WINTER WONDERLAND

It looked like a winter wonderland and it contained beauty and tremendous devastation.  We were fortunate at St. Catharine.  We did not lose electricity, heat, nor water.  Our employees were not as fortunate and most lost electricity (which meant they lost their heat) and many can not use the water.  Despite what was happening in their own homes, they still came to St. Catharine's to work.  We thank God every day for the men and women who work with us and for us.  St. Catharine's was in a position of reaching out to the community to offer what we had to share with others.  A quick tour of the property indicates that we will take down at least nine trees completely and nearly every other tree will need some pruning.

When you were outside you could hear the silence and it called you to be stay still in holy silence.  Once the temperatures began to rise, it sounded like tinkling glass as ice began to drop from tree limbs.  If you were very quiet you could hear the trees trying to raise their bent limbs.  A tree in my backyard was so covered and bent from the weight of the ice that it looked like an open umbrella left on the ground to dry.  after the melting began it slowly used its energy to once again stand straight and tall.

Albert Camus wrote, "In the midst of winter I finally learned there was in me an invincible summer."  I think many people in the counties around the state found that invincible summer as they reached out to help neighbors. The response was quick and a shelter was set up in the High School to help people through the frigid, dark nights.  So many in Kentucky remain without heat or lights and sadly we have had several weather related deaths in our state.  It will take many days for things to begin to get back to "normal." 

Be sure to click for a larger image.

click for more pictures