Wichita Falls Rock & Roll With Icy Striking Lightning Booms

What you are looking at here is the stormy Friday May morning view north via one of my living room windows.

Yesterday, by the time the sun exited, Mother Nature started up with one of her light shows, along loud sound effects and water and ice displays.

She calmed down a bit after a few hours, and remained calm until the sun decided to return this morning.

And now lightning bolts are striking in any direction I look. One just flashed and momentarily blinded me, followed by an earthquake-like shaking roll of thunder.

The wind is whistling, pounding rain against the windows, along with what sounds like occasional small pellets of hail.

So far I have heard no tornado sirens.

I suspect I will not be venturing outside today, unless, maybe, via a quick dash to a vehicular interior under cover of an umbrella....

Up Early After A Big Storm Banged Overhead In The Middle Of The Night

You can sort of tell, via the early dawn view from my patio overlook, that the morning of the first Thursday of June has some storm potential.

In the middle of last night, around 3 AM, I began hearing drops of water hit my window, soon followed by wind and an increase in the water droppage.

Big bangs began a short time later, with the big banging lasting for a long time, maybe an hour, or longer.

This was the most lightning striking and thunder booming I've seen and heard in recent memory.

The forecast for today is for some more storming.

Last night I watched a NOVA episode about the Moore, Oklahoma tornado. I'd not seen so much footage, previously, of the damage from that tornado. It was rather sobering.

I don't think it will make me quite so cranky any more when the local TV weathermen go all drama queen over incoming storm action.

I do not know, at present, if the weather will permit any endorphin inducing aerobic stimulation in the noon time frame.

I do know that the weather can not stop me from getting some endorphin inducing aerobic stimulation in a couple minutes, in that glowing turquoise body of water you see in the picture above.

The Last Wednesday Of May In Texas Brings Severe Thunderstorm Warnings

My computer based weather monitoring device started blinking RED about the same time the outer world at my location suddenly became very windy, followed by a short downpour and a few thunder booms.

The storm burst did not last too long. I think the short storm burst may have been a prequel with a longer storm burst arriving soon.

Just heard a new boom.

Below is the Severe Thunderstorm Warning from the National Weather Service...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FORT WORTH HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...

WESTERN DENTON COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS... NORTHEASTERN PARKER COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS... NORTHWESTERN TARRANT COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS... EASTERN WISE COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS...

* UNTIL 715 PM CDT

* AT 610 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE HAIL...AND DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH. THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM PELICAN BAY TO WILLOW PARK... MOVING NORTH AT 35 MPH.

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR... COTTONDALE...WHITE SETTLEMENT AND WESTWORTH AROUND 615 PM... AURORA...BOYD...SANSOM PARK AND RIVER OAKS AROUND 620 PM... AZLE AROUND 625 PM... SAGINAW AND PELICAN BAY AROUND 630 PM...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO A STURDY SHELTER UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.

IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER IN A STRONG BUILDING AND STAY INSIDE...AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.

Wondering About Missing Popabrella During A Texas Thunderstorm

As you can see, via the view of the cool pool from my patio, this next to last Saturday of March started off dark, well after the sun arrived to try and light up the outer world.

Those white spots in the photo are big raindrops, illuminated by the camera's flash.

Before the dark break of dawn, excess electricity was in the air, causing bright flashes of light, followed by loud booms of thunder.

I like swimming in the rain, but this morning, due to that excessive electricity zapping out of the sky, I decided to opt out of getting in the cool pool, thus exercising extreme electrical caution.

Now, coming up on mid-morning, the sky has lightened, with no more lightning or thunder booming at my location.

I suspect I will go to Oakland Lake Park, today, to walk around Fosdick Lake before joining the throngs of treasure hunters at Town Talk.

Changing the subject from one thing to another.

This morning to take a photo in the rain I stuck my camera to my Popabrella. A Popabrella is this umbrella like thing that keeps one's camera dry, or blocks the sun.

The inventor of the Popabrella won many awards, over the years, for his Popabrella invention. Years ago I made a website for the inventor. That website was hosted on a server of the owner's choice, not my server, so, unless asked to make a change, I had no reason to check out the Popabrella website.

Until this morning.

The Popabrella website is no more. The domain has been taken over by some Japanese entity. After last week's shocking news about the Unstoppable Woman, I can't help wonder what's happened with Popabrella.

To find a Popabrella image I went to my Popabrella files to find, to my horror, that the Popabrella images folder has been deleted. How did that happen?

I then remembered where I've got another, undeleted, Popabrella photo.

In the slideshow, on this very blog, located on the column on the right, there is a photo of me, standing in the pool, holding my camera with Popabrella attached.

I must try and find out what's become of Popabrella. How I am going to do that I currently do not know....

Strong Thunderstorms With Big Hail Heading To North Texas Saturday Evening

My computer based weather monitoring device has been flashing red for a couple hours. I was sort of ignoring the flashing because I was fairly certain I knew what the flashing was about. That being the predicted incoming Thunderstorm.

Reading through what is predicted to be booming soon I've gleaned the following...

Hail the size of quarters, ping pong balls or even tennis balls are possible, which can easily break windows, smash windshields and injure livestock.

I need to get the cows in the barn soon.

Low clouds and drizzle across Texas and Oklahoma prevented thunderstorms from developing earlier in the day. So, it will take until some heating stirs up the atmosphere to cause some thunderstorming.

Currently we are at 70 degrees at my location. Apparently not hot enough, yet to stir up the atmosphere.

Storms will expand into the evening farther south and east, affecting residents from Tulsa, Oklahoma., through Dallas, Fort Worth, Waco, Austin and San Antonio, Texas.

Thunderstorms will be capable of producing dangerous hail along with wind gusts to 60 mph, which can easily knock down small trees and power lines.

Great, of late, every time it gets a bit windy the power goes out at my location. I must get my back up lighting ready.

An isolated tornado is also possible, especially across southeastern Oklahoma and northeastern Texas, where twisters are most prevalent.

Thunderstorms will be severe through the late-evening hours before morphing into heavy rain overnight.

The Late Arrival Of Tuesday's Predicted Major Storming At My Location In North Texas

Stormy Village Creek Blue Bayou

The weather predictors were predicting that around 1 this afternoon some major storming would descend upon my zone of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.

In addition to very strong winds, the major storming was predicted to possibly include large hail, lightning and tornado action.

I was a bit dubious about getting in any salubrious outdoor endorphin stimulating aerobic activity, but decided a short, fast walk with the Indian Ghosts who haunt the Village Creek Natural Historical Area was doable.

I experienced a little drippage whilst walking. And then it was on to Walmart where suddenly a downpour was pouring down about the time I turned the ignition key to off. This downpour did not last long. It was well over with, a few minutes later, when I exited Walmart.

I am now well past a couple hours from the time when major storming was scheduled to arrive. Of the predicted weather calamity, only wind has so far made an appearance. And a little rain. No thunderstorming.

However, as I sit here typing the outer world has grown dark, water drops are now being blown against my computer room window.

This is suddenly way too strange.

Seconds ago I typed there had been no thunderstorming.

And now I've seen a very bright flash and heard a very loud boom.

I suspect the major storming may have arrived.

I must go batten down the hatches now...

Thunder Claps Over F-Town With The Power Restored For Now

Around 5 this afternoon I left my domicile and was surprised to see a wall of clouds to the north, with lightning striking.

I did not know this was in the forecast.

A short time later I was back in my abode, with suddenly a strong wind blowing. A short time later the power went out.

When the power came back on I emailed my sister in Tacoma, who earlier had told me lightning was striking T-Town, to tell her that lightning was now striking F-Town.

I am suddenly struck, not by lightning, but by how appropriate it is to refer to Fort Worth as F-Town.

And now, barely after 6 in the afternoon, the SEVERE THUNDERSTORM, warned about in the above warning, has arrived.

Thunder is clapping to the left of me, to the right of me, and above me.

Rain is falling in copious amounts. But not quite, so far, in Biblical proportions. I need not angst about getting my ark ready for an immediate sailing.

Yet.

The Final Wednesday Of The 1st Month Of 2012 Is Stormy In Texas After Last Night's State Of The Union Address

Looking at the dark outer world through my primary viewing portal, past the bars of my patio prison cell, you can tell the sun has not yet arrived on this last Wednesday of the 1st month of 2012, Day 25 of January.

What you can not tell is it raining.

Rain began falling around 3 o'clock Tuesday afternoon. Rain has continued to precipitate ever since. At times in copious amounts.

Thunder has been booming since soon after the arrival of the rain. The booming has continued, off and on, since the rain began.

At my location I have had 3 bone jarring, building shaking, very close lightning strikes.

I do not know if this means the Great Texas Drought is over. I doubt that it is.

Changing the subject from my favorite subject to something else.

I found myself self surprised to not be displeased by last night's State of the Union Address. This was one of the few times I have watched Obama give a speech, since he became president, when I did not, at some point, think to myself, this is not very presidential.

Last night's speech was quite a contrast from the last time Obama gave a speech to a joint session of Congress, that being his embarrassing "pass this jobs bill now" speech, that seemed to indicate he had no clue how the legislative process works.

Last night's speech was so good, as was Obama's acting presidential, that I had a glimmer of thinking he could actually be re-elected. Previous to last night I really thought he had no chance.

I still don't know how well Obama will hold up to  Newt Gingrich's proposed 3 hour Lincoln-Douglass style debates, should Newt get the Republican nomination.

I just heard thunder boom, again, in the midst of yet one more downpour.

I am not going swimming this morning.

The Second Day Of Summer Dawns Muddy, Humid & Only 70 Degrees In My Zone Of Texas

It is the morning of the second day of summer.

You are not looking at this morning's view through the bars of my patio prison cell.

What you are looking at is a view through the bars of my patio prison cell from last Thursday that is similar to this morning's view.

Google's Blogger has a problem this morning that is making it impossible to insert a picture in to a blogging.

I highly doubt the Google Bloggers's problem is related to last night's electrical activity.

Sometime after the sun left on the first day of summer a lightning storm blew in which was a bit unusual. Usually thunderstorms advance from one particular direction. Last night's storm was all around me. Lightning lighting up the sky in every direction.

The light show lasted for quite a while with no rain. And then the rain came.

I heard this morning from someone calling him or herself Anonymous that by yesterday afternoon the Tandy Hills had dried out enough for hiking, but Anonymous speculated that the rains of last night may have rendered the hills once more in drying out mode.

I'd not planned on going to the Tandy Hills today, anyway. I am going to Arlington and Pantego.

But, before I do that, I am going swimming.

Up Early After A Texas Thunderstorm & Pete Delkus Ruin My Tuesday Night TV Viewing

The sun has now lit up the dark view you are looking at from my patio perch view on the world.

Tuesday night was an annoying one in Durango World.

A little before 7, last night, I popped myself some popcorn, in preparation for eventually watching American Idol, watching something else that had been recorded, til the DVR had recorded enough of American Idol so I could fast forward through the many boring parts.

At a little before 7 the predicted damaging thunderstorm had not arrived in my zone. But, at a little before 7 the power went out.

No TV.

So, I sat outside, eating popcorn, enjoying the breeze and listening to very distant thunder. About a half hour later the storm arrived. Bursts of hail were very noisy. I got a call from Miss Puerto Rico telling me she was in her office safe zone with her cat, because she'd heard tornado sirens. I'd not heard them.

Sometime near the end of American Idol the power came back on. I've no idea what time that was.

I tried to watch the Dancing with the Stars results show. But, it was not possible to watch because it is on ABC. Which locally means, when there is a weather event, this weather obsessed annoyance named Pete Delkus ruins whatever TV show you are trying to watch. Even if it is one of the top-rated  shows on TV.

Yes, I know, the weather in these parts can be deadly.

But.

What use was Pete Delkus to me, weather information-wise, when the power went out?

I have said it more than once, if you are at home watching TV you are likely aware of storm potential. If a storm gets bad you have many options for information. You don't need Pete Delkus being a Drama Queen because the Doppler Radar spotted a rotating cell somewhere.

I gave up thinking I was going to be able to watch Dancing with the Stars, no longer able to take the overly earnest Pete Delkus I turned off the TV, voluntarily cutting myself off from any TV generated dire weather warnings.

When I read the news, online, this morning, I was expecting to read about some bad local weather damage. It was not all that bad. A lot of people lost power. Some windshields were knocked out by hail. There was a report or two of tornado sightings. The Rangers had to stop playing baseball.

That's about it.

The headline in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, this morning, indicated last night's was a very major weather event, with the headline saying, "Biggest storm system in years hits Dallas-Fort Worth."

Biggest storm in years. That sounds pretty big.

Then in the second or third paragraph, in the biggest storm in years story, I read the following...

"This is one of the biggest storm systems to hit the area since 2007," said Mark Fox, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Fort Worth.

So, the headline should have been "Biggest storm system since 2007 hits Dallas-Fort Worth."

That sounds way less dire.

ABC really needs to have a talk with its D/FW affiliate about how weather events are covered. And maybe consider getting Pete Delkus into some sort of therapy.

Monday Morning Thunderstorm With Hail & A Lot Of Rain Keeps Me Housebound In Texas

Around half past 10 this morning we started storming here in my zone of Texas. Thunder in the distance quickly got closer.

Then the rain started.

Now we are being pounded by hail. The hail is hitting the windows hard. Like rocks.

In the picture you are not looking at hail. Those are big raindrops, coming down in downpour mode, taken from my patio, with my camera under my handy Popabrella rain/sun protection device.

I made the Popabrella website several years ago. You can order your very own Popabrella from the website.

It is very dark now, the rain is still pouring. Not being hit by hail, currently. The rumbling thunder seems to be growing more distant. The eerie darkness is making me nervous.

What happened in Joplin, Missouri yesterday, reinforces, yet again, how deadly and destructive a tornado can be.

Some think the metal of trailer parks attracts tornadoes. If metal attracts tornadoes, that big metal structure about 7 miles east of my location, the Dallas Cowboys Stadium, is like a trailer park on steroids.

I suspect there will be no Tandy Hills hiking for me today. I did get in my morning swim. It was pleasant.

East Fort Worth Was Bombed By Fireballs Last Night

I am feeling a little hazy this morning of the second Wednesday of May.

Somehow when I took a picture of this morning's view on the world my camera managed to match my current gauzy view on the world.

Last night, after the sun left, a T-storm arrived in my zone, with lightning striking very close and thunder rumbling very loud.

While the thunder rolled Fort Worth police were flooded with calls from my East Fort Worth zone reporting fireballs in the sky, bombing the ground.

I did not see any fireballs. My view is rather restricted. I wish I was over at Miss Puerto Rico's during last night's storm. I suspect I would have seen the fireballs.

Changing the subject from fireballs. Betty Jo Bouvier read something in one of my bloggings that caused her to call me. I saw the incoming call from Betty Jo, not knowing it was Betty Jo, because the area code I was seeing was 181, which is the country code for India. I was mortified that it might be an Indian customer service calling center calling me. So I did not answer.

When I listened to the voice mail and found it was from Betty Jo I could not figure out why she was in India. I returned Betty Jo's call to learn she was not in India. Why I saw the 181 country code remains a mystery.

What is not a mystery is the fact that right now I am going for my morning swim before it gets any hotter.

The Last Monday Of April All Wet From Thunderstorms

Looking through the bars of my patio prison cell, on this last Monday of April, you can not quite tell that all is wet in the outdoor world due to a t-storm in the middle of the night.

T-storms continue on the schedule for today.

The thunder did not boom close last night. I heard it in the distance.

I do not believe there will be any Tandy Hills hiking today.

The misconception that I am that Layla Caraway gal's dad continues to spin out of control. This morning someone calling him or herself Anonymous made the following comment....

Definitely strong physical resemblances between you and the Caraway gal.

Early happy Father's Day, Durango.

I really don't see the resemblance at all. It's very perplexing.

A Wednesday Texas Morning Recovering From Getting Hit By Hail

The early morning view looking through the bars of my patio prison cell might make you think this is a blue sky morning in Texas.

It is not. Stormy weather is heading our way.

Yesterday, a short time before 6pm, I was walking over to Miss Puerto Rico's when I heard popping noises. I could not tell what was popping. Thunder was rumbling in the distance.

I was a couple minutes into enjoying the view from Miss Puerto Rico's balcony when suddenly what was causing the popping noise became obvious.

Hail.

Big balls of hail. Along with a downpour of rain. Soon what I assumed to be tornado sirens began screaming.

The storm did not last long. I did not learn until this morning that while I was getting pounded by hail, over in Arlington, on I-20, more than 50 vehicles collided in a chain reaction that closed the westbound lanes of the freeway for around 3 hours.

I don't know if rain fell in the Possum Kingdom zone to help put out the wildfires that continue to consume expensive homes. Firefighters from California, Arizona and Wyoming are helping put out the Possum Kingdom blazes.

Fort Worth is the nearest big city to Possum Kingdom. Fort Worth was not sending any fire fighting help to Possum Kingdom.

Until Tuesday, when the Fort Worth city council gave approval to send firefighters to Possum Kingdom.

Below is a really short video I took while the hail was hailing down yesterday. The video is really short because I started getting really wet and needed to get under cover....

A Blue Monday In Texas Drying Out From An Early Morning Thunderstorm

Looking through the bars of my patio prison cell on this second Monday, 11th day of April you can see the clouds have been removed from the sky and it is yet one more blue morning in Texas.

Sunday's predicted Thunderstorm eventually arrived. In the wee hours of Monday. I heard a thunderclap or two. Rain has dampened the ground.

I don't know if the Tandy Hills will be hikeable today.

I read a touching poetic letter to the editor in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram this morning...

Our Texas?

Texas, our Texas, Where: Ignorance is respected, education neglected and the uninformed elected, leaving children unprotected.

-- Betty W. Fay, Fort Worth

I heard from the Queen of Wink last night. Currently Wink has been spared from the wildfires scorching West Texas.

I think I'll go swimming now and listen to the tweeting of the birds.

Early Sunday Morning After A Bad Night Of Insomnia Wondering How Close The Giant West Texas Wildfire Is To The Queen Of Wink's Realm

Stepping outside on this second Sunday of April and looking up at the sky it does not appear that the expected cloud cover has yet arrived.

We are already one third of the way through April. Time seems to be accelerating along with the price of gas.

I had myself another really bad insomnia bout last night. I think this was mostly due to being unable to find a happy medium between too hot and too cold.

So far I have not smelled the acrid odor of a wildfire. The wildfire currently burning out in West Texas is enormous. I do not know if it is burning in the Queen of Wink's realm in West Texas.

Checking the hourly forecast, for my zone, I see the predicted Thunderstorm is scheduled to arrive around 3 this afternoon.

If it rains hard today, the noon time frame may be my last chance to do some Tandy Hills hiking til dryness returns.

I see a morning swim, a mid-day hike, fish and chips and a Thunderstorm in my future for the 10th day of April. I don't think I will be going for an afternoon swim in the Thunderstorm.

Will Lightning Soon Be Striking My Fort This Second Monday Of October?

As you can see, October 11 has dawned cloudy in Major General Worth's Fort on this second Monday of the 3rd to last month of 2010.

The clouds will likely be increasing in number and depth as we approach noon in North Texas, with a 75% chance of Severe Thunderstorms unleashing some big booms and drops of water.

So, rain and lightning may wreak havoc with my current plan for some noontime Tandy Hills hiking.

We'll see.

It was in the mid 60s this morning when I went swimming. Much balmier than the 50s in the mornings of late.

Elsie Hotpepper was missing for 48 hours over the weekend, finally checking in last night. I do not know if she was out saloon hopping, or what. I was very worried. I have heard from all my other missing people, so right now I have not much of anything to worry about.

Except for that incoming Thunderstorm I previously mentioned.

A Thunderous Night In Texas With A Gloomy Morning Of Computer Doom

It is a wet second day of September in Texas. The damp gloom is matching my mood. Thunder rumbling for hours, every time I woke up Thunder was rumbling. I assume it must have rumbled all night.

I was up well before dawn, but did not get around to taking a picture of my morning view, due to the fact that, at the time, I would have been unable to get the picture off my camera.

Two days ago I started having computer woes. I thought all was well. I only had one easily fixed computer problem yesterday.

And then this morning, something took over my computer as soon as I woke it up. Re-starting did not fix the problem. All would be fine on start-up, and then the PF Usage would start to rise, to the point where the computer would slow to a crawl, if moving at all.

I had nothing running. Except the Microsoft Security Essentials anti-virus program I installed 2 days ago. There was no option to turn of MSE to see if it was the problem.

After an hour or two of trying various solutions I decided to un-install the Microsoft virus checker. It took about 15 minutes for the slogged down computer to populate the program list. I clicked to remove. After about 5 minutes the very program I was trying to remove told me it was doing me the favor of stopping the operation because it could harm my computer.

I decided to look in the program files to see if I could find the MSE problem. I found it, saw the name of the executable, went back to Task Manager and stopped that process.

Instantly my computer was back working correctly.

Now I have to figure out how to remove this Microsoft virus off my computer totally.

I always end up bailing on anti-virus programs for the same reason. They seem to be a worse problem than anything they are stopping from happening.

I thought Microsoft's Window Defender was supposed to stop bad stuff like Malware. It updates its definitions daily. But, during this recent debacle I learned that Windows Defender had not run its check of the system for 2 weeks.

Anyway, it's been a very frustrating morning, so far.

Looking At The Stormy Afternoon Of The First Day Of September In Texas

We are looking at the somewhat stormy view from Miss Puerto Rico's balcony around 5 in the afternoon of the first day of September.

It is being a bit breezy. At Miss PR's the wind was howling like a sound effect in a movie blizzard.

I was over at Miss PR's because she told me her computer was acting up. I thought it might be suffering the same malady as what has been maladizing mine the past day or two.

Speaking of which, my computer is behaving so much better. I had acquired, despite always practicing safe computing, several nasty infections of varying degrees of direness.

Speaking of direness, I just heard a loud thunder boom. I think we may be in for some storming in my zone of East Fort Worth. I'm prepared, the hatches are battened. The wind has let up, while wet droplets are now falling.

Texas Thunderstorms are one of my favorite things about Texas, as compared to relatively Thunderstorm-free Washington. That and extreme downpours. My zone of Texas gets about the same amount of rain, per year, as Seattle. With the delivery method being totally different. Seattle delivers its annual inches over long long periods, day after day, month after month. While my zone of Texas delivers its annual inches in a few short storms delivering, often, several inches per dose.

I remember one fall in Washington, 5 inches fell in a couple hours. That very very rarely happens up there. The result was the worst flooding I've ever seen. And the sinking of one of Washington's floating bridges, among other dire calamities, like failing dikes and massive mudslides.

In Texas you don't have the flooding problem Western Washington has, because no Pineapple Express can deliver warm rain to the mountain snowpack, causing a rapid melt, because there are no mountains with snow to melt in Texas.

In Texas a lot of the severe flooding is not really Mother Nature's fault. It's Mother Nature's children's fault, pouring too much concrete without proper drainage, resulting in deadly flash floods that need not ever have happened.

Speaking of which, I imagine the Flood Queen of Haltom City will be keeping a watchful eye on her killer creek if this wetness onslaught accelerates.

I don't have a creek to worry about. But I do need to go get my swimming suit from its drying location before the wind blows rain on it. I need it dry for my morning swim.

A Surprise Friday Late Afternoon Thunderstorm Blows Into East Fort Worth & Gets Me Wet

You can not tell it from the picture of my patio view. But the 6 o'clock in the early Friday evening view is stormy. The forecast was for a 20% chance of rain today. I figured we'd likely stay dry.

But, about 20 minutes ago I thought I was hearing thunder booming in the distance. But the sky did not look menacing.

And then the booming got louder, the wind got windier and suddenly drops of wetness were hitting my window.

So, I grabbed my camera and headed out to the patio. And quickly snapped a picture whilst trying to keep the camera dry. Then I stuck the camera safely undercover and returned to the patio to stand in the rains.

It was a nice, cool, unexpected shower. At 102 degrees.

The loud booms continue. I hope I don't have a repeat of yesterday evening's short power outage.

UPDATE: I barely hit the publish button and all hell broke loose. Really strong wind, tree branches snapping, lightning striking close. hail, heavy rain.

I went to take a picture, which is the one you're looking at.

And then the power went out, just like I mentioned I feared that it would. But it was only out for a couple minutes.

I love a good storm. But I was not prepared for this one. I had all my artificial plants out on the patio for a natural dusting. Two of them flew away. I may be able to rescue them when we dry out. If we dry out.