Hurricane Harbor

A writer and a tropical muse. A funky Lubavitcher who enjoys watching the weather, hurricanes, listening to music while enjoying life with a sense of humor and trying to make sense of it all!

Tuesday, March 31, 2020

As we Sail Into April ... Inspiring Stories, Looking Back at How We Roared Back AFTER the Spanish Flu in the Roaring 20s.


As we all watch the hospital ship sail into NYC Harbor.
We are all in awe of this larger than life drama going on.
Both in our personal lives and collective lives.
The size and scope of this shows in this picture.
That's a huge ship... a huge hospital.


Trying to post every day as we get closer to the Hurricane Season and to be honest it kind of saves my sanity to write every day. My brother, the author, says I need to proofread more. I know, he's right, but this is my off season when few read the blog and I think of it more like an online diary. I'll try to be more on top of that proofreading and trying to be more uplifting rather than depressing as we work our way through this part of 2020 when quarantining is all the rage today. Rage really isn't a popular word anymore ...now that I think on that but it was all the rage in the 1920s that were much more fun if you were a flapper and danced til dawn.






For those of you not as much into the history of the Roaring 20s as I have always been and unaware of the social demographic issues that led up to this raucous period infamous for young kids climbing flagpoles, swallowing gold fish and girls raising their skirts and bobbing their hair up and so let me explain it to this way... they were exhaling, reacting, breathing and having fun after the hard times of World War 1 where sons, brothers and lovers marched off to war and then tragically on their way home many of those soldiers died on ships from the Spanish Flu. It wasn't the happiest of times and when the flu ebbed away and a short term 2 year mini depression from the after effects of WW1 and the Pandemic wore off people bounced back as they always do with a dizzying array of changes that impacted music, fashion and travel and the world was never the same. The Model T Ford led to people wanting to travel further from home and the hospitality business opened up road side "motels" and the US government began for the first time to really give people paid vacations and Americans hit the road looking for Tin Can Motels and a beach somewhere with pretty girls and handsome guys looking to have fun again.



Many students of history are wondering on the parallels and this graph is from the link below that discusses it in more detail than I am here today. Note even Wikipedia mentions the Spanish Flu as one hard time that people endured before the 1920s really began to roar with music, laughter and jazz.


I'm out of bananas and I don't see any in my future unless I break down and get some from the store so ... this song so resonated with me. I'm guessing it resonates with many here as well.

Nuff said on the Roaring 20s for now, but there are parallels, because people do tend to bounce back in the same way the England did after theaters were open again and life, literature and theater went on again. I read online that Shakespeare wrote the play King Lear during a plague. I'll have to run that past Snopes to see if it's true or very early urban legend!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_theatre_closure_1642



Next I wanted to show a video that is so inspiring and shows how even a tragic, deadly pandemic can bring the best out in people just trying to help make a difference for someone in need. I read about this last Saturday in the local paper that did a beautiful uplifting story and been meaning to mention it online. Seems the movement has gone viral (good use of that term) and spread to other cities so it shows you that good deeds can spread fast too!



That is so beautiful and I suggest you share that video with someone who feels down, depressed and hopeless and that pretty much describes most of us at some point of our day when reading about people in need of prayer or who have died. I'm really trying to balance my time between prayer and taking time to breathe, refresh my mind and soul and then I go back to praying with friends in Crown Heights and Florida who are in prayer groups for relatives. You gotta do what you gotta do and if my allergies weren't an issue I'd take a long walk along the golf course across the street and stare in wonder at the flowers in bloom ... but the pollen wouldn't be good for my system so I probably won't.  A friend and distant cousin posted this beautiful picture the other day in honor of the medical and public service people who are risking their lives to help us all.


That says it all for Raleigh, North Carolina.

Another uplifting story I read recently is below.
I also read it this past Saturday.


A pop up sort of place to help the homeless.
Let people take showers.. 
...cut their hair.
Uplift their spirit.
It uplifted mine.

People are trying to help...
... not easy.
I worked as a librarian.
Some of our nicest patrons were the homeless.
They hung out reading, going online.
Librarians get to know them well.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/feb/24/libraries-
homelessness-deter-landscape-designs-san-francisco

Often patrons don't appreciate them as much...
...as the librarians do.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-23
/san-francisco-fights-coronavirus-by-finding-the-homeless-a-home

Lastly a few pictures of how we are all doing.
Doing as in surviving and thriving emotionally.
While staying home or isolating.


Key West NWS is awesome to follow.
As is another NWS on the opposite side of the USA


There's a close up of their forecast drawing.


Speaking of crayons I love color.
I love make up because I'm coloring.
That's what I told my friend Chana yesterday.
She lives in Israel.
She's a Make Up Artist... weddings, parties.
Not a lot of work these days ...
..so she tries to cheer us up online.
Playfully doing cute, fun things.


You can follow her on Instagram.
She's one of my daughter's best friends.
Kind of a child from another mother.

More from Instagram land.
My daughter-in-law shared it.
Sharing it here as well... 


My daughter in New York is an artist.
She lives in Airmont.
Luckily a big yard with some woods.
Watching, teaching her son and painting.
She pretty much paints everything she can .. 

That's my girl.


@dinadeedesign on Instagram.


So beautiful, she's an awesome artist.
Continuing the family artistic tradition...
...both her grandmothers were artists!

I prefer holding her and laughing with her.
But in isolation I'm enjoying her feed on Instagram.

My son graduated from FIU Architecture school.
He knows that lab well... 
Finally putting it to a great use.
They are making masks with the 3D printers.


Even the My Pillow Man is doing his part...
...they are making masks.
I complain about the constant commercials on TWC
And CNN and MSNBC and FOX.
But I applaud his part in helping.
So many are stepping up helping.
Focus on the good!


I'm not buying his pillow.
A friend I trust didn't like them.
But who needs new sheets these days?
The world could use masks.
I do believe masks are helpful.
Time will tell if the CDC gets around to it.

A lot of us are watching the Cuomo brothers.
Gov. Cuomo refered to him this morning as his ..
Best Friend.
Chris tested positive today...
My kids have been enjoying their online chats.
My kids have siblings...they can appreciate it!


I watched this episode with my best friend in real time.
Last week, we were chatting on the phone watching.
She's in North Miami Beach I'm in Raleigh.
We used to watch TWC this way ..really.
In real time she realized they were brothers.
Seriously. she didn't know.
She watches TWC more than the news.
It was funny, loved hearing her laugh.
And she laughed and she laughed.
Last night they argued over tomato sauce.
More cheerful than the daily press briefing.
Siblings gotta love them..
... even when we drive each other crazy.

Sadly at this morning's press conference going on now...
...Gov. Cuomo is speaking on his brother Chris.
Chris tested positive today for Covid-19....
Many people are and no he didn't look sick last night.
Prayers go out to him.
Social Distancing from the basement... 

And HUMOR is GOOD... 
This is going around.
Many of you have seen it I'm sure.


My granddaughter posted it on Instagram.
I'm blonde...took me a few minutes.

Good to have a sense of humor....
... a love of art, music and literature.

Stay well.
Wash your hands.
Stay inside.


Be a part of the solution not the problem.

That's my life for March 31st, 2019.

Oh and April is pretty much cancelled.
I'm guessing it's gonna be a crazy April Fool's Day.

Besos BobbiStorm
@bobbistorm on Twitter and Instagram










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posted by BobbiStorm @ 8:45 AM 0 comments

Monday, March 23, 2020

The Beat Goes On.. We Pray, We Share ONLINE, We Write, We Sing... Stay Alive By Following the Rules Stop the Spread.......Now!




Everything seems cancelled of late.
But what isn't cancelled is Spring.
That tree comes alive every day....
...in a different way. 
Today it's yellow bordering on Spring Green.
The leaves are hanging limp from rain.
Quiet, steady drizzle reminding me of Seattle.
It's so gray today and quietly gray.




In Monsey NY it snowed.
Barely snowed all winter so...
...caught everyone's attention.
Homes far apart.
Deer wandering through the woods.
Snow covered woods.

A friend in Crown Heights saw sleet.
She told me on the phone while we were talking.

My brother in Greece is a writer.
He's a singer.
Writer/Singer/Artist.
Our Mother was an Artist.
Okay she was a Writer/Artist/Singer.
Nuff said....
You get the idea.
So while watching the rain.
Listening to my brother sing.
I decided to write a blog today.
No hurricanes anywhere...
... but writing is good for me.
If it helps you some, good.
I figure we all have time to read these days.

You can watch this ten times...
..and see different things in his collage in motion.


You also order his book.
He could use the money in Greece...
(LOCKED DOWN)
And we all know what needing money is like.
Good poetry. A very good read.
And online there's no germs :)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1980911312


So as I have been a student of history.
I wanted to look back at our history.
Not talking about ancient history.
History has been filled with plagues.
Somehow we naively thought ...
...we were past that.
Nope.


So in ways we are distancing............
.........yet we are socializing together long distance.
Estee's mother is cheerful.
She has a business online.
She and her husband make me smile and laugh.
And that's really good.
Eventually I'll buy one of those dresses..
...the dresses with pockets.
But for one minute last night.
It was as if I was there with them in Toronto.

https://www.instagram.com/esteezonline/

Now back to our regular program...
Corona Time. 
Right?


When I'm in Key West I go near this tree.
Huge poinciana tree.. one of many.
I smile realizing I'm looking up at blossoms...
..from a tree my Ancestors looked at also.
The Royal Poincianas of Key West are glorious.
My family had one outside their house on Whitehead Street.
They also had services in their home until a Synagogue was formed.
Pioneer Days in the 1880s.

A plague is a plague by any name be it a virus or some disease we thought we got rid of and thankfully we have gotten rid of quite a few. Yet somehow viruses find ways of evolving into a new disease that we have no immunity to and as our scientists race for a cure while many of us pray and try to help others and others research or write or sing songs as life goes on even in these social distancing times. My son helped a friend put on a Bas Mitzvah Party for her 12 year old daughter who had her whole Bas Mitzvah online on Zoom with famous singers coming on singing for her as well as her relatives far away unable to attend but who were together online. In her house the family dressed up, danced, sang songs and she gave her Speech to her class and relatives online and she was happy. I mean really happy... and for the first time in quite a while I smiled, laugheded and felt uplifted. There is something magical about sharing in someone's joy... even while physically we are socially distancing but our hearts are together as one. Trust me... we are way better off in 2020 than when my Great Grandparents suffered through Yellow Fever in Key West.

Growing up in Florida my Grandmother Mary explained to me endlessly with great emotion as she told the story explaining that the reason our family moved to Tampa was because Tampa had "runnin water" as in Key West they did not and her mother almost died from Malaria (that's what she said) from drinking water from the cisterns. She had been deathly ill and the Sisters at St. Mary's nursed her back to health and when she found herself pregnant with my Grandmother it seems the main nun came to their tinware store on Whitehead Street and insisted they leave immediately and go back up north if they wanted this baby to live. Grandma described it with great flourish...they swept in with their long black dresses and big white headpieces and the Mother Superior was adamant they leave. Apparently Mary's mother Ida had left the sick house to go and help deliver a baby on Aronowitz Lane across the street and had fallen sick again and they nursed her back to health again. Now once healthy and pregnant they decided to take a stand so they marched into the family store and told them War was coming and that would bring more disease and she needed to leave the Island. So they packed up their fine English pots and pans as Grandma said and took a ship up to Philadelphia and NJ where they had some property and after delivering my Grandmother safely they eventually moved to Tampa where they had "running water" and no more drinking from cisterns. Below is from a book telling their story.


Excellent book to read while you are socially distancing.
Trying to avoid CNN MSNBC and FOX...
(except when Cuomo is on ..of course)

This was always family legend until it was actually in a book written a few years ago by an author who lives in Key West who included it in his book on Yellow Fever epidemics and how they impacted the residents of Key West. Not that I didn't trust my Grandma Mary but to see it in print was crazy and I thought (last year) ... "how does someone live through 104 fever for 4 days and live?"  The footnote explains the details are from the meticulous records of the Doctor in Key West. Sadly... he didn't understand the disease had nothing to do with how anyone was living but it had been the wettest summer in years (historically so) and the mosquito population was alive and well breeding in the cisterns that was the only means of water to drink in Key West. Understand Key West has no river... the rain water was collected in the cisterns and they drank the water and Yellow Fever was a reoccurring theme known often as "tropical fever" so you'll see. 

https://www.amazon.com/JEWS-KEY-WEST-Smugglers-Revolutionaries/dp/0984331271 Really it's an awesome read about Key West history through the lives of the Jewish Pioneers who were there quite early and involved in the Cigar Business as my family was... and supporting Jose Marti's struggle to liberate Cuba ...to rum running and smuggling people in from Cuba who were stuck there escaping from Nazi Germany to the modern time that you all know when strolling down Duval Street and watching the sunset on Mallory Square .. may we be able to do that again soon!  My family was naturalized at the Government Building there as Citizens of Key West and the United States so .. I'm a Conch ;) 

So understand this was what life was like even in the paradise back before there was running water or means to get rid of the mosquitoes and before we had antibiotics and the list goes on. Yet, here we are in 2020 temporarily stumped by Covid-19 racing to find the best way to heal those who test positive and find a way to protect those from not succumbing as the author said... to this horrible disease. Yet, despite how horrible it is we are finding ways to learn together, work together and share joy even on Zoom or Twitter or Instagram or choose your way to share the joy.  A friend wants to come over later this week with her children who play musical instruments and play music to me from down below the balcony. We are all awesome, socially distant but connected with love in prayers and sharing what joy goes on.



I have a commemorative book from Key West.
It was put out by the diocese on an anniversary.
I was doing historical research in the office...
...and was able to obtain the book.
It speaks of the earlier history of Key West in the 1870s.
The times the word "YELLOW FEVER" comes up..
...are too many to count.

My family was there in the 1880s.
and the beat of "Yellow Jack" went on and on.

Years ago plagues were isolated.
Plagues were locational.
Key West and New Orleans had...
Charleston and Savannah did not.

Before my family went to England...
...they came from somewhere in Russia.
There were fires that burned the village down.
There was persecution ...
There were wars and plagues.

The other day while trying to escape a bit..
I picked a book off the bookshelf.
Opened it randomly......
It was about Rabbi Avrohom David who lived long ago.
It was a random page mind you.
In the Kherson region a plague broke out.
Early 1800s I believe.
His heroic work to help many everywhere..
..was honored when the plague was over.
Again.....he survived.
Life went on.


So it is what it is... even random history books.
Bring you back full circle. 

We just have to get through this...
...as our ancestors did.
Okay we are humbled and stumped.
But nothing new under the sun.

Mother Nature continues showing us that.
Rain, Snow, Sleet eventually Hurricane Season.

I'm friends with the Chabad Rabbi in Savannah.
His brothers are Rabbis in Athens Georgia..
..and Charleston SC.


A few months back I was speaking with his son in Savannah.
My husband and I were sitting in their living room.
The walls filled with images of their students in happy times.
I told him my Grandmother's Grandparents lived near Leeds.
He said he's ask his father...
... he obviously recognized the name.
The Abrahams family there was well known.
We wished each other a good sweet year.
Their work in Savannah is inspiring.
Though they were closed this last week...
... they sent food to those who needed.



Hard for clergy to escape this... 
.. many who nurture others were first hit.
And the list goes on and on and on.
I'm praying for so many...
...so many I know battling this disease.
So many I know trying to avoid it.

So what can you do?

I write so I wrote.
I'm here today and thankful.
I'm saying prayers TOGETHER with friends on WhatsApp.
I'm remembering my family's history...
... rejoicing in people who are trying to celebrate today.
Birthdays are celebrated online ...
... my grandchildren in Coconut Grove say prayers online
Chabad School there on Zoom.

An article from Chabad of Beijing.
On FOLLOWING ADVICE FROM DOCTORS.
They did and many did not get the disease.
Just follow the rules. Please.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/china-rabbi-says-synagogue
-shutdowns-shielded-congregants-from-coronavirus/

Yes, life must go on...
Life evolves.
I pray we come out of this better, wiser, kinder people.

We are a global world.
People travel.
The virus traveled... all around the world.
Now may the world heal!
May the message and the cure travel as fast.

Do your part.
Apparently Neil Diamond is...

He wrote a song (like my brother)
About ..washing your hands.
So rather than reach out... 
..reach out online or on the phone.
Wash your hands!

With prayers for your health!
BobbiStorm
@bobbistorm on Twitter and Instagram

Ps... Reach out with your heart...
.....reach out with your words and songs.






























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posted by BobbiStorm @ 11:03 AM 0 comments

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Updated! NHC Ups Yellow Circle to 50% Orange Circle in the Atlantic......As the Coastal Storm Begins to Move Up the Coast.. Getting Ready to Lift North Along the Coast ...




Odds now up to 50% in the 5 day.
40% in the 2 day.
NHC really fast tracking this system.
When they like something it's apparent.


Has more "there there" tonight.
Also being sheared, not in the best environment.
Not closed off as shown by the image below.


But getting there.
Where's it going?
Models show it following the leader.
As I pointed out this morning.
This is a few days from now.
Models show various variations.




So yes the Carolina Panthers lost.
Our storm slowly began moving away.
The Yellow circle became an Orange Circle...
...as the NHC seems to really like it.

Sebastien is the next name on the list.



This loop shows when a system begins to spin.
It shows MANY things....
...but it's a great predictive tool.

Took a nice drive up into the country a bit.
The Falls River Recreation Area.
That means the dam...
...by the river where they made a lake.
Too cold up on the path by the lake.
Sat down by river shoots out from the dam.
Hasn't been much color this year.
And what color we had pretty much blew away...
...in the last two storms.



Pretty tho... always.
And on the way near the house...
Street near where I live.
Usually more color in mid November.
Lots of trees whose leaves have blown away.



***


Morning Visible.
Eye like center there.
Briefly there... but beautiful.
Gotta enjoy what you got when you got it!



Yeah there's a 30% chance according to NHC..
...of something to it's SE forming.
But we can talk on that tomorrow...
...if it's still there.
Who can ignore this beautiful spinner?


Look how picture perfect our no name storm is...
.... and Monday it's your storm up the coast.
Because what starts on the Carolina coast...
..doesn't stay here this time of year.
As we dance our way into Winter.


From the Capes of the Carolinas...
...to the tip of Long Island.

Wind advisories all the way up the coast.





Watch the sea foam on the beach...
...gosh I love that.
And the erosion doesn't show well on the video.
Beaches been eroded for a while.
Only getting worse.
Winter storms after tropical systems.
Barrier island beaches ...
...always rearrange with the storms.

Listening to meteorologists online and on air talk today makes my heart beat faster for football on a Sunday afternoon with a quasi storm stronger than many of our named tropical storms this past summer. Transference of energy.... handing off as the system waits for the strong winter storm to throw a long pass and for the coastal low to pick up yardage and go all the way up the East coast impacting other much loved beaches on the way.... the same way it played with our beaches down here in the Carolinas.


Online energy is wonderful.
Always funny stuff here from him.



Images, videos, discussion.


And as always detailed explanations.

"And tomorrow for New England"

Check that out... this thing will take off soon!

And always there's some cruise ship drama...




Truly Annapolis is beautiful.
I like New Bern better to be honest.
But well... food, beverages.. 
it's a vacation right.




Love it really.
Weather, earth, science, history.
Music, dancing......

A bit of weather history today here.

Good article in the Wall Street Journal on Project Storm Fury; leaves out a lot about it's earlier days and I could say much but will leave for another day. Love the use of the word "seriously" here as controlling the weather is the stuff dreams are made of ....    And nations do it on a small scale all the time be it rain for crops or no rain on opening day ceremonies at the Olympics. But controlling big hurricanes as romantically heroic as it sounds pales in comparison to the every day enhancing rainfall for crops to grow in their season. A good read on some history, sort of a primer and well worth your time.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/when-the-u-s-tried-to-control-hurricanes-11573880461

Going to leave you with a link to read.
If you want...when you want.
Or save it for another day.
May all your favorite teams win!
May you enjoy your favorite weather....
... and be surrounded with love, friends and life...

Besos BobbiStorm
@bobbistorm on Twitter and Instagram.
Follow me on Twitter.... for real time updates.
Follow my friends.... 
.... you won't find anyone like them.






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posted by BobbiStorm @ 5:28 AM 0 comments