On Thursday May 26, Cumberland Valley experienced a tornado touchdown. At 217 years old, the house didn't bat an eye at the high winds,golfball sized hail and driving rain. She eats tornados for breakfast. As the kids and Brent huddled in the basement I stayed upstairs running from room to room to get a look at what was going on outside. There was plenty to see. Our Bradford Pear which brightened spring days with its pretty fragrant white flowers uprooted and crashed to the ground taking out the brick wall in our garden and missing the front of my mini cooper by 8 INCHES! Another tree came down in the ruins, our wedding ceremony area, and smashed the pergolas to bits. The backyard is a hot mess with at least 12 trees uprooted or missing their tops and so far we've counted at least 43 tress in the woods that will need to come down. But it was a lucky day. No lives lost, nothing hit the house, the power was back on in 12 hours and we were able to receive a houseful of guests Friday evening. Three days later as the Memorial Day holiday weekend came to a close, all remnants of the Pear were gone, thanks to a neighbor and his backhoe, the ruins were cleaned up and prepared for pergola reassembly and the trees in the back yard have been cut up and have the potential to become a tree house. Our guests were fabulous, completely understanding, and awestruck. Several mentioned how lovely the property was and I couldn't help but think... " You should have seen it on Thursday BEFORE the storm!"
