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Thursday, May 13, 2010

Hail, Microbursts, Tornadoes and all my neighbors

Small and I walked out to other end of the driveway. We were waiting for the afternoon school bus. The breeze was pleasant and the air was warm and humid. Rumbling could be heard off to the south west. I looked up and said to Small, I think it might rain on us. Just then I noticed that Good Neighbors goats were walking to the barn, and then a fat white rain drop fell hard to the earth.

Small, RUN HAIL!

He looked at me for a moment because hail was not falling, but everyone has learned here, that if mama says hail is about to fall, then hail is about to fall.

I opened the gate and Small started running to the house. Dogs ran, Zombie ran, and the turkeys scrambled under the truck. Half way to the house, hail began to fall from the sky. It ended within a few moments of us getting inside.

Small made it onto the bus with no damage.

I checked the weather reports, and of course, once again, nothing was mentioned. I kept an eye on the sky and an ear to the radio and went about my business.

Just like on Monday, the tornado warnings erupted at the same time the Small and Medium were on the school bus headed home. Large gets home an hour and a half earlier than them. Tornadoes don't worry me too much, as long as my boys are at home.

I snagged my phone off the counter and ran outside to tell the neighbor across the way that there were tornadoes spotted to the south and west of us, headed in our direction. The neighbor across the way, doesn't actually live there, and I knew that he didn't have a radio or tv going. He was merely feeding the sheep. We chatted a bit while I watched the sky and the Sheriffs that were at the neighbor with the bad dogs house. My phone rang, it was good neighbor wanting to know why the Sheriff was in front of his house. I really didn't feel a need to go ask them why they were here. I have my guesses of course, but nothing I shared with anyone else.

The bus finally arrived with the storm still looming in the distance. It moved just north of us, the tornado was too far to affect us.

The house moved, and thunder shook the ground. A micro burst had hit us. I went out to check on the animals, everyone was fine. Then I called Husband at work. He took the motorcycle and I wanted him to stay down south rather than getting caught in yet another tornado while on a bike. He said he was leaving work. If he hurried he might just miss it. I waited for him on the porch. I figured I would hear him as he approached and could run and open the gate before he arrived.

However once I heard him, I saw him. He had cut though the neighbor across the way's fields and yard, trying to outpace the impending storm. I couldn't help but laugh as I ran to the gate.

Then it only sprinkled.

Horse neighbor saw the boys and I taking a wagon load of hay to the cows. Our truck wouldn't start and they needed to be fed. Horse neighbors were good enough to help us out and came over with their truck. As I went to get the field gate, I spotted something at the far end of the field, black and white, laying against the fence. "Betty." I shook my head.

The goat had managed to tangle herself up in two layers of fencing. And as husband and the horse neighbors brought the hay out to the field, I was wrestling with a goat. She was not very cooperative about it. And of course, the downpour came, and I fought with a goat, getting angry that she could get her head in there but not out. She gets stuck daily! I was very soaked when I marched back into the house.

"The drama" was my husband's reply to my nasty look.

5 comments:

SkippyMom said...

I am with you when the tornados/hurricanes hit here and the kids are supposed to be on the bus coming home.

Fortunately [I think] the schools keep the kids contained in the schools until the danger passes - the schools are all made the same cement block and brick and our storms aren't yours [we know how lucky we are for that] but the high winds preclude the busses from being on the road.

I am glad you all are okay - sorry about the goat but thanks for the mental pic' of you wrestling her in the downpour. Wish I could've been there just to hear you rant at the goat heehee.

Seriously tho' - take care with this weather and try and be safe. [Do y'all have a basement at the house or a shelter of some sort?]

Phelan said...

The schools here are built with tornadoes in mind. They would keep the kids at school, however it is almost an hour bus ride. so if something pops up, they just hurry to the kids homes, and they have shelter points along the route.

We have a cellar.

HermitJim said...

Wow...I'm glad everyone managed to dodge the main parts of the storms!

Nothing like some unexpected weather to liven up the afternoon!

Bob from Athens said...

Around here when Momma says hail is about to fall, everyone runs away from the house, because Momma is the one "throwing" it.

Stephanie Appleton said...

I haven't had to do it with any of our goats, but have seen people use some sort of contraption that keeps the goats from being able to get their head through the fence. It is like a collar with rods coming out either side. Kind of reminds me of those arrows that go through your head.

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