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News Tribune readers share their storm memories

The News Tribune asked readers to share their memories and reflections on the July 21, 2016 storm, one year later. Here are some of the responses we received:...

The News Tribune asked readers to share their memories and reflections on the July 21, 2016 storm, one year later. Here are some of the responses we received:

 

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We're in Lakeside and found out that it's truly amazing what we can do without and still be happy! Good lesson for us all.

- Heather Lowe Williams

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We live in Upper Woodland, and we lost half the trees in our yard. Spent the rest of the summer cleaning up and digging out stumps.

Some of the cut-up trees were too large to lift, so we rolled them around and made snowmen around our property (as we do decorate for Christmas and also put lights on them).

Had a miniature Rudolph reindeer, so we decided it would be fun to make a much larger version. Made a couple extra and gave to family. Also, made a couple benches to put outside on our porch, by gardens to sit on.

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All in all, we had fun with the projects. After losing all our trees, our backyard is much brighter, and the vegetable and flower gardens are loving it - except now our hostas are in full sun.

- Tom and Kathy Zeman

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We live in Hermantown and never lost power, but we had 30-plus trees down on our one acre of land. My in-laws, Mick and Chris Plackner, made these cute little snowmen out of some of our wood.

- Becky Plackner

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The intense strength of the July 21 windstorm sent us running through the darkness to the basement; strobe-like flashes of lightning prevented us from seeing anything happening outside. I drowsily woke up to the sound of a nearby buzzing chainsaw, thinking that was quite odd at such an early hour. Peering out a window in disbelief, I saw the morning after's welcome - my husband (Bob) and two neighbors (Chris and Sandy) were working to clear a huge fallen birch tree in our yard still clinging to its roots, soil and grass. The stump, roots, soil and grass still remain in place today, along with a pile of logs waiting to be split!

I attempted to serve coffee only to discover ... no electricity. I went outside, still pajama-clad; there was no way out, fallen trees were everywhere, the scent of pine filled the air. I went to our family's cabin next door ... another large, old white pine snapped and fell perfectly between the neighboring cabin and ours. I met our neighbor (Patty) walking down the road in her pajamas, too. She said her husband was down the lane cutting trees and asked if we needed anything. I told her I needed coffee. Smiling and laughing, she said to come on over as they had made coffee the "old-fashioned" way. Not only was I given a cup of coffee, but a filled thermos as well. Together we checked on our cabin neighbors (Wayne and Mary Lou). ... Then we walked down the lane and met other pajama-clad neighbors wandering among the surreal surroundings - numerous tree-covered roads and driveways, telephone poles were leaning, their lines sagged and snapped, trees on cabins, homes, vehicles, campers. Our newest neighbor was building a garage; his once stud-framed walls were large matchsticks on the ground, yet there he was, putting his neighbors first.

By now dressed and coffee-energized, we walked down the almost-cleared lane to check on the rest of the neighborhood. The sun was shining - it was going to be a hot one! We, along with others, agreed that a special couple (Doug and Avis) needed our help the most. Although they had none of their own trees fall in their yard, their neighbor's trees fell made up for it; many covered the now-collapsed fence. We replaced everything the winds had relocated - lawn ornaments, rugs, deck furniture, kayaks, canoe... and cut and hauled fallen limbs and branches. We were even able to perfectly upright the fence and put its lights back up. We all enjoyed working and spending the day with each other so much that five families joined for a "Clear out your fridge potluck/BBQ hosted by Doug and Avis." We laughed at the thought of having another potluck, this time from our freezers! We were lucky to have a lake to bathe in and water for flushing toilets (wells and septic systems need electricity in the country).

  • Day 2 - camped at home ... best of both worlds. Thank you neighbors (Guy and Nancy) for sharing your generator with us ... the freezer is now a fridge!
  • Day 3 - ventured out for coffee, meals, towels, wet wipes
  • Day 4 - coffee, meals again, an indulgent hotel room is tempting
  • Day 5 - coffee, meals still, I will be booking room tomorrow if ...

Throughout our area's five days living without electricity, neighbors rallied together to became not just neighbors, but friends as well. Thank you to all our lake friends who reached out to help us and others. We also are very thankful for our son and daughter-in-law (Anders and Alyssa) for bringing us bottled water and cleanup help at the cabin, our friends (John and Tracy) for offering anything we needed, our friends and coworkers (Todd and Karen) for cutting many leaning birch trees and making those adorable birch reindeer. Each of you, and others, have brought normalcy back to our neighborhood at Caribou Lake.

- Kathy Silverness

 

Want to add your storm memories to this compilation? Send them to weather@duluthnews.com .

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