighbors on the corner of St. John and Underhill. Some cars we actually spared by the low brick fence.

The streets were virtually empty except a few cars and people with dogs who were cooped up all Saturday, most were heading to the park. Without the usual crowds and traffic one gets a full appreciation of how grand Grand Army Plaza is. I often walk through the arch as a short cut to the weekend green market.

This overpass in Prospect Park takes on a surreal and even more charming appeal with its own pond. There were surprisingly only a few trees that sustained wind damage in the park — mostly sheered tops of trees and fallen branches but nothing completely uprooted. The story was quire different in other neighborhoods with many older trees toppled into streets.

New temporary lakes sprung up in the park’s Long Meadow. Once the grazing area for sheep herders, it’s now a hub of entertainment for people and their dogs. A few people flew kites. But as the wind picked again and the sky darkened, police and rangers reminded us to evacuate as they closed the park to the public.

Time to get home for dinner, tend to the cat, and to see what’s on the news. I made enough chili to last us through the storm, and more than enough to give to our friends Matt and Adrianne (chips and all). Sometimes you have to stop and be thankful for loved ones, good friends, a funny little pet, and a hot home-cooked meal.