Tuesday, October 18, 2011

TIMBER!

Due to this crazy drought we experienced all summer, I watched one of my 65 foot trees fall in the backyard the other day.

Lucy and I had just come inside from playing in the backyard.  I heard branches rustling, and thought a wind storm had come in out of nowhere.   So I looked out our window, and although I didn't see a storm of any kind, I did see one of my beautiful trees fall. 

The tree took the power lines down with it, caused a little firework display, and knocked out everyone's electricity on our side of our street.  It ripped the power pole and box off our house. Our neighbors got electricity back by the end of the day, but it took us a little longer to get our power restored because we had to call an electrician.  It's not easy to find one over the weekend!

The hammock we love to lay in was destroyed.   

And our fence was hit, but only by the brush, and was left standing- although in need of some repair.

Of course, I am so sad to lose a beautiful tree that provided such nice shade in my backyard.  But Fermin and I look stupidly happy in the pictures below.  I think that's because even though we lost something, we realize we could've lost a lot more. 

None of us were outside. No one was napping in the hammock. Lucy and Ricky were both safe indoors.  Our house miraculously didn't get hit.  It fell in the most perfect direction it possibly could have.  It did hit another big tree as it fell, but the damage was minimal.  If we had planned to take this tree down, I don't think we could've done it much cleaner.

My tree guy, Randall, is the greatest.  He came out first thing the very next day to clear things out enough so that we could get our cars out of the garage.

He used a stump grinder to fill back in the big, gaping hole with the roots and soil.  So in a way, our tree is buried in that hole now.  At least parts of it.

The rest we're using as stumps to sit on in the backyard, firewood for our friends, and a plant stand to showcase the pumpkins I just bought!

The brutal summer of 2011 is over, and most definitely left it's mark.  But we're all safe and sound. 

8 comments:

Roberta said...

Wow...thank goodness no one was hurt and that you and your pups were safely inside. It's always amazing to me when things work out "okay" like this. Can't imagine if this had come down on anyone's house...oh my! We had the same thing happen here in Raleigh with the tornados in April making alot of trees "loose" and then when we had the hurricanes blow through...the trees just came right down...some big old, lovely ones like yours ;}

darren said...

Kerri, did you get an age for the tree? Darren

Kelly Warren said...

Wow! Glad everyone is okay! Always sad to lose such a nice large tree. Neat to see that you are using pieces of your old friend to sit on in the back yard. We had a little brush with a tornado last summer, and God was most definitely watching. The lot next to us is filled with pine trees and none of them fell on our house. Three fell to the front yard and two fell to the back. All we got on the house was one small branch slightly busting through a window in the great room, right where the girls are usually playing. Thankfully we were all sitting at the dinner table at the time, so they were not in their usual play spot.

Melissa Sarno said...

Oh wow! This is crazy... I'm so glad that you all remained safe! :)

Marie a la Mode said...

That is so sad, there's so much history in a tree, you know? I'm so glad no one was hurt!

Rob said...

Wow! I mean....

WOW!
That tree is huge! Absolutely amazing it didn't crash into something other than your hammock.

The drought affected some neighbors here in my neighborhood but not to that extent. Mostly tree branches. Two had foundation problems and I had a pretty big branch come down in my front yard near the street.

Glad to know all are safe.

Lisa said...

Wow! Thank God nobody got hurt. It's sad to lose a beautiful tree like that but you are right, you could have lost so much more.
Hope you are well!

Jadyn @ Dutch.British.Love said...

Wow, Kerri! I love your attitude though and am glad that nobody got hurt and that not more got damaged!

I also love your cute pumpkin display! Way to make lemonade out of lemons. :)