My Goodness It's Blowing Well

[Barmaid]

How are you all doing in these winds?

Part of next door's new roof is now on our drive. 

Heard a massive bang earlier and it transpires we have lost one third of an old ash tree - and it has taken out a sweet chestnut and the only elm in the village.  The trunk had obviously split when it was a sapling about 100 years ago.  The other 2/3rds do not look very stable and I shall not be surprised if the rest comes down tonight.  If they go, they will effectively cut the village off since they will fall across two roads (the tree is in a corner of the garden next to a T junction).  I called an emergency tree person and they said if the bit that is down is not blocking the road it is just too dangerous to try and deal with the rest in these winds and the dark.  Our massive conifer is also making the soil around it lift and if that goes, it will devastate a huge chunk of the garden and the village pond.  

I suspect I shall not sleep well tonight!

[wolf63]

... and it is all your fault for turning the wind.😀

I hope you little girls sleep soundly!

[Barmaid]

The girls are fine and snuggled up.  I got them in when the wind started ramping up.  Glad I did too.  They loved that tree.  So did I.  I imagine the whole thing will have to come down now.

[Countrylover]

Oh dear.  We have some very high trees and a telegraph pole that looks dodgy.  Good luck tonight.  

[Arksided]

Absolutely being howling all day oop here in West Yokshire and rain hammering on the windows. I haven't checked on damages but one of the six ft, wooden gates for the driveway seems to have had enough and disapeared. but hard to say that it hasn't just blown wide open I can't see anything it's that dark, I'll check in the morning, i'm not going out there tonight.

[Barmaid]

I had to go out to make sure the fallen tree was not blocking the road.  I put his waterproof fishing jacket on and stomped out with very bad grace.  Still got soaked.  And it is very very scary walking about in the dark with lots of trees around.

[Arksided]

I can imagine it would be.

[Arksided]

Danger averted it must have just blown wide open, having a look out of the window again thought it must've just blown shut, so had to go check... but all locked down, so will have being my neieghbour who did that, he sometimes uses the driveway for his car or guests visiting.

[Barmaid]

It's not looking promising for a) the rest of the ash tree and b) the big conifer which is now at a rather strange angle.  I haven't been to the end of the garden and I dread to think what is going on down there.

[jno]

I keep hoping something will blow down the neighbour's poplars, which spend spring dumping fluff on me and block out my sun, but they still seem to be standing

[Barmaid]

Unfortunately, poplars tend not to blow down.  They flex and bend with the wind.

It is 6 years ago this week since a couple 60ft conifers blew down at my old house.  I was blissfully unaware until I woke up and looked out the window and thought "something looks different".  Did not hear a thing.  The ash tree is much  further from the house that the conifers were at my old house, but we definitely heard it go!

[vulcan42]

In all my years I've never heard wind like it, it's like standing beside an express train. When I built my bird table I filled the base with concrete, I can hardly lift it. Tonight i watched the wind throw it across the garden as if it was a twig.

[jno]

he did lose a poplar a dozen storms ago, Barmaid, but it was round the side of his house, not in my way. The top of it smashed a window on his third floor.

I'm so tempted to go out there with a nail file and help some of them on their way. I wish the storms would hit when the trees had leaves on them.

[Barmaid]

I brought all moveable things in yesterday.  But I agree Vulcan, the wind is astonishing.  I walked into the utility room earlier and though the washing machine was on - it was just the wind.  It is howling down the chimney and is SO noisy.  I'm done walking round with the torch, I'll survey the damage in the morning.  As it is that wretched ash tree is going to take some clearing up together with all the stuff it took out.  It has also wrecked a massive chunk of fence and our new salvia border.

[Barmaid]

However much I despised his trees, I wouldn't go out tonight. I just did a quick circuit round the house and the debris flying about plus the rain just randomly smacking me in the face was not pleasant.

[NoseyNose]

Blowing very strongly down here(Kent/East Sussex Border),and now very heavy rain too!

[Smowball]

Tree on the corner of our road here in Greater London has split & half has fallen across the road. Somebody must have called the necessary people already as they are out there trying to move it right now. Tipping it down with rain too so pretty yuck outside.