If you watched the national weather news for the week of April 29 – May 5, you may have heard bits and pieces about the flooding and storms in Kingwood, Texas. Lots of rain, both here in Kingwood and much more rain north of us into the West Fork of the San Jacinto River drainage and The East Fork of the San Jacinto River drainage. In essence flooding Kingwoods from 2 directions and 2 different watersheds.
Thursday May 2nd Kingwood received 7 inches of rain while the drainage feeding Conroe may have received 20 inches upstream and up on the East Fork, experts predicted that the river may crest at nearly 15 above normal. One potential victim of the high water may bee the apiary that I have up on the north side of the lake. The property owner sent me a video with the two hives with their entrance’s covered by a foot of water and more to come. ( post flood note, one survived the other did not.
Let’s talk about the storm that hit Kingwood. Thursday morning May 2nd it was a wild down pour. I know first hand as I went canoeing down Kingwood Drive to my morning urology appointment. Made even wilder by the fact that my truck was in the shop and I drove my daughter’s Kia Soul, not really a canoe. I was afraid it would float away as I navigated around multiple flooded out vehicles on my way. Poor decision on my part but……Her car did not drown, but it did get a soaking. While I drove, my daughter and her cats were house bound during the 7 inch down pour. Powerful lightning and thunder display all over Kingwood and right over out house. Around 9ish the house rattled and shook with a very, very close lightning strike……scared the cats as they scurried off upstairs and woke my wife from a dead sleep. But…….no one knew that our tree had been hit.
Now, 2 days later I am out in the backyard and I am seeing odd big strips of bark scattered across to yard and wondering where the Hell did they come from. That must have been an odd wind I though. I started gathering them up and it dawned on me what may have happened. In 1971 I was drafter into the Army….great lottery number for my year, the number was 28. So, February of 71 Uncle Sam owned my butt for at least 2 years. My secondary school was not chosen by me, it was just luck I guess. My drill sergeant encouraged my to pick something, but I just shrugged my shoulders. He told me I was 11 Bravo material, that is the military MOS designation for Infantry. He and I were both surprised when orders came in for me to report to Fort Lee Virginia as a trainee for 92 Charlie 20, Petroleum Products Analysis Technician. Oh well.
One afternoon on the bus out to the training lab we had an awesome thunderstorm, rattling the window of the bus. Rain coming down sideways at 50 mph and small hail bouncing off the glass and on the road. All of a sudden a blinding flash 30 feet off to the right and an immediate massive clap of thunder. I turned my head just in time to see the lightning hit the top of a tall tree and saw a 2 inch wide strip of bark being peeled of from the tip of the tallest branch all the way to the ground in a single piece. Now, the memory caused me to get the source of the bark strips scattered across the backyard. Looking up I saw a tall branch showing a long missing strip of bark. My eyes followed it down as it twisted to around the front side of the tree and terminated about 10 feet off the ground.
A couple of garden notes, tomatoes are big and ripening, sugar snap peas are shriveling and dying in the heat, cucumbers are climbing, potatoes are being dug up and beets, just a few, are ready to harvest. Two honeybee swarms captured in the backyard, the wet wet and humid weather has slowed the bees down drying the honey out so they can cap it. Mother Nature loves to throw curves.
TTFN
Bishop
From My Backyard 