HIPPYVALLEY

I don't recall showers in the forecast today but just hit one coming through Concord/Acton

A little bit of PTSD driving the kid to school this morning but yeah, I'm alright. http://www.recorder.com/Storm-sweeps-across-county-18275616

Front page of the local newspaper too. Plenty of trees and branches down in Greenfield as I drove the boy to school this morning.

I'm shook and don't wish it upon anybody, even for those that long for the "severe experience". I almost got killed and it wasn't fun. First officer on the scene looked at me and said "I hate downed power lines."

My power is out and I am sitting on my phone by candlelight because I can't sleep. I literally feel like I dropped a hit of acid or something.

Yes, thanks, I need to remember to be happy that I am safe and alive with the family and not b*tch about power being out.

Few more gray hairs and maybe a month or two off the ticker. : )

OK, thanks. Check your inbox. It will be the lead interview in tomorrow's greenfield recorder report on the storm. Apparently there were dozens of trees down around town with rescue services being flat out all night.

The utility pole you see hanging in the above picture missed me by about 2 feet. I watched the electric lines swing just overhead as I swerved into the field across the street. That pole probably would've taken my head off...

Second time in Greenfield I've been up close although this was way too close. First time was May 2010 when greenfield lost 150+ trees in a storm so bad we went to the basement. The funny thing is I waited about 30 minutes before I called my wife and told her and sure enough first thing she said was " I was worried when you left because it got really bad again".

My full story from today's events is over in the Obs thread for those interested.

OK, here are the details: I was driving the work van down Green River Road which becomes Plain Road at approximately 5:20 PM. I had just stopped home to make sure Windows were closed and dogs were OK. The worst of the storm had seem to have passed since rain and lightened up and sky was brightening. So I began my trip south to Northampton for a work event. Less than a mile from my house the rain became very intense and very quickly and the wind started howling with a lot of small tree debris flying about. I started to think about pulling over because it was sideways zero visibility rain and wind. I was coming to a break in the residential area where the farm fields were and all of a sudden I saw the tent at the pick your own strawberry fields crumple and roll away. Just as I thought "oh sh*t, Time to pull over" all of the trees in front of me started to bow and a huge branch hit my windshield as I watched a tree ripped out of the ground. Next thing I know a utility pole is swinging towards my head and I jerk the wheel hard left. The van went over a small embankment and felt like it was going to tip but landed upright. At this point I took a quick breath, shook the glass out of my hair and clothes and saw the powerlines right over my head and drove another 20 or 30 feet into the field. A pick up truck that was behind me pulled up next to me in the field and asked if I was OK and then told me to keep driving away from the powerlines if I could. Ironically power is now out until morning for the entire neighborhood from the tree and pole that almost took me out.

Lol. Dave, I have honestly never had an adrenaline rush last so long. Almost 2 hours later and I'm still kind of freaked out, it was very quick and intense.

Branches and almost a telephone pole taking my head off had I not quickly decided to put the van in the ditch. There was however some small hail

I'll post the story in about an hour. My heart is still racing a bit.

Had a chat with God tonight.

Plain Rd Greenfield. It was insane.

Almost died, I'll post pictures when I get home and have calm down a little bit. Those who like severe can keep it I want no part of it!

Overcast and 88F here.

Overcast, 68F. It will be tough getting mid 90s with cloud cover so we shall see...

The lawn has probably turned crunchy and brown.

The 5 minutes of rain today was a little disappointing.

Early last week I was sitting in the kitchen and yelled to my wife and kid to come look at the yellow snow falling, just a fog of yellow in the air every time the wind blew. Oddly, although my wife has some pretty bad allergies, that is not one of them.

Peaked here a week ago and is pretty much done now.