The trees are a big part of what makes life here special. They provide us with fresh air, seasonal color, privacy, shade, firewood, lumber, maple syrup and animal habitat, not to mention the opportunity to reflect on strength, growth and the passage of time. So, it’s been startling to see them disfigured and toppled by the wild storm that blew through Narrowsburg on May 15. The sound of limbs, trunks and root systems letting loose as they crashed to the ground that afternoon was enough to make my heart stop.

I saw the tornado warning on my cell phone around 3 p.m., and took heed on my basement steps. According to the National Weather Service, while Tusten endured 95 mile per hour winds that afternoon, they were caused by a “downburst of straight-line wind,” not a tornado.

In any case, the storm was a doozy. I was spared the devastating damages that many other Narrowsburgians faced. Peg and Patrick Harrison, owners of Rasmussen’s furniture store and funeral home, suffered a multi-alarm fire last Friday night when electricity was restored to Main Street. My heart goes out to them, and to the tenants who lived upstairs. I hear that no lives were lost, but homes, businesses and livelihoods were. It remains to be seen whether the historic building can be saved.

The NYPA Fire Victims Fund will be helping people who had losses in the fire. You can give to the fund (100% of donations go to the victims) with cash or check made out to NYPA Fire Victims Fund at Catskill Hudson Bank, 122 Kirk Rd., Narrowsburg, NY 12764.

Last week I stopped at the Tusten Town Hall to pick up drinking water. It was good to see the friendly faces of Jane Luchsinger, Sean Harrington and Jocelyn Strumpfler as the National Guard delivered dry ice and cases of bottled water. Upstairs in the building department, they were keeping a list of Tusten homes that had trees fall on them. The list was at least eight addresses long, and they expected it to grow. If you had structural damage to your house, email TownClerk@Tusten.org with your name, address, phone number and description of the damage. Provide photos if possible.

I’m on day seven without power, eating perishable food that surely perished days ago (just exactly how long can unrefrigerated cheese be safely eaten?) and fantasizing about being able to do a load of laundry. While much of work and life has been on hold, with any luck we’ll be starting to get back to normal for Memorial Day weekend. It will be a busy one in Narrowsburg, with the town-wide yard sale still on as planned. Delaware Valley Arts Alliance (37 Main St.) is preparing for a big indoor tag sale on Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The sale will feature everything from furniture to toys, and proceeds benefit DVAA. And on Saturday night, May 26 at 8 p.m., Narrowsburg actor and chanteuse Heidi Mollenhauer will perform at the Emerald Ballroom (40 Main St., downstairs). I’m looking forward enjoying that, hopefully in a clean outfit.