Gone In 60 Seconds

Well, we sure needed the rain, but given a choice, we would never have traded some of our favorite trees for it. In a matter of under one minute, we lost the huge, old Bradford Pear (you seldom see those words strung together) that has shaded our house so well for at least 30 years, big chunks of two other trees in the yard and several big limbs from trees lining our road frontage. Two of the trees, the Bradford Pear included, were trees we worried about taking out portions of our house if they came down in the hopefully far, far distant future. Miraculously, they both fell in the best possible, and surprisingly opposite directions. Also surprising was the size of the "fence killer" limbs that came down just so to leave all our fences standing. Thank you.

While our loss of the big tree will be felt for years to come, the loss to the birds in our yard was immediate. Within minutes of the storm passing through, mommas and poppas were back to the never-ending job of bringing food to their babies, but there were no babies. The confusion on their faces as they flitted around the downed trees searching for their nests and little ones was just heartbreaking. Boo and I found several chicks hopping through the grass and were able to catch them and hide them under nearby shrubs, but the nests are gone.

We were not the only farm to be hit. Within 15 minutes chain saws were firing up all over the neighborhood. The county road crews were out quickly thereafter and as soon as the roads were passable, trucks and trailers filled with hardworking friends and neighbors came around to lend a hand. We all have a lot to clean up, but we are all okay, our houses are still standing, and our neighbor's sloppy joe's were not harmed ;-). So much to be thankful for.

So long good friend.