Our property out in the country of northwestern Indiana got hit by a tornado last weekend.
Thankfully, none of the buildings were damaged. As we walked assessing the damage, it was quite amazing to us urbanites to see how big healthy trees were twisted off in a seemingly random pattern.
Other trees were simply bent over in long elegant curves. The energy stored in this one is almost visible as it seems ready to snap up if that other stump were lifted off.
Here the half moon root ball of a fallen tree and with it the half moons of the trees it bent over.
Snapped!
Already a leaf has settled.
Toothpicks in the forest.
I shouldn’t delight in the symmetry of destruction but I still love how these two aspen fell perfectly parallel.
While these twisted-off tree tops look rather comical, they’re also quite dangerous as they are too high up for us to get them down, and yet, at some point they will come down. Also, interestingly, dead trees like these were left standing while healthier ones were felled. The theory is that without foliage there was less mass there for the wind to grab and beat around.
One fine mess for us to pick up.
Oh wow! It's amazing how devastating weather can be. I think you should use this in a story.
I live in an old neighborhood full of massive old trees. Some of the worst have come down in the last 5 years from ice and wind storms, but I always expect a big limb to come down on our cars since everyone parks on the street (garages are detached, small, and back by the alley). In the big park where I walk the dog I've seen a marked change in canopy after the last couple of big storms this spring. Glad your property didn't suffer the kind of damaged that would cause you to rebuild.
Holy Smokes!!!
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