Gustav was upon the state of Louisiana this Labor Day weekend and through the week. It came ashore west of New Orleans, leaving about 1 million without power and many, many small towns decimated in its wake. In the days leading up to its landfall, Ruston and other towns in N. LA, MS and Arkansas fill with people getting out ahead of the hurricane. Batteries were tough to come by and bottled water was in high demand.
While the news channels obsessed about New Orleans, most of the heavy damage was done to the towns and cities to its west and northwest. The forecast for quick return to the damaged southern part of the state is not good. Small towns like Houma, near Gustav's point of entry, are expected to be powerless for several weeks at best. Today, Wednesday, the state is still dealing with powerful lingering thunderstorms that remain in one of the rotating "fingers" of the tropical storm.
The following images were taken from relatively safe Ruston, LA, far enough north to deal only with "Tropical Depression/Storm" Gustav, instead of "Hurricane" Gustav. The morning arrives with Gustav making its way onshore. The eye is unmistakable as is the treacherous "east side" of the storm.
Clouds over Ruston are swirling with the counter-clockwise rotation that comes with a low pressure monster, but early in the morning, are still fairly light.
At about mid-day on Labor day, the rotating clouds of the storm have turned darker and the first bands of showers are upon us as the south part of the state continues to be punished with strong wind gusts to 115+ mph.
The local radar image shows the location of Ruston and the approaching rain bands at about 12 in the afternoon.
Rain begins in earnest in the early afternoon, forming the expected "lake" at the base of our driveway.
Night falls as does heavy, heavy rain. By 10 in the evening, the eye of Gustav is located south of Alexandria, poised to make its way along I49 towards Shreveport over night.
Even in the safer north reaches of Louisiana, power comes and goes as trees fall on power lines and circuit breakers trip throughout the night.
The next day finds periods of driving rain mixed with gentle tropical rains that are warm and can soak you in about 5 seconds. Even as the weakened Gustav makes its way north towards Arkansas, a new storm has been named in the Atlantic. This brings the current total to 4 named Atlantic storms, operating at the same time. The hurricane season looks far from over.
Perhaps direct hits on populated centers can be spared as these storms make their way slowly west. As bad as the damage to Louisiana has been, the damage to poorer nations to the south is greater and they are ill-equipped to handle the devastation and loss.
Even though the snow can be a pain...it is so beautiful.
Central WA is making a come back here in Louisiana - 1978 style. The final years of the Milwaukee Road in the west, right here in Ruston. A few photos of the train layout progress.
The Milwaukee Road's history is particularly interesting. It was the final transcontinental railroad built in the United States - and the only one to have been abandoned. The photo of Jenni and I that adorns this blog was taken in the shadows the old Milwaukee bridge at Rosalia, WA. Just one of many reminders of the old line's presence in the West.
On Tuesday, Karen and Greg arrived and that morning the hot water heater broke. We were busy making phone calls and praying; fortunately it started working before everyone arrived. It was great to see old roommates and catch up on life.
We ended our week of company by having my Great Uncle Herbert visit. It was wonderful to share a day with him and listen to his stories.
Leland finishing putting the chicken wire down.
After we finished the chicken wire we place landscaping carpet down. We decided that after getting rid of poison oak and 10 shrubs...we were happy with a rock garden. The side walk at the bottom of the picture is to the front door, the front of house has a privacy wall.
Here is the almost final product. We finished laying the rock down but we did not take a final picture. In time we will add potted plants, a bird feeder, and a park bench. Our fall goal was just to make the skunks go bye, bye for good.
Occasionally we have days that remind me of the Northwest, this was one. I took for granted the crisp blue skies until I moved away. Now I live outside, when the crisp sky is accompanied by a gentle breeze.
Everything grows really well in Louisiana...those grasshoppers are at least 2 inches long.
There's not much that goes on downtown in the hours before the sun comes up, but don't tell that to the KCS. 
Clouds over Ruston are swirling with the counter-clockwise rotation that comes with a low pressure monster, but early in the morning, are still fairly light.
At about mid-day on Labor day, the rotating clouds of the storm have turned darker and the first bands of showers are upon us as the south part of the state continues to be punished with strong wind gusts to 115+ mph.
The local radar image shows the location of Ruston and the approaching rain bands at about 12 in the afternoon.
Night falls as does heavy, heavy rain. By 10 in the evening, the eye of Gustav is located south of Alexandria, poised to make its way along I49 towards Shreveport over night.
Perhaps direct hits on populated centers can be spared as these storms make their way slowly west. As bad as the damage to Louisiana has been, the damage to poorer nations to the south is greater and they are ill-equipped to handle the devastation and loss.
We have successfully made it across the country and the house is officially ours. Everyone was happy that the Suburban was able to have a home after the trek across the country.
Here is the dining room, it is so great to be able to use the recently refinished table. It is beautiful Chuck!
YEAH an unpacked kitchen! We have already made our first batch of cookies, oatmeal chocolate chip.
Here is the living room that is the size of our old apartment (the picture does not include all of the room)...it is a challenge to set up a room which is so much bigger, yeah to new challenges.
Leland's graduation...yeah, he is done!
The mighty Mississippi behind us, this was at the MS and LA border.
A picture of us on LA Tech's campus...we did not really thing the statue was funny looking till after we looked at the picture.
Nighttime in a small southern town in early May. The cold gray clouds of the Northwest have been left far behind and the thick water laden air of Louisiana is with us now. The locals admit that this spring for them has been unusually cool, 80 degrees as a high much of the time. They also tell of the summer months when the air stops moving and the temperature rises to above 100 degrees -- summer time in the South.
