Monday, July 21, we were deluged with over two inches of rain during a series of violent storms that destroyed several trees in our yard and resulted in 
an electrical power interruption. After emerging from the "safety" of our basement bathroom (where I cower during major lightning storms), I surveyed the damage. Seconds after walking past our ornamental fishpond a large shadbush clump uprooted, knocking over a birdbath and crushing some plants. A few weeks ago this handsome shrub was loaded with delicious fruit for us and the birds; planted as a seedling years ago, it will be missed. Another shadbush fancier sent an empathetic E-mail saying, "I'm sorry about your loss."

 Few urbanites or suburbanites normally have a justified need for electrical generators. When power failures occur, areas of concentrated populations receive top priority and are usually back in business in short order. I chuckle when people buy generators because they can't bear to be without power for more than a few hours, if that. A woman complained, in a newspaper letter to the editor, that the electric company conducted a planned interruption of power in her neighborhood for two hours on a Tuesday, causing her great inconvenience. 

 From a practical point of view I find her complaint ridiculous. Residents of rural areas are at the mercy of the elements in many ways. The livelihood of those involved in many types of agriculture depends on a steady, reliable source of electrical energy. When we were milking cows a large, expensive PTO-driven generator powered the farmhouse and barn during emergencies. 

 In addition to the expense of the generator and the wear and tear on the 
tractor, five to ten gallons of fuel were consumed hourly. Using the generator 
was inconvenient and time-consuming but can you imagine milking eighty cows by hand and trying to keep the milk safe until pickup?  Hatchery fish needing a constant supply of oxygenated water stress quickly during a power interruption. 

 Constant ventilation is imperative in buildings housing large concentrations of poultry or disaster threatens. Needs versus wants - needing electrical power to keep your business running or even stay in business versus wanting to vacuum or watch TV.

 Our farm was connected to electricity in 1944 and few power failures occurred until a neighbor's planted pine tree plantation started battling with transmission wires in the 1970s. The two houses and barn would frequently have no electricity while nearby neighbors, including the owners of the pine tree land, had no troubles. It was not uncommon to lose power for long periods; one July  we were without electricity for five days; during the 2002 tornado three days; during the 2003 New Year's Day ice storm and subsequent blizzard for almost seven days. 

 The farm generator was sold in 1994 but two years ago, out of desperation, we bought a $2500 PTO-driven generator. During long-term power failures my husband drives the generator between our home and his father's several times a day trying to provide the basics - wow, we can flush toilets, keep the contents of the refrigerator and freezers from spoiling, water the animals, check E-mail, etc. We heat with wood but my elderly father-in-law relies on electricity to run his furnace. 

 We complained for years but probably because only four humans were being affected our situation was given low priority status. Nothing changed until after the 2003 ice storm when the electric company was forced to take action. We were given the option of having the pine tree land renovated where trees fell like pick-up-sticks and electric pole tops had snapped off (would add at least four more days to the already six days of power interruption) or set new poles 
along the road and connect lines from where our neighbors had been receiving reliable power (would add one extra day to the six). 

 We are cautiously optimistic severe power failure woes are behind us but the generator is not for sale. We were without electricity four hours on the 21st but learned many homes in Owego lost power for four days. Aren't we the lucky ones!!