Springtime in September

Classes resumed Monday and things are returning to normal here. Traffic is the greatest headache common to all now, as there are still many utility and military vehicles around, along with the many people who have removed- perhaps permanently- from the Coast and New Orleans. I am glad to be back in class; our schedule has been modified, of course, but it's quite tolerable. Carey operates on a trimester system, with week long breaks between trimesters, which we will lose this year, leaving Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Spring breaks intact.

The damage and destruction from the storm is still sharply evident; I suppose much of it will remain for years to come. One thing that has taken by surprise is the response of the natural world to the storm. The heavy winds managed to strip many decidious trees of their leaves, so much that after the storm much of South Mississippi looked like it normally does in the winter (most of our oaks tend to retain their leaves, albiet in a brown whithered form, all through the winter; and quite a few of them held on through the hurricane). But now, nearly a month afterwards, the trees are glowing with fresh new growth. If you were to drive across South Mississippi you would think it was springtime, with so many of the forests aburst with that particular bright fresh green of March and Paril (down here anyway!). The bradford pears, most of which were beaten up pretty badly, are making a second run of blooms. The miles and miles of splintered trees are now softened by a hurricane-wrought second springtime. Beauty from ashes, I suppose.