Fireworks, fireworks: July 5 microburst and all that

The fireworks moved this year: from my vantage point, they were positioned behind Dominion Virginia Power's transmission line. I didn't mind. But on July 5, Mother Nature didn't wait until after dark to unleash her fireworks. The afternoon microburst bent trees sideways– those that wouldn't bend broke in two. Was it a tornado? Larry Sabato thought so.

More fireworks as the primary, high-voltage lines in Charlottesville came tumbling down, shorted out, 19,000 volts to ground, 34,000 volts between phases. In the Woolen Mills neighborhood, Franklin Street was closed. Some, tired of the 1,500+ vehicle trips per day, had been praying for this street to close. The storm restored our quiet residential neighborhood.

The storm rained cats and dogs and made a mess of the UVA lawn and transformers nearby.

The icons were unscathed.

In Woolen Mills, people got together and talked, that wonderful coming together that accompanies stressful times.

Near UVA, folks came together in a different style.

A North Carolina line crew worked all night, subcontractors for Dominion Virginia Power.

I lost the top of a silver maple and one leaf from my Kentucky Coffee Bean tree.