Wind Storm.

5-11-10 SHORT HILLS: The weather has been quite unsettled for several days. Saturday the wind started while we were in Brooklyn Heights and nearly blew us off the promenade. That night we saw “A Prairie Home Companion” at Town Hall with Dan, Alison and Lily. Sunday morning we found branches all over the yard. There were three large branches off the elm tree. One of the pear saplings was snapped off at about one foot. A giant branch, one fifth of the tree, was blown off the big ash tree on the corner of the property. The branch was tree sized, sixty feet long and fifteen inches in diameter at the base, and took out many bamboo and shrubs as well as a section of fence.

We did Mothers’ Day in Brooklyn with Val, Steve, Maggie and Lucy and Alison, Dan and Lily.

Monday, I cut the ash branch up with the cordless saber saw and a long blade, except for the first fifteen feet which was just too big and will remain where it lies. Yesterday and today I rebuilt the section of fence with a new post and rails, shored up a pair of shaky posts and put up new wire to replace the crushed section. I also took a car load of branches to the dump.

The wind kept blowing until today. It was gusty, but not destructive after the first day. When there is a low pressure system to our east and a high to the west, the air circulation, counter-clockwise around the low and clockwise around the high, is additive to create this kind of clear-air wind storm from the northwest. We have had some disastrous weather this past year. Climate change, anyone?

New blooms: hawthorn, first rhododendron, Asian lilac.


Gus and Nick, the therapy duo.

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