Care Package: 1. A parcel of food, money, or luxury items sent to a loved one who is away. 2. A digital gathering of cultural touchstones on ethandezotelle.com, put together to brighten your day a bit.

As I put this Care Package together, heavy rain is still falling in northwest Vermont. The entirety of the state has been impacted by flooding that surpasses Tropical Storm Irene back in 2011. Officials say flooding in downtown Montpelier this morning is surpassed only by what was seen nearly 100 years ago during the great flood of 1927. In southern Vermont, the only way to describe the damage from this storm system is catastrophic.

But still, as I sit and write, a ruby-throated hummingbird is zipping around among the raindrops, feasting on scarlet bee balm in our front yard. Even in bad conditions, the little fella is doing what it needs to do to get by. With unprecedented situations predicted for today, with unseen damage ahead of us, with our hearts already strained, we will do the same. It’s what we did after Irene tore through. It’s what our ancestors did back in ’27. We will get through.

Unlike that delicate hummingbird, we are not navigating the storm on our own to find help. We have our families, friends, and neighbors. Times like this bring out the best in us, and we sorely need that. To see the best in each other. To see the best in ourselves. It’s been too long, but bringing out our best is the only way we’re going to weather this (no pun intended). I know we are up to the challenge.

Today’s Care Package includes, in addition to some of the usual cultural touchstones, some links to information that might help. 

Wherever you are, I hope that you are safe. Help others if you can. Accept help if you need it. Much love.

ROAD CLOSURES: https://newengland511.org/region/Vermont

EMERGENCY SHELTERS: Call 211

MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS: Call or text 988

POWER OUTAGES: https://vtoutages.org/

VERMONT FLOOD READY ATLAS: https://floodready.vermont.gov/assessment/vt_floodready_atlas

NEWS UPDATES: https://www.vermontpublic.org/live-updates/vermont-experiencing-significant-flash-flooding

POEM: Flood by Miyazawa Kenji
Under the malicious glints of the clouds
the Kitakami, grown twice in width, perhaps ten times in volume,
bears yellow waves.
(Read more)

QUOTE: “Do not judge me by my success, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.”  ― Nelson Mandela

SONG: After the Tornado by Jim’s Big Ego