'Big wind' sweeps valley, bypasses Indiantree hill

Feb. 17, 2009
In a rare changeup style of delivery, the forces of nature focused high winds into the "Goosebottom" valley rather than across the Indiantree Hilltop.

Our neighbor Jonas reported last night's big blow ripped off both of his big barn doors, sailed them across the barnyard and left them heavily damaged. His storm door vanished, as did a smattering of slate and metal strips from various roofs. He spent today in "patchup and fixup" mode and figures it'll be Thursday or Friday before everything is back to normal.

Meanwhile, up here on the windswept hilltop, things were relatively untouched. Of course a new "crop" of twigs and small branches was scattered across the lawns of the main and guest houses, but a quick looksee showed minimal damage. And granddaughter Liz soon had the sticks picked up.

All the wind had no effect on the Amish boy's basketball action. After darkness swallowed the valley and all the chores were finished, the guys gathered in Jonas's new workshop for a game of hoops. He uses a couple of auto backup light bulbs hooked to an old car battery for light and sometimes they play in the straw shed, sometimes in the shop. The guys prefer the shop because the straw shed has a four-foot-square hole in the floor, used for dumping hay and straw down to the lower level.

But that hole can be a really slick way of getting rid of a pesky opponent who's guarding too closely or trying to steal the ball.