Nedra,
Tornadoes are tricky. Topeka, Kansas had the same kind of Indian tale that
the town was protected because of a hill. It had worked for decades until
the Summer of '64 or '65. I was right outside of Topeka in a car headed
south to visit my Dad with my Mom and Brother in the car, when a Tornado
bore down on Topeka. This time though when it got to the hill, instead of
ricocheting off and bouncing out into the plain, it divided in to two
smaller Tornadoes circumvented the hill, and rejoined on the other side to
take out a wide swipe out of Topeka all the way to the Capitol Building
where it knocked out a piece of the Capitol Dome, which would be seen from
miles away. So the moral is that these Indian tale are probably based on a
certain amount of fact, but Tornadoes don't necessarily follow the facts.
I am too hoping for a quiet Spring, but it probably won't happen.
Tom L.L.
--------------------
"Nedra" wrote in message
hlink.net...
Well Tom!?! Gracious sakes, the nerve of the pols! They
didn't know what they talking about then - with the hill cut down,
I mean. I've always thought that tornadoes followed a
"draw" in the land .... not far wrong according to your story.
I hope you have a very quiet spring and summer of '04.
My chimes aren't ringing 
They are swaying in the west wind
but no sound!! Wonder what in tarnation is wrong?
Any ideas?
Nedra
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pines/4836
http://community.webshots.com/user/nedra118
"Tom La Bron" wrote in message
...
Nedra,
Of course, we don't head for the shelter when those special wind chimes
start ringing consistently, but I am a lot more likely to turn on the TV
to
see if the weather people are saying that something may be in the
offing,
weather-wise.
I am a transplant to this area via marriage and there was an old Indian
tale
that no tornado would hit Pawnee. Well, even in my short stay in the
town
this had been proved pretty accurate. Well, the State of Oklahoma, in
their
infinite wisdom, decided to make the road less curvy west of town and
chopped 60 feet off the top of the hill west of town. That very fall
after
the road was finished and in mid October (late in tornado season) a
tornado
made its way through town via the cut made in the hill by the state
highway
commission. Thank you State of Oklahoma. Since that time we have seen
tornadoes over Pawnee about three times since the October hit, luckily
none
of them set down, but before then we had never seen one over the town.
We
used to see the tornadoes west and north of town never over the town.
What
was really interesting is that no one that I knew had ever complained
about
the curviness of the road. The hill that had to be driven as a lot less
steep that want we now have to deal with now that we go over the hill
instead of around it, and when there is ice on the road it is the devil
to
drive. In fact, I really liked that stretch of road for it was really
scenic and the only really problem that I ever found with it was that
the
cell phone cut out and you drove that section, and other than that it
was
a
good road. What we have to suffer for progress.
Tom L.L.
----------------------
"Nedra" wrote in message
link.net...
I would much rather hear Chimes than a tornado horn ...
I suppose either can be very frightening though. I know
you are in Oklahoma, Tom. My Mom is from there -
Skiatook (sp) actually - and she
knows all about tornadoes. Missouri is no slouch in that
department but I think you all have us beat.
Nedra
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pines/4836
http://community.webshots.com/user/nedra118
"Tom La Bron" wrote in message
...
Nedra and Jan,
Wind Chimes can also be very useful. I have a set that is placed
under
a
certain overhang here at the house and if these Chimes get to
singing
really
continually, I know that the wind is coming from the "wrong"
direction
and
that we will probably have to be making a run to the " 'fraidy hole"
for
safety. It is almost as good has the tornado horn across the road,
for
signally worry-some weather.
Tom L.L.
-------------
"Nedra" wrote in message
link.net...
Oscillating fan!! LOL! Now that's an idea....
I've heard about your snow. We are unseasonably warm, at
least for a couple more days. I do wish we would get snow.
I love snowy weather... even when I had the 30 mile commute.
Oh well... maybe we'll have another mild winter.
Nedra
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pines/4836
http://community.webshots.com/user/nedra118
"~ jan JJsPond.us" wrote in message
news
Yes ... and my chimes came today!! They are hanging on the
overhang
at
the deck. The winds have died down alot. I can't
hear a thing ... Yet!!!! C'mon breezes!
Nedra
When I first hung mine it was calm. I used the baby monitor to
hear
even
the slightest noise. DH went on an errand and said he wouldn't
have
been
surprised, when he got back, to find the oscilliating fan out
there.
s
Got breezes (and more snow) now, and don't even have to use the
baby
monitor to hear them. ~ jan 
~ jan