Hail, Hail, the Gang's All Hiding Out!

Well, it has never happened to us before.  We always seem to miss the dire weather.  Not yesterday.  I'd always been curious about the sound and fury of a hailstorm.  Now I know.  Our yard looks as if a weed eater has gone on a rampage.  As for the sound and the fury...after four hailstorms in a row yesterday, the final one with golf-ball sized hailstones...I can vouch for its being an impressive amount of percussion, particularly on the metal shed roof that is attached to the garage.  The aftermath of yesterday's direct hit on our zip code out here JOTOLR is that we are awakening to the realization that things are not "as usual" these days.  We got at least 2.5 inches of rain in what seemed to be 2.5 minutes.  Between the rain and the hail, the ground was afloat.  The creek down by the road was roaring.  I dread to think what the One-Lane Road looks like this morning.


There's a lot more daylight in our yard now.  With the rain we've had so far this spring, the trees had leafed out way beyond their ability to sustain that complement during any wind at all.  Fortunately, though sixty-mile-per-hour winds had been forecast, we missed that part of the storm.  Nonetheless, the hailstones did their part to leave our yard in complete tatters.  Over the next few days, of course, the plants will find their equilibrium and regain some dignity.  For the moment, though, they are cowed.  Speaking of cows.... 


The poor cows.  They crowded up to get reassurance from MM when he walked out to check on them after the storm.  Even Marigold, usually a bit skittish, sought comfort and pushed her nose forward for a pet.  Obviously punished, they spent the evening crowded up against the barn.  How does one explain to cows that the beating they've just had wasn't inflicted by an owner gone mad?  The dogs made it through just fine.  Must have been ear-splitting beneath the plastic roofs of their dog houses.  I grabbed Jessie off the porch and carried her in.  
 
Here are a few pictures:

The Weather Forecast office did warn us, but it's so unusual for those forecasts to affect us--it's always in someone else's back yard!  Hence, we've become rather relaxed listeners in terms of "watches and warnings" for severe weather prognotications...but yesterday, it got us....not that we could have done anything about it, but we WERE the TARGET.  The forecast was general.  It was specific to US right here, JOTOLR. 

This was the first one...it melted swiftly and completely,  and straight-away....

We got a second one....followed by another close on its heels

The big-leaved Hostas are a mess...

...as is the once-lovely climber rose just off the porch

This is the porch roof, looking at it out the upstairs window--what NOISE!  And branches crashed down out of the trees, rain came in torrential waves..

I dashed out to get a hailstone or two, but could only grab what was close before MM "yelled me back in."  They melt fast.  I put them in the freezer (on top of strawberries just picked).  The larger ones had melted down from the original golf-ball size, to about quarter size by the time I could get out to grab a couple.  Originally, though, they were simply huge. 

We have never experienced this side of Mother Nature, who seems to be trying out all kinds of mischief these days, particularly in new locations.

Thanks so much, everyone, for stopping by for a visit this past week.  I know you've noticed I've cut back on posts a bit in deference to spring and the outdoor life.  It's the last Friday in May!  Where has it gone??

Have a lovely weekend!

See you next week!