Sunday, September 13, 2009

Ash Sunday in the forest

.
Today I walked in ash, silent and alone and in awe, to see the toll taken by yesterday's forest fire.


The olive trees, each individual with a shape of its own in death as in life.

All of this was just 26 hours ago covered by underbrush so thick you couldn't walk through it, except on the paths worn down by jackal traffic.
Here in the late afternoon sun, the ash looks almost like snow.

A scorched ktalav.

An interesting pattern left under the burned bark.

The cables along the monastery's perimeter wall.
The Franciscans will not have electricity for the next 3 or 4 days.

This tree was both bowed down AND uprooted.

The cat was the only one who could get down or up the steep slope that goes down to the monastery buildings. You can see why planes were needed, in these places where men could not stand.
.
Come back tomorrow for three hopeful pictures that came out of the ashes.
.

14 comments:

  1. Wow! Continuing prayer of thanks that you're okay.

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a sad situation but hopefully soon new plants and greenery will grow up among the ashes and gray darkness!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wildfire's effects are awesome and it takes some time to recover.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Forest fires can be devastating. I am glad no one was hurt. I await your photos of hope!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Very rough terrain, so similar to ours! I think the firefighters are heroes.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Good morning Dina!
    I am very sad about this disaster!! A month ago i felt real pain in my hart looking these pictures in Samos island (Greece) near my village Koumeika :(
    Different places the same people Stupidity!!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a devastation. Do you know the exact causes of the fire?

    ReplyDelete
  8. Dina, dear, well that is very sad. I am sending you healing thoughts but you didn't mention anyone injured or deaths so that is awesome.
    We have these forest fires here in my canadian city every summer you can count on it.It is amazing how far the smoke travels. Like this blue smoke from another world.

    Nevertheless have a beautiful day.
    HUGS

    ReplyDelete
  9. So much damage. I hope the winter brings a lot of healing rains this year.

    Do they know yet what started it?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Wow! I'm so sorry, Dina. It all looks so sad...

    ReplyDelete
  11. I just went into what part of our forest I could get to last night. Same thing. So odd with all the understory gone.

    ReplyDelete


Thanks for your comment!
Comment moderation is on so I will see any new comments even on older posts!