Irene, You Destructive Lady

Hurricane Irene's damage to people, property and the whole of life on the US Eastern seaboard is just being measured.

Some people's lives were ended and others lives were shattered by the extent of the damage.

There is kind of a weariness people are experiencing because she arrived just days after a pretty strong, but nameless earthquake.

There was a little rescue and human kindness work to do that took me "Down East".

While there I surveyed a field of cotton - promising profit and fiber from our favorite comfort fabric.

However, this field had been lashed by winds and pummeled by rains. What you see is the inside of the not-yet-mature cotton boll.

Hundreds and maybe thousands of tons of cotton are ruined.

There are no denim trees or any decent substitute for this wonderful plant.

We will all be amazed at the cost of the loss of this cotton crop and at the cost of our next pair of Wrangler jeans.

We'd cry, but a tear in a poly-cotton hanky just isn't right.

© tim www.timjohnsonphoto.com