The early morning storm ripped through the center of Tulsa with 100mph straight-line winds. Father's Day sunrise exposed the damage. Our neighborhood streets were littered with lightweight patio cushions, branches, and leaf debris. We were among the lucky ones. Midtown suffered the most significant damage. Stoplights were out all over the city, and reporters advised us to stay home if possible. Streets were impassable, with massive trees downed and dangling power lines, rerouting traffic through neighborhoods. Fallen trees crushed houses and cars. The 100mph wind storm aftermath left nearly half of Tulsa without power. Homes and businesses were dark, without refrigeration and air conditioning. Phone towers were damaged, making outside communication slow and nonexistent.

Gas stations could not operate, grocery stores were losing food, and our houses were getting warm. It was more comfortable to spend time outside despite the rising summer temperatures. Thankfully, we still had working water systems. The most enjoyable task for me was watering the lawn. Not only was I tending to our property and flowers, but it also helped me stay cool. Life was slow, going to bed and getting up with the sun. Spending days and evenings outside. Hand washing dishes, listening to the radio, and cleaning up fallen debris. There was a constant sound of chainsaws and heavy equipment all around. Tree crews and linemen became heroes, helping us gain access to the world again. The radio was my savior; it was a break from the silence and did an outstanding job of letting me know what was open around town and areas to avoid. I now understand analog radio's importance in this digital world. Our food consisted of canned soup cooked on the grill, crackers, granola bars, and dry cereal; it was a sampling of off-grid living. We endured four days with no power, and some homes are still coping with the outages.

Week 25 recap:

• Water.
• Clean up storm debris.

Week 26 plans:

• Clean and restock the refrigerator.

Week 25 in bloom:

• Zinnias ‘Oklahoma White’
• Dahlia seeds
• Marigold
• Petunias
• Chocolate lace flower 'Dara’
• Gomphrena 'Sunset Mix'
• Echinacea 'Wildberries’