Hurricane Dennis 9:00 a.m.

Peanut butter cookies are cooling on the countertop, chicken breasts are cooking on the stove, rice is simmering, and pancakes are stacked in a pile on a plate. When we lose electricity, it will be nice to have these things already cooked and baked. The best thing about a hurricane is that you have advance warning.

Possible good news: Hurricane Dennis is just now heading on a more northern track (it's been heading northwest, right at us). If it continues on this northern track, it will make landfall east of us. That puts us on the western side of the storm, which is the nicest side to be on. Certainly, our weather will still be intense, and it is already too late for us to not be affected, but it won't be the worst case scenario.

My 17 chickens are running loose about the yard. Their pen is situated very near our river (Fish River), which will flood today. I'm hoping the chickens are smart enough to go into the woods or at least stay on lower, less windy ground. The mama hen and her three babies are in my garden cart on our front porch, where they should not have much wind, and no rain.

by Lori Seaborg