then we’re ok.
I’m with Mom on this one, I wish i’d BEEN THERE for the lightning strike because it must’ve been incredible.
Incredibly scarey that is.
The pecan tree in the yard (yes, THAT one) was struck by lightning last week in a regular old thunderstorm. The tree, at least a century old (we’ll find out soon), was quite healthy and our favorite producer of pecans, producing even without Mil’s fertilizing and even on the “off” years. Just this past fall, like so many others, you could sit your stool down in one spot and fill a grocery bag before moving on. J sent us photos of the tree, looks like the whole top fell off tearing a gash down the trunk nearly to the ground. Mom has been up there and reports that it appears the bark just “flew off the tree” in every direction, landing all over the yard and the roof of the house. It also appears the impact of the strike, just the IMPACT caused 2 window panes to shatter (half a window, both on the upstairs), which Mom did her best at the moment to cover with plastic.
According to those who’ve seen it, it looks like we’ll have to take the tree down. Exposing the south side of the house completely. What a hole it will be! I also suspect that tree has protected the house all these years from storms that come up the south, I know I felt protected up there in Uncle Emmett’s room with that tree outside my window. And that being the south side of the house it is the only shade that is cast on the house itself. This is an enormous and sad loss.
But they say lightning never strikes twice in the same place. Sunshine has survived decades without a direct hit and this one better protect the house for decades more. If that’s true, it may be worth the sacrifice, in the meantime, we’re already planting other trees, it’ll just be a few years before they’re big.
