Tuesday, May 12, 2015
70 mile an hour winds, 100 year old trees, and God
I first heard it on one of our local television station during a weather alert. Winds up to 70 miles per hour, torrential rain, hail, and tornado warnings between Rule and Rochester. That caught my attention. That is right where the family farm is. We have a farmhouse, garage, and barn. We have a hog fence around the cultivated field. Cattle fence around the pasture. Two rows of trees that are over 100 years old.
So Saturday morning I drove up to see the damage. Water standing in the fields everywhere. The road was covered in several places. Had to drive carefully thru a couple of low spots getting to the farm. The dirt road to the farm was quite the adventure, but I got there. I could see the house standing. And the barn and garage. Two limbs down in the front but no worse than many a storm up that way. Then I turned into the drive leading to the house.
And stopped.
Two trees split down the middle and laying across the drive. Our biggest Mesquite tree in the back was broken off at about four feet.
But none of them fell into the house. Several limbs were over the fence but none of them broke wire. One big limb laying one foot from the Butane tank, but didn't hit it. Not even a widow broken in the house. Just one screen torn.
We think a wind gust traveled right down the drive taking out trees. Narrow and powerful. Then lifted up and went on it's way.
Blessed.
I am amazed at the power of nature. I can only imagine what it would have been like to be there during that storm. Though I have to admit, we would have been out in the storm cellar.
The big tree could have hit the propane tank. That would have been ugly. Trees around the barn and garage not hit. The ones by the house fell away not toward the house.
So thanks God. Thanks for sparing the house, the outbuildings, and the wheat. Thanks for reminding me that we are not as in charge of things as we think. And because I believe you have power over nature, thanks for giving us a glimpse of your power.
Just wanted to share what I've been thinking about the past few days. One more thing, The clean-up reminds me I'm not as young or as strong as I used to be. But we have wood for the winter next year.
So Saturday morning I drove up to see the damage. Water standing in the fields everywhere. The road was covered in several places. Had to drive carefully thru a couple of low spots getting to the farm. The dirt road to the farm was quite the adventure, but I got there. I could see the house standing. And the barn and garage. Two limbs down in the front but no worse than many a storm up that way. Then I turned into the drive leading to the house.
And stopped.
Two trees split down the middle and laying across the drive. Our biggest Mesquite tree in the back was broken off at about four feet.
But none of them fell into the house. Several limbs were over the fence but none of them broke wire. One big limb laying one foot from the Butane tank, but didn't hit it. Not even a widow broken in the house. Just one screen torn.
We think a wind gust traveled right down the drive taking out trees. Narrow and powerful. Then lifted up and went on it's way.
Blessed.
I am amazed at the power of nature. I can only imagine what it would have been like to be there during that storm. Though I have to admit, we would have been out in the storm cellar.
The big tree could have hit the propane tank. That would have been ugly. Trees around the barn and garage not hit. The ones by the house fell away not toward the house.
So thanks God. Thanks for sparing the house, the outbuildings, and the wheat. Thanks for reminding me that we are not as in charge of things as we think. And because I believe you have power over nature, thanks for giving us a glimpse of your power.
Just wanted to share what I've been thinking about the past few days. One more thing, The clean-up reminds me I'm not as young or as strong as I used to be. But we have wood for the winter next year.
