tree68 wrote: Mookie wrote: Willy - lightning terrifies me. I was washing dishes at our kitchen sink with a south window, last nite. Needless to say, a flash sent me into the living room until the storm had passed. It is spectacular to watch if you have wide open spaces and a safe place to watch from, but normally, I don't want it anywhere around me.True story - My daughter is fascinated with the weather (I think she got that from me) and even managed to include a course in meteorology in her college coursework at Oswego. One evening during a thunderstorm she was standing on the back porch, out of the weather, watching the action. Lightning struck nearby in that flash/bang manner you know is close (apparently a tree about 500 yards from the house, from what I could discern the next day). Next thing I know she's tearing through the house, eyes as big as saucers, scared - well, you know. She still loves a good thunderstorm, but that was just a little too close.
Mookie wrote: Willy - lightning terrifies me. I was washing dishes at our kitchen sink with a south window, last nite. Needless to say, a flash sent me into the living room until the storm had passed. It is spectacular to watch if you have wide open spaces and a safe place to watch from, but normally, I don't want it anywhere around me.
True story - My daughter is fascinated with the weather (I think she got that from me) and even managed to include a course in meteorology in her college coursework at Oswego. One evening during a thunderstorm she was standing on the back porch, out of the weather, watching the action. Lightning struck nearby in that flash/bang manner you know is close (apparently a tree about 500 yards from the house, from what I could discern the next day). Next thing I know she's tearing through the house, eyes as big as saucers, scared - well, you know. She still loves a good thunderstorm, but that was just a little too close.
Oh yes, at least a couple of times per year a really close lightning strike will send me cowering too. Like your daughter, I also have a tendency to stand on the porch and watch and when a close bolt hits, I'm outta there in a hurry.
I'm a bit happier today about the whole thunderstorm situation today than I was on Sunday. As Mookie said, we got about two inches of rain over the past 36 hours, which is plenty enough to please me.
Willy
Brian (IA) http://blhanel.rrpicturearchives.net.
Good Wednesday morning, folks. Woke up at 6, still trying to get my eyes totally open this morning.
Coffee, juice, hot tea and lemonade are ready for today. On the warmer bar is the usual breakfast items.
Mookie, I'm ready to join you out in the garden, on the swing. Maybe we can figure out who we want to pick on today!
Willy2 wrote: tree68 wrote: Mookie wrote: Willy - lightning terrifies me. I was washing dishes at our kitchen sink with a south window, last nite. Needless to say, a flash sent me into the living room until the storm had passed. It is spectacular to watch if you have wide open spaces and a safe place to watch from, but normally, I don't want it anywhere around me.True story - My daughter is fascinated with the weather (I think she got that from me) and even managed to include a course in meteorology in her college coursework at Oswego. One evening during a thunderstorm she was standing on the back porch, out of the weather, watching the action. Lightning struck nearby in that flash/bang manner you know is close (apparently a tree about 500 yards from the house, from what I could discern the next day). Next thing I know she's tearing through the house, eyes as big as saucers, scared - well, you know. She still loves a good thunderstorm, but that was just a little too close.Oh yes, at least a couple of times per year a really close lightning strike will send me cowering too. Like your daughter, I also have a tendency to stand on the porch and watch and when a close bolt hits, I'm outta there in a hurry. I'm a bit happier today about the whole thunderstorm situation today than I was on Sunday. As Mookie said, we got about two inches of rain over the past 36 hours, which is plenty enough to please me.
Of course, there are those of us who have tried to become lightning rods...
I was climbing...er...should I say attempting to climb Taylor Peak in RMNP a couple years ago with my cousin. About 200-300 vertical feet from the summit, my cousin says something about his hiking stick "crackling." I have no idea what he's talking about so I turn around to look at him. Lo and Behold, his hair is standing straight on end! (Which is a sign that one is in the ionizing path of a possible lightning strike)
Of course, now we're faced with the problem of cover (keep in mind, we were getting very close to the 13,000 ft. mark since Taylor is at 13,189 if I remember correctly. That's quite a bit above timberline). Needless to say, we scampered down as fast as we could. Luckily, Taylor is close to the Andrew's Glacier which is one of the few glaciers that can be descended safely. We glissaded down the glacier, and found cover below timberline.
What's crazy about the whole thing is that I kept having this bad feeling about the developing storm that produced the effect (there never was a lighting bolt...still that's not the kind of thing one takes chances with). It was developing downwind of us, so we decided to keep on towards the summit (this was my second attempt at Taylor). Of course, while it was moving away, it was also getting much larger...so much so that it started building close to us as it moved away. In the end, it all worked out....I do keep a little healthier respect for mountain storms now, though...even when they are building downwind!
P.S. Anybody heard if MC's ankle-biters donned their pontoons and/or skis? Willy, It seems that low you sent us yesterday brought quite a bit of rain. We had some localized flooding up by me. South and west of town we had some appreciable snowfall (above 2' up by Evergreen). Way out east there were 5 reports of Tornadoes. Of course, by the weekend we'll be nearing 80ºF. If you don't like the weather in Colorado...
-ChrisWest Chicago, ILChristopher May Fine Art Photography"In wisdom gathered over time I have found that every experience is a form of exploration." ~Ansel Adams
CW - ooo - what fun! You know - Brian hasn't had to wear his tin boots lately. Randy has disappeared and Tree makes good BBQ. Mutt and Joe disappear early. Dan is otherwise "engaged". My list is getting pretty short.
Wonder if the hardware store has Brian Traps?
She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw
Willy,
I understand your position regarding storms & tornados, and I agree with you completely (sorry if I came across a bit stern). It is quite fascinating to watch a huge storm, understanding that the immense cumulus storm cloud and all of that condensed water vapor is being held in suspension simply by updrafts.
A "typical" storm cloud measuring 10km high by 10km wide might weigh as much as 10,000 747 jets (4,000,000,000 kg).
Regarding lightning: One evening I was out photographing a lightning storm. I was concentrating on the lightning to the north of me over a lake; I did not notice the tail end of the storm was wrapping around me from the south. Suddenly, all of the hair on my arms stood upright and I felt a tingle...about 2 seconds later a lightning bolt hit the light pole about 50' from me; the thunder was so loud it almost knocked me over. Needless to say I abandoned my tripod and sought shelter in my truck until the storm passed. I learned my lesson quite well!
....Weather and lightning does strange things....sometimes not explainable.
Had a great Aunt that lived in Ligonier, Pa. and I remember her showing how she experienced a sight back in the 30's. It was probably the late 40's she was relating her story to us upon a visit at her place.
Their home had a elongated sized living room along the front of the house with a fireplace. A window up higher on the wall each side of it....During a severe electrical storm, she experienced a red fireball coming through the fireplace wall and traveling the length of the living room and a terrible bang.
The result was she was not injured and no damage to the home...In fact, the home still stands today.
Quentin
Modelcar wrote: Their home had a elongated sized living room along the front of the house with a fireplace and a window at one end of the room up higher on the wall each side of it....During a severe electrical storm, she experienced a red fireball coming through the fireplace wall and traveling the length of the living room and a terrible bang.
Their home had a elongated sized living room along the front of the house with a fireplace and a window at one end of the room up higher on the wall each side of it....During a severe electrical storm, she experienced a red fireball coming through the fireplace wall and traveling the length of the living room and a terrible bang.
Quentin,
Willy can add more I'm sure, but I believe that may have been an instance of "Ball" Lightning. I think it's incredibly rare, but has to do with balls of plasma that can travel through things. Willy, how about a lesson on this rare beast?
"We have met the enemy and he is us." Pogo Possum "We have met the anemone... and he is Russ." Bucky Katt "Prediction is very difficult, especially if it's about the future." Niels Bohr, Nobel laureate in physics
...Chris:
I have heard of explanations similar to that before for reasoning of what happened in my great Aunt's experience....Must be something to it.
CopCarSS wrote: Modelcar wrote: Their home had a elongated sized living room along the front of the house with a fireplace and a window at one end of the room up higher on the wall each side of it....During a severe electrical storm, she experienced a red fireball coming through the fireplace wall and traveling the length of the living room and a terrible bang. Quentin,Willy can add more I'm sure, but I believe that may have been an instance of "Ball" Lightning. I think it's incredibly rare, but has to do with balls of plasma that can travel through things. Willy, how about a lesson on this rare beast?
You're exactly right, Chris. Here's an article that explains ball lightning better than I ever could:
http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/stories/s520317.htm
Lunch is now on the warmer bar: leftovers from supper last night (sorry, no pizza burgers left), and I've fixed some bean & ham soup and vegetable soup w/cornbread.
Mookie, I've called a couple of hardware stores, and I found out "Ace" Hardware was all out; but a privately owned hardware store not too far from us has them. Want me to go get a couple of them, to have on hand?!?! Just kidding, Brian!!! And we need to find Kevin: haven't heard from him in a loonnnng time.
CW - I think Brian hand-made his.
Jay - MC mentioned you by name, so did you find him?
Willy - we need to learn how to harness the energy from lightning. Think of the available power! This will give you something to work on after you are through school. Just remember where you got the idea.......
Chris - lightning - another reason for me to stay out of high places!
Dan - re: Ed's own thread - you and I are SO going to get into trouble!
Jen
Dan
Yeah, BTD was inquiring about those tin shoes, but given the current "atmosphere" in the Diner lately, I declined to loan them out, and have since modified them to give them nice thick insulated rubber soles...
There's an awesome picture that National Geographic had in one of their issues a few years back that captured a lightning bolt striking close to a house- the bolt could be seen snaking its way THROUGH the branches of a huge tree without hitting them and striking a steel fence post, IIRC, near the base of the tree.
Mookie wrote:Dan - re: Ed's own thread - you and I are SO going to get into trouble!Jen
Is there room for another person? I think I might be in trouble also for using
the "Y" word!!
Being Crazy,keeps you from going "INSANE" !! "The light at the end of the tunnel,has been turned off due to budget cuts" NOT AFRAID A Vet., and PROUD OF IT!!
afternoon
rain has slowed to a drizzle for now.woke up and i hear clank clank clank.hey jay while you are over in maryland check out the B&O museum if you get the time.got to get some chores done then get matt off the bus.
stay safe
joe
Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener").
Mookie wrote:Randy has disappeared..........
Not disappeared, just busy dealing with personal and professional problems the past few weeks. Got word last week of our company planning to lay off some of us, but I managed to survive the first round. Will know about the second round sometime after Memorial Day.
The other news is that after 30 years of farming, my dad has decided to quit due to personal reasons. The news hit my mom especially hard, but she seems to be doing alright. Not sure what he's going to do, but after talking to him last weekend, sounds like he's feeling better already.
Had about three quarters of an inch of rain since yesterday afternoon, with more due tonight and tomorrow. Supposed to be dry and seventy for the weekend. Will take some lunch and a corner booth to relax in before work......
Randy Vos
"Ever have one of those days where you couldn't hit the ground with your hat??" - Waylon Jennings
"May the Lord take a liking to you and blow you up, real good" - SCTV
locomutt wrote: Mookie wrote: Dan - re: Ed's own thread - you and I are SO going to get into trouble!Jen Is there room for another person? I think I might be in trouble also for using the "Y" word!!
Mookie wrote: Dan - re: Ed's own thread - you and I are SO going to get into trouble!Jen
I don't think I'll make any comments at this time, regarding the "Ed" thread, except to say that I've gotten a few chuckles out of the replies to it.
Supper tonight is Mexican: tacos, quasadillas, burritos, etc. Hope everyone enjoys!!!
Joe, there's a plate fixed for you, in the fridge, for work tonight.
cherokee woman wrote: I don't think I'll make any comments at this time, regarding the "Ed" thread, except to say that I've gotten a few chuckles out of the replies to it. Supper tonight is Mexican: tacos, quasadillas, burritos, etc. Hope everyone enjoys!!!
cherokee woman wrote:I don't think I'll make any comments at this time, regarding the "Ed" thread, except to say that I've gotten a few chuckles out of the replies to it.
Over the last 24 hours we've gotten 1.57" of rain here. Not only does it make the grass grow in leaps and bounds, it also prevents me from mowing it...
morning
yeah wet here this morning too.might have some rumbles of thunder later this afternoon.
dan bnsf has some new power wandering on csx too.for some reason they sent them to toledo(walbridge yard).maybe they can grab some powder river empties and go home to mookie?
juice and coffee are ready to go.
Joe
Good Thursday morning, everyone. We're getting very light rain at the present. Supposed to get some heavy stuff later on, not sure exactly what time, though.
Coffee is on, fresh juice is made, and I've got hot water ready for tea and cider.
Regular breakfast items are ready and on the warmer bar.
I've been up for about two hours, but still don't seem to be awake yet. Feel like I could go back sleep. Maybe I'll do that in a bit.
Wow - busy morning already. I come in an hour before work starts, peruse the forum, check e-mail, yada yada....took a real 30 min nap!!!! Then I have to go back, re-peruse the forum, recheck e-mail, re-yada yada.....
Rain - we ended up with 2+ inches of pretty steady rain. Soaked in really well, so not much run-off. Had 6+ here in state and it is all headed east - so you should be able to wring out a little more from the system.
Randy - that's too bad about the possible job problems. Maybe they will decide you are too valuable to let go or maybe they will turn something around before the end of May. We will all keep our fingers x'd.
Farming has to be tough today - especially if you are a one-owner. But Dad's usually know best.
CW - I got my coffee. Maybe an english muffin to go with it? May need a whole pot of coffee at this rate.
Heard from Colonel Sanders escapee - I think he is enjoying a short vacation in the DC area.
Also heard from the Man of the Hour - He was picked for some reason other than harassment, since he hasn't bothered Brooklyn. The trolls seem to start out reasonable and then deteriorate.......
I will go post at the door and take attendence for today's gathering - let's see - CW and Joe......
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