Strange, tragic week - Katrina

Hello y'all,

This has been a strange week. I pray for those in Mississippi, Louisianna,
and my home state Alabama devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

My city was lucky. Hurricane Ivan was worse with the wind but Hurricane Katrina water swells were worse. I personally do not know of people flooded out but there was water-front property on the Bay flooded out. My husband works with person whose house had water damage but he was able to return to it. Person's brother lost house (only the cement slab was left) over in Gulfport, Mississippi. Meterologists say that if the Hurricane had been 60 miles more to the east, we would have been like Mississippi.

I took a picture of our city pier and you can see the damage.
http://bragart.org/Katrina.htm

Kids have been out of school for a week due to gasoline shortage because of pipeline damage over in Biloxi. Also I heard that the buses were being used in Mississippi to help with victims. Shelters have been set up in our area for victims.

The city's vegetation looks parched and is not a luxorious green. They say it is because of the salt in the rain that came with the hurricane.

I hope no more hurricanes hit. Hope they just die in the Atlantic without hitting anywhere! We have not even made it though September yet.

Susan,

This is a shocking and terrible thing that has happened. I'm in California, and evacuees are arriving here today. Obviously, we're nowhere near the gulf, but these people need help.

Your pictures are a very graphic example of how fragile the things we build really are when confronted by nature's force. Right now, our California earthquakes are looking pretty tame.

A cousin of mine who lived in Waveland, Mississippi, has lost his home, and his place of employment; two coworkers and the child of one coworker are dead. He and his wife were evacuted in time, but only got out with the clothes on their backs. They are now headed to Arizona to look for work. Fortunately, her brother lives there and owns a currently vacant condo they can use.

Our thoughts and prayers are with all those who have been impacted by this terrible event.

Our thoughts are with all of those who have suffered this unimaginable horror.

http://easternshoreartcenter.com/hurricane_healingkids_react_to.htm

My friend Nancy has been very involved with using art with therapy to help hurricane victims. She is wonderful working with kids. She lived in California and watched someone use art therapy to help victims of the Northridge earthquake. I have been assisting her by taking the photos and putting the information on the website.