Storm Blew Down Tree and Ripped Away My Skylight

 Oh friends, earlier this month we had wild winds and heavy rain in my area of California. 

 The neighbor's large old tree in her backyard fell on her redwood fence, across the alley and then on my redwood fence, landing on a canvas awning and hanging over my patio. The tree landed one foot from my house and no damage was done. It brushed my brand new gutter but did not hurt it. The second photo is taken while I am on my patio. Even the yellow solar lantern survived.

One of my skylights was ripped off the roof during the rain storm. It is the type of skylight that opens and closes and it was 40 years old and the metal hinge rusted through. So I spent a lot of time mopping the floor. The roofing company came over quickly and put in a new glass skylight.

Above shows where the skylight was, that is the clouds you see.  Not too dramatic in the photo but rain poured in and I mopped and mopped.

I said lots of prayers of thanks to God that no damage was done to my house when the neighbor's tree fell and landed on my fence and patio. In the same storm a young man was killed in his house when a tree crushed his house. That is shocking and sad. So I am counting my blessings.

The two photos below show my neighbor's tree on the right hanging over her fence, blocking the alley and leaning on my fence on the left side of the photo. The tree had a huge six foot root ball and was a big job to remove. The neighbor called her tree guy and had the tree removed. Earlier this year her other large tree fell so she knew a tree company.

In the photo below my house is on the left and you can see that her tree is a foot from my house and new gutters.

On a happier note the photo below shows that my patio, fence, canvas awning and pink camellia survived beautifully. The tree landed right on that section of fence and on the awning.

At my house: Hign winds, tree down, power line down

 

The above photo was taken from my front door way, you can see my arbor and the PG&E crew working during the storm. The crew is brave and the winds were as high as 80 MPH.

The photo above shows the power line that our neighbor's huge tree knocked off of the power pole when half of the tree crashed to the ground. On the left you can see the power line is still attached to my house but lying on the ground. This happened Tuesday March 21 at 1 p.m. I felt and heard the crash, it sounded like a bomb. The rest of their tree was in danger of falling onto the electric pole where the transformer was and PG&E acted quickly, and on Wednesday before 8 a.m. were at work cutting the top of the tree away from the pole. PG&E workmen installed a new transformer and I had power back by 5 p.m. and later that day a tree crew cut the tree to the ground. I rated PG&E as 10 out of 10, in the midst of this widespread storm with damage and floods throughout our county they accomplished all this for me and my neighbors.  

It is very stressful to be without power even for the 32 hours I experienced it. Today I am throwing out food from the freezer and refrigerator and of course saving what can be saved of the food. My friend in the nearby redwood forests is out of power for five days now. It is worse for her because her house is all electric. I have a gas water heater, gas heat and a gas stove top. They all work fine without electricity. So I don't complain too much!

This photo shows my neighbor's house and their tall old tree, my house is on the right. If you look closely you can see a giant part of the tree on the ground on the other neighbor's driveway. Sad to say but this dangerous situation of a falling tree knocking live power lines from the pole could have been avoided. I talked to the owner of that house a week ago and she said she asked permission from the city to remove the tree and they said no. Apparently it is a protected heritage tree. I should say was as it is gone now. The neighbor on the other side whose house was slightly damaged said he may sue the owner of the tree property and then that owner may sue the city. Storm damage, what a mess. I am celebrating having my power back on. I hope all of you are safe and well.

Storms where I live in rain battered California

 

I've been sending this photo to friends and relatives all over the USA, since our California rain storms are very destructive and in the national news. The photo shows the street that runs along the ocean, or what is left of the street. Half of the street has collapsed due to violent wave action.

This is about six streets over from my house. Closer to home, thus far is OK. Two blocks from my house where Bounce and I walk every day, the street along the ocean is undamaged thus far. I have several friends who live in the mountains outside of town and they are stuck in their houses due to road closures. Mudslides and fallen trees are closing roads and they periodically lose power. The rains are a blessing and yet now we are hoping they will stop soon and let the water soak in or run off. 

There was no rain in my town on Sunday January 8 and I dared to drive to church Sunday and attend the small group gathering of 25 friends. My spirits were very lifted to be in fellowship with such good people. I did not attend the larger church service since I am mostly avoiding indoor gatherings. Especially since I live alone, I need to see people! Be well and safe friends.

The above was posted Jan. 11, and today, Jan. 18 I am happy to see the sunshine and no rain. Hurray.