In the Path of Destruction

Last Monday, two days before the Super Cells carved a path of destruction throughout the South, a quiet little tornado nipped through a two block area of Buckhead.

Our soon to be next door neighbors lost 11 trees, including this one that came down on the master bedroom and one son’s bedroom. 

Although he was in his bed at the time, he was unharmed.

There was an unbelievable amount of destruction in a concentrated area.

We lost the tops of a few trees and had some branches come precariously close to our new house.

The force of the straight line winds also blew open some unlocked windows and the French doors in the basement.

This resulted in the intrusion of a bit of water on the concrete floors and

the neighbors’ Rhodesian Ridgeback.

We also lost a large hickory that blocked the easement driveway and knocked down some trees that grew along the driveway.

The upheaval of the root balls next to the driveway caused a void under the driveway and exposed the phone wires we had fought so hard to get buried.

So who do you think came to the rescue? 

Builder Gary and his trusty trac hoe!  He waited patiently half the day for Georgia Power to clear the way to let him through so that he could mount his trusty steed and make the driveway safe for cars.

Meanwhile, I was worried about the septic drain field.  This hickory stood at the far end of the drain field.  We have looked thoroughly and can’t see any evidence of exposed drains.  I think we got lucky there.

Drew was coming out to mark some of my neighbors trees for lumber, so I had him mark the hickory, too.  He’ll cut into thick slabs for a farm table for our breakfast nook.

All other workers had to be called off.  Nobody could get in (or out) of the neighborhood and there was no power for power tools.  There were probably 5 trees down across the road and the power lines in a half mile stretch.

All I can say, is that the tornado beast tasted Buckhead Monday night and thankfully did not find it to his liking and looked for his main course elsewhere. We were nervous and sleepless on Wednesday night, but all was well.  Hopefully this week we’ll be able to keep power and internet on!