Friday, August 28, 2009

Memories Still So Vivid

Memories so vivid in my mind
time will never erase
the tears that filled this place
we move on strong in faith!

The Last picture of my beloved grandmother. We lost her 4 days before hurricane Katrina. This is the last 5 generation picture. So, blessed she didn't have to witness what was about to happen again to the coast.
Only Katrina made hurricane Camille look like a lil wind storm.
The coast line 32 miles long .. 4 blocks deep, there was nothing left, Nothing left!
You can click on the pictures to enlarge them if you would like.
West and Dar, 6 weeks before the storm visiting Mimi above.
Notice the green and the harbor and boats in the back....
August 29, 2005 Katrina rolled in at 6:35 am just to the west of Bay St. Louis Ms
she last over 12 hours till 7:15 pm that evening
Picture out the back of moms looking at the mole hole when she had been blowing a couple of hours
look you can see my pool is half way still full of water
Me in front where West and I took that picture...no grass, no harbor, no streets, no houses Nothing left
Where my grandmother was
Standing in front of my grandmothers room
Sitting on the steps of the house I grew up in till age 5, My grandparents live here for over 60 years.
The neighbor that my grandfathers, father had built, totally gone you are looking 2 blocks back
On the beach front
Our front yard during the eye..the water came within 6" of coming in the parents home high on a hill
Our front yard...right after it stopped raining looking across from the house and the pond
Where I feed my deer
the back yard
What was left of my softsided pool after it got stab by the ceiling tiles from the mole hole
Really hard to even try to do justice with these few pictures. We have several thousand pictures we took. I filmed the whole time with the camera and made videos. I caught the tornado that came along the side of the house and didn't even know I got it on film till I watched the video. We lost over 350 trees, a green house, pool, tin roof to the main house (which sent my mom in orbit because I kept going out in the storm to film and the tin would turn loose and flew by me) and few other minor things. NOTHING like what others experienced. We were so blessed to have our houses still left. We had no idea what it was doing to the rest of the coast and how devasted it would be... Others didn't even have their slabs left.
It is really hard to look at these without crying ...
we buried my grandmother on Saturday, Katrina hit that Monday.
If ya'll want more pictures of the coast let me know..these are just what affected me personally.
xoxo
dar

Geaux Get Your Read On!

35 comments:

Reddirt Woman said...

O.M.G. These photos are incredible. So glad you all came out of it with ANYTHING. And thank God your grandmother had gone to a better place and didn't have to see or hear about all the devastation.

The first time I was glad that my mom was gone was the OKC bombing. She would never have been able to understand how anyone could do something like that to anyone.

This is an awesome post.

Thank you.

xoxox

Lorac said...

I can't imagine what it is like to go through that!

Kelly L said...

It's hard to believe that so much was damaged and still trying to rebuild what was lost..

God bless you and yours.
Kelly

Anonymous said...

This is terrible. I will have to go back and look at the pictures better. Not time right now, but wanted to comment anyway. I just can't imagine!!! So sorry Dar!!!

Michel said...

OMG Dar! I am so sorry you went through that. It is a blessing that your grandmother did not have to do so. Just LOOK at your flowers now! you've done an amazing job!

Michel said...

i can only assume the theft of my blogfrog had something to do with it.

Anonymous said...

WOW!! Just had a minute to look through the pictures!! Your poor family! What a blessing that your grandmother didn't have to go through that, and how sad that she is not with you now! I miss my grandma so much sometimes!!! Grandma's are such special people in our lives. That area has suffered such devistation. I don't think any of us can truly understand even through pictures how terrible it really was for those who were went through it. Glad you are still with us.

Anonymous said...

Roasting just wouldn't be the same without you, ya know!!

Mike said...

WOW! Those pictures are chilling! I was here in NC when we had Hurricane Floyd, on the heels of tropical storm Dennis. We had a two week total of 28 inches of rain. Many people had to be pulled off of their roofs with helicopters. Had this been a metropolitan area, we would have had a similar result. It has been 10 years since Floyd, and you can still see reminders of the destruction. You were very lucky that you came out of it ok. We were lucky that you came out of it ok also!
((Hugs)) to you!

Unknown said...

Unbelievable photos Dar; I can just see you hopping in and out to get videos and I would probably have been yelling at you to get back inside too.

I'm glad your grandmother didn't have to go through that and see the aftermath. But she was probably the one up above keeping you safe.

Liz Wilkey (a.k.a. A Mom on Spin) said...

My goodness, Dar!

It certainly was a blessing that your grandmother passed on when she did.

Five generations is something special!

Liz Mays said...

The images certainly do portray the absolute brutality of that storm. Thank you for sharing them with us.

I'm glad your grandmother was spared from having to go through it.

Jo ~ said...

I'd love to live love enough to see five generations of girls; since my mom passed in 2004 it's only three generations at the present time. I don't think I'll live long enough to see it.

I still am shocked at the devastation of Katrina, the lives it took, and the ruin it left.

Hope you have a good weekend. Did you drink all that pineapple rum?

K Dubs said...

WOW. I've seen pictures, and I know that none of them do justice to the loss and devastation. I'm sorry for the loss of your Grandma, but happy that she didn't have to see that. And I agree with Gaston - she was probably the one keeping you safe from the flying tin roof! Thanks for sharing these.

Fishing Guy said...

Dar: So wonderful you all got together with grandma. The destruction from the hurricane is still felt today.

Anonymous said...

:( I simply have no words today. I am deeply grateful you guys were okay and your home survived.

Love You

Suzy said...

It's a crime that the ninth ward has not been fixed yet. Some of the lost animals ended up here, in L.A., in our shelters.

My dad died in January 2001 and missed 9/11 and I'm so glad he didn't have to see that.

Brian Miller said...

whew. i have been through a couple...the devastation always gets me...so much lost...touching about your gramma...just lost a friend last night, so sharing a few of those tears with you...hope you have a great weekend

Joanna Jenkins said...

Jees-sus!!!! I look at your pictures and remember the tv coverage and STILL have no words for it.
xo

♥ Braja said...

She was possibly glad she left before the hurricane hit...there's always a silent reason....xoxo

And i'm not home right now, but you can leave a message at my blog and my HOME INTRUDERS WILL ANSWER. Seriously. Go and see......xoxo

Sugar Creek Beads said...

How sad this still is, so many lost. My family in Pass Christian and Gulfport, MS lost everything and they are still to rebuild. The government still has people in FEMA trailers in many places. I feel and pray for your family, mine and the many others who thought after we went through Camille we could weather any storm. The next time they say go I hope everyone listens. Hang in there Mississippi and New Orleans you will be back one day bigger and better. Jeanne

PB and J said...

This is totally mind-blowing. Very sad. I can't imagine the horror that must have flooded in the emotions of so many hearts and minds. My prayers and thoughts are still with the victims of these crazy storms.

Thank you for sharing.
PB&J

SG said...

Incredible pictures.. they say so much. Sometimes, feeling blessed also comes with such sense of melancholy... I had visited New Orleans last fall, and even though I was not even in the US when Katrina struck, there were so many parts of the city where the pictures of destruction seemed to come live in front of eyes... thank you for sharing.

darsden said...

Thank YOU all for coming by and visiting and leaving your kind words. I really appreciate it and I appreciate each and every one of you!!

Pearl said...

Oh, Dar, honey, this pictures broke my heart. So much destruction, so much gone.

I'm sorry for the loss of your grandma (I miss mine, too), but I'm glad she left with the land still beautiful in her mind. That's as close to a blessing as I've heard al day.

Pearl

Sharon Rose said...

Dar, This give much insight to our conversation the other night. Your sweet granmother looks so gentle and sweet! I know you must miss her! I'm glad she missed the storm and in saying that I am sorry she had to leave you!

Those pictures. . . oh. . . well, there are just no words.
xoxoxo

Joanie said...

Holy cow, Dar!

Twisted Fencepost said...

Amazing photos, Dar! I cannot begin to imagine what was going through your mind during and after that storm.
I was in Charlotte,NC when Hugo came in. We were amazed that it came that far inland with still as much force.
But still nothing compared to the destruction the coast of Louisian and Mississippi experienced.
God knew what he was doing when he took Gramma home. But I know how you must miss her.
Thanks for sharing those pictures. Mother Nature is a force not to be reckoned with.

Unknown said...

I am such an empath! I feel your pain and heartach through your words and pictures. That event is one like 9/11 one that will fill my heart and mind with sadness every time I hear it. Tears are rolling now.

Beautiful 5th generation picture! Your grandmother was blessed to see the baby and NOT to have witnessed the devastation to her home


Hugs to you girl!

Fragrant Liar said...

Dar, what an ordeal. I remember watching Katrina come in on tv, nonstop, spellbound, horrified. Wondering what people who lived there were doing, if they'd evacuated, how they were dealing if they stayed. I'd just been through four hurricanes in one season ('04) in Central Florida, so I was unusually curious.

Your pictures are impressive and I know they don't do the real devastation justice. I am amused that you kept going out to take video and pics, and can imagine your family freaking out about it. Glad you all lived to tell about it, and just as glad Grandma passed first. Her residence looked like a crime scene.

Thanks for sharing these.

darsden said...

Pastor Sharon-a lil bit of an insite for sure..no real justice there, I might post more. I have missed you too. God was looking out for Mimi!

Joanie M-yes I have said that many more times...maybe not as polite ;-)

Becky-Yes, I know you are familiar too. God Send for Grandma for sure.

Fragrant Liar-yes, any where in Florida you would know what I am talking about and yes I remember that year too. Is that why you are now in Texas? Grandma Mimi was blessed by being spared.

Thank you all again. But, I don't think I am through, I think I will post a few more pictures. Soon!

Anonymous said...

Wow, you guys and everyone there went through a lot! You are a strong woman to post these!

I cannot even imagine how you guys must have felt. I'm lucky that I have not experienced no hurricanes down here yet and I hope I don't for many years to come!

*Hugs*

An Open Heart said...

Dar,
I imagine the anniversary of that event still affects you.....the pictures certainly show how haunting it all was.

I still have one of my grandmothers and we call her Mimi, too!

;o)
S

Greener Bangalore said...

Oh Darl!...never seen you so emotional before...but yes i can understand...Let grandmas soul RIP..

razorsandvines said...

That's just all so horrifying. Up in NY we really have no clue how bad the devastation was even if it was on the news constantly. It's NOTHING like being there and witnessing it.

I'm sorry you lost your grandmother.