After the storms

The winds have hit us once again.  I swear we live in a wind tunnel when it's bad weather.  Tuesday morning as my alarm is going off at 4:43am (yes those 2 minutes make a difference) the radio is saying there are storm warnings for the following counties...... TAYLOR.  Yep only one county is under watch, I look outside and there is nothing happening.  They've been wrong before so I get up to head to the gym.  The warnings keep coming.... strong winds, hail, thunder, lighting.... oh well what's the difference if I'm home with the storm or at the gym.  I back out of the garage and look at the sky.... hummmmm that don't look very good but I'll try it, I haven't been to the gym for a week due to my audit and much needed vacation so I really wanted to go.  I am driving into the dark sky and my cell rings, it's Gayle from the gym.... she says they are all heading home they don't want to stay there and risk the cars getting hail damage.  So I turn around and come home.  Now I try to exercise at home but the text messages keep coming in about how bad it is by Gayle.... nothing here yet.  

Then it hit and it hit hard.  I wandered from window to window to look out and see what was happening.  I thought maybe a few times I should be in the basement or at least move my face away from the windows but I didn't.  I can't see a thing outside the windows with the rain and wind, the stuff that is blowing around is unbelievable, we might find our patio furniture in the neighbors field if we're lucky.  Now the lightning is so bad how am I going to take a shower?  I waited until the lightning was a little bit less frequent and then showered real quick, I've already been struck by lighting and they say it doesn't strike the same thing twice so I should be safe, right?

After the storm and before I went to work I took a little walk to see the damages.   1st tree with a huge limb down, and hammock flipped around a bit.

Everything from the porch was on one side.

Another limb

The scar on the tree, there is another one just like this on the other side.

This limb came down and flew about 8 feet from the tree.

It also took down my flower crab tree right at ground level and split one of our cedar trees in three pieces.  It's been clean up around here for 2 days and then another storm hits again last night.  Two of the trees that are standing can no longer stand up straight, they are leaning over.... not sure how long they will be standing.

Guess they weren't wrong with the forecast this time :)