Apple Tree, deceased

June 8, 2003.

The weather service called it a tornado, and who am I to argue? I wasn't here.

Joan and I had gone shopping after work, and returned home into a nasty storm. Found all our Potter Street neighbors out and about, and remnants of trees in the street.

And in our yard. This is most of an apple tree.

No one was seriously hurt (one neighbor was a bit bruised), and no buildings had significant damage (our garage lost a little siding). But Joan and I lost three trees--this apple, two maples--and the storm took the tops off some larger trees down the road. Earlier in the day we'd been admiring our maples; I'd planted them shortly after I bought the house, and they were finally becoming serious trees.

A couple notes:

We have three apple trees in the yard, except when we have two; it turns out that every year we have to replace a tree. Besides the twister, we've lost them to disease, an errant lawn mower, and other odd causes. This year's loss was to a very hungry rabbit....

Our cat, Taffy, used to enjoy thunderstorms. Since this one, she hides in the basement.