WE AREN'T IN KANSAS ANYMORE DOROTHY!

It has been a few days since I have posted.  The weather here in Southern Ontario has be sweltering.  Friday we were suppose to have rain which would cool us down.  There was a Tornado warning for Mississauga where my son and his family live.  Well, he was lucky enough that it passed his area but...

 ...here in Jerseyville we were not so lucky.  Around 5:30 the skies got dark,  the dogs were out and it started to rain just a bit.  I went to the gazebo to put the cushions away and the winds started.  Slightly at first and then they picked up.  I heard trees cracking all over the farm.  I ran and brought Atticus and Daisy inside but could not find Rufus.  The rains were coming in torrids and the wind was blowing harder than I have ever seen it.  Lightening came right after thunder.  I finally found my boy and we went for the safety of the house.  My husband was at work and I called him.  There was a huge crack of lightening and the phone went dead.  About 20 minutes after it started it stopped and the sun was blazing again.  I went to check the damage....

 ...this huge tree hung over my studio.  We had just talked about cutting it down.  When I first walked outside I knew something was different but it took a minute to realize the tree was not over the studio.  At first I thought it had blown to the other side so I went inside thinking the roof was caved in.  The studio had an inch of water all over the floor from the french doors being open and anything that could blow around had.  When I went back outside that is when I saw that the tree had been ripped out by it's roots and was resting on another tree.  Poor Atticus did not know what to think.  The tree in the first pictures was an old 4 trunk beauty by our screened room.  It was struck by lightening and one 30 foot trunk fell across the farm onto the fence resting on the neighbours porch.  Thank goodness just the top fell on their house with a little damage to the eaves trough.

A tree on the other side of the studio fell right beside it resting between the studio and the fence, another tree we had just talked about cutting down.  The tornado ripped through the part of the farm near the studio and luckily away from the house.  We have lots of debris in the front and back.  Amazingly none of the gardens were damaged or the outdoor furniture.  The house was saved as were the out buildings.  We have a lot of huge trees down and a lot to clear up.  Thank the goddesses our animals and ourselves and neighbours were safe.  Just around the corner they did not do as well.  One person lost their home when a massive tree fell on half of it and that road, which is covered by forest on either side, is still closed.  We were without power for 15 hours which was an inconvenience but a light price to pay.  This weather is very unusual for us, we have always been fortunate to live in a pretty good area.  I cannot imagine the devastation for our neighbours to the south who get this weather all the time. 

That is an update and I must go to restake the tomatoes and help my husband, who rushed home that night to make sure we were safe, clean some more.  I hope you are all well and your weather is better than mine.