CAUGHT OUTSIDE IN A SMASHING STORM CELL SUNDAY NIGHT

 BY THE TIME I TOOK THIS PHOTO THE STORM CELL WAS COMING FAST

Shortly after posting Sunday night's blog I heard rumbling sounds outside.  Couldn't be thunder because the sun was shining.  Heard it again, went outside and looked up into a blue sky, and realized it was definitely thunder.  Odd I thought.  Not long after that Pheebs and I headed to our walking spot.  As soon as we cleared our forest I saw the most amazing cloud formation overhead.  Reaching our country road spot we walked up the road as I gazed skyward at the most amazing cloud studded sky from horizon to to horizon.  I will even go as far as to use a word I rarely ever use.  'Awesome'.  

 PARKED ALONGSIDE OUR COUNTRY ROAD HE HEAD OUT WALKING NORTH

 GREAT LOOKING SKIES TO THE NORTHEAST

 LOOKING SOUTH TO JUST SOME OF THE BEAUTIFUL CLOUD FORMATIONS

 WHEN I TOOK THIS PHOTO FACING NORTHWEST I FAILED TO NOTICE THE APPROACHING STORM JUST COMING UP ABOVE THE LOWER LEFT HORIZON

THE CLOUD LACED SKIES WERE JUST SO BEAUTIFUL IN EVENING'S TWILIGHT

After reaching our turnaround point we started back down the road and it was at this time I glanced to the west and noticed a dark band of clouds just above the horizon.  When I looked back a few minutes later the dark band had grown higher in the sky and it was then I realized the approaching storm was headed right for us .  Then I began hearing distant thunder.  By the time we made it back to the Jeep the storm was nearly upon us.  Never have I seen such an amazingly awesome-looking scary sky.

 IT WAS AT THIS POINT I  SAW AND REALIZED A LARGE STORM WAS HEADING RIGHT FOR US

 THE WESTERN HORIZON QUICKLY BECAME VERY SCARY LOOKING

  I BEGAN SCANNING THE BOTTOMS OF THE CLOUDS FOR FUNNELS

 LOOKING TOWARDS THE NORTHWEST

 A SMALL CURIOUS ORANGE DOT JUST ABOVE THE HORIZON AT RIGHT

 THAT ORANGE DOT IS THE SETTING SUN

 THERE WAS A FOUR WAY INTERSECTION HALF A MILE AHEAD OF US AND MY PLAN WAS IF i SAW A FUNNEL CLOUD APPROACHING WE WOULD RACE TO THAT INTERSECTION AND THEN REASSESS WHICH WAY TO GO FROM THERE

 I AM STANDING IN A CLOVER FIELD JUST A FEW STEPS EAST OF THE JEEP

 PHEEBS KEEPS A CLOSE EYE ON ME WHILE I TAKE A FEW PHOTOS

AND THESE SKIES WERE JUST AS DARK AS THE PHOTOS SHOW

 ALTHOUGH I DIDN'T REALIZE IT AT THE TIME THOSE VERTICAL SWATHS WERE BANDS OF RAIN APPROACHING

 LOOKING SOUTHWEST THOSE DARK CLOUDS ARE RIGHT OVER US NOW

 LOOKING NORTH AS THE BLACK CLOUDS MOVE SILENTLY FROM LEFT TO RIGHT

 STILL NO WIND OR RAIN

There was very little wind and no rain as the dark ominous clouds rolled silently low over us.  I scanned the clouds for any funnel-like shapes but didn't see anything.  It was just so excitingly unbelievable to see what I was seeing.

 IT WAS HERE I FELT THE FIRST DROPS OF RAIN

Soon, the darkest clouds had passed and were heading inland and it was then I felt the first few drops of rain.  I quickly had myself back inside the Jeep.  Less than a minute later the wind-driven rain band hit us broadside.  I fired up the Jeep and turned it around heading for home.  With the Jeeps nose pointed directly west into the wind I had to have the windshield wipers on full blast.  Let's just say I really enjoyed the exciting ride home watching lightning bolts flash across the dark sky ahead and hearing the harsh cracks of thunder overtop the drumming of rain on the Jeep's roof.  Just a mile or so from our Park we drove out of the heavy downpour and I could see a patch of clear sunny sky ahead.  We were home minutes later with only a light drizzle falling.  Luckily, thunder doesn't bother Pheebs and she sat right up in her seat beside me all the way home watching the lightning and rain just as I did.  What a great piece of luck it had been getting out to see and experience that storm cell going through.

 TOOK THIS PHOTO THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD OF THE JEEP JUST SECONDS BEFORE THE HEAVY RAIN SWEPT OVER US

 ABOUT A MILE EAST OF OUR PARK WE BROKE OUT OF THE HEAVY RAIN HEADING WEST

Woke up to perfectly normal skies this morning.  Sunshine and a few whiffy white clouds.  I was low on cereal so Pheebs and I headed off to Zehrs supermarket in Goderich and picked us up 3 more boxes of Kelloggs Bran Flakes.  I do like my cereal.  The double coffee line-up was way too long at McDonalds drive-thru so we skipped that and took a swing down around the beach and harbor areas.  We were home again shortly before 11.  Definitely a tad cooler today but I'll wait for even cooler weather in a few days before heading outside and getting caught up on a whole bunch of overdue yard work.  

 NICE LOOKING SKIES OVER LAKE HURON THIS MORNING

ALWAYS NICE TO SEE SENIORS OUT ENJOYING GODERICH'S BEACH AND WATERFRONT AREAS

And just in case you hadn't thought of it.....Tuesday will be the last day of August already.  I'm looking forward to a hopefully cooler September.  My very much most favorite time of the year is on the doorstep:))

GROANER'S CORNER:((  A sailor was caught AWOL as he tried to sneak on board his ship at about3 am. The chief petty officer spied him and ordered the sailor to stop. The officer ordered the sailor, "Take this broom and sweep every link on this anchor chain by morning or it's the brig for you!"  The sailor picked up the broom and started to sweep the chain.    Just then, a tern landed on the broom handle. The sailor yelled at the bird to leave, but it didn't. The lad picked the tern off the broom handle, giving the bird a toss.  The bird left, only to return and light once again on the broom handle. The sailor went through the same routine all over again, with the same result.  He couldn't get any cleaning done because he could only sweep at the chain once or twice before the silly bird came back.  When morning came, so did the chief petty officer, to check up on his wayward sailor.  "What on earth have you been doing all night? This chain is no cleaner than when you started! What have you to say for yourself, sailor? "barked the chief.  "Honest, chief," came the reply, "I tossed a tern all night and couldn't sweep a link!"

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Patient: Doctor, doctor, I work like a horse, eat like a bird, and I'm tired as a dog!  Doctor: Have you been to a veterinarian?

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