Saturday, June 26, 2010

SUMMERTIME AND THE LIVING IS STORMY

I have tried three times to post pictures of our storm last night, but Blogger doesn't want them!  Same camera, same computer, same me, but they won't load.  So I will just tell you about it.

We spent quite some time in the shelter late yesterday afternoon.  Us and everyone else from the campground.  I shared a small room with thick stone walls (thanks CCC!) with a mom and eight little kids.  I don't know if they were all her kids, but there were eight.  Ernie was in the big room with several other people, and two vans and a pickup truck were parked right alongside the shelter, the occupants ready to jump out and hide with us in the shelter.  The rest of the people were in the two restrooms.  By looking at the mud which I cleaned up later, most of them were in the showers and stalls of the sturdy stone building.

The hail pounded the roof and bounced off to the ground, covering the green grass with white jawbreaker sized ice balls.  Some of the hail was approaching golf ball size.  I have never seen such large hail!  The rain came down in sheets, quickly creating lakes in every little depression or low spot in the park.  It didn't last too long, thank goodness, and we had no damage.  There were a few small branches and lots of sticks and twigs and leaves scattered all over, and many new lakes,  but there was nothing serious.  Thank God. 

One young couple had been out in the canoe, and they paddled for shore when they saw the storm approaching.  Just as they hit the shore, the hail started.  They pulled the canoe up on shore, and a good Samaritan who was nearby gave them a ride up to the shelter.  They looked like drowned ducks, but they were safe.

Soon the storm was over, moving on southeast towards The Cities where they received torrential rains, and a lot of wind.  Southern Minnesota was under a tornado watch for hours, and there was quite a bit of damage, just one week and one day after tornadoes had devastated the same area.  My sister said her little town looked like a war zone and there was damage in the town where we live.  We here in our little park were so lucky.  Again.

And guess what?  It's raining!  There are severe T-storm warnings for the whole southern half of the state.  Again.  However, there is relief in sight.  The weather folks are saying that the next week should be dry, sunny, and beautiful!  Thank God!  All we have to do is get through tonight!

3 comments:

Lena . . . said...

And let's hope those weather folks are right this time. I'm really getting tired of this rain, storm, blow scenario.

Joni said...

Well thank goodness everyone had the safety of the shelter!

Lisa said...

My goodness....what is it with you and Ernie? Do you just bad weather with you in your back pockets? It has rained so much while you were there and that really is NOT normal is it? At this time of year? Well I am glad you are safe, and glad you were able to keep the others safe. I still wish I was there with you. Can't wait for you to get home and hope to catch up with you via the phone! Wish you would drive on down here for the 4th of July, you would have a "blast" with me!