Last night the boss, Becky and I finished up milking and chores so Liz and Alan could go over to Altamont Fair. We started early so we were in the house by 7:30, which was nice for a change. However, the weirdest thunderstorm was making up just as we finished. It was so strange that I took 51 pictures of it and of how things inside looked in the bizarre yellow light, before it became too dark to take any more.
The sky was an intense yellow color
The crows were getting out of hereThe kids enjoyed the fair although cattle entries are down this year over 70 head. I am sure the economy is to blame. Showing is expensive so it is one of the first things cut when farmers are hurting (our cows aren't there for the first time in 11 years.) They brought me home bread pudding from the grange booth, with which I am about to break my fast for today....
The fair has put in a new birthing center where calves are born each day and I guess that is a big hit. If I get a chance to go over it will give me something interesting to write about for the Farm Side this week. (Special thanks to a certain family member who bought us a state fair pass for Christmas so we can go to fairs at all.)
They had quite an adventure on the way home. They both spotted an odd reflectiveness in the road in directly front of them. Alan thought it was a guard rail, but it was in the wrong place. Before he could react, Liz hollered at him to stop and he stood that little blue pick up right on its nose. Believe it or not the thing in the road was a fire truck turning in to someone's driveway! Thank God for reflective paint on the sides or they would never have seen it at all until they plowed right into it. The night was foggy but it appeared to be driving without any lights at all. I wonder what was going on. I'll bet if the tax payers over that way knew someone was driving their fire trucks around in the fog at 10:30 at night with no light they would wonder too.
Anyhow, here are some pics of the storm. I don't think I have ever seen yellow light like this. Every single tree and flower had an eerie glow, but it was pretty in an uncomfortable sort of way. When the wind got up I was watching the bottoms of the clouds I can tell you....and lightning struck so close that although it was blocked from my view by the house, the ground lit up even in broad daylight.
Off to the south
Looking north while the storm was building in the west
Gorgeous pictures, did the storm affect you?
ReplyDeleteIt's been over 100* for the last two days, more today and thunderstorms tonight. This has been the strangest weather year.
Our friends who show draft horses aren't participating this year. The fairs pay them a stipend, which used to cover feed, etc., but this year it wouldn't even come close because of high prices on feed and fuel, and the fairs are hurting too, low attendance, etc.
Hope to see some pictures of the cattle you sent.
I love the contrast in the first picture. It does look eerie.
ReplyDeleteLove the pictures!
ReplyDeleteWe had some of that weird yellow/orange light here, too. It looked cool though!
Thats kinda errie looking.
ReplyDeleteI saw the same thing. My sons and I were driving to WalMart and I noticed a lot of crows flying east. Seemed unusual. Then we saw the strangest cloud formations! We were in the store the entire time-- by the time my shopping was done, it had already rained and the skies were clearing. Wild!
ReplyDeleteI noticed that yellow light, too, and it really was creepy. I also was doing some serious praying that the storm would stay south of us (which it did - over your way?) and not take down the rest of the tree that was damaged by lightning. The tree guy is coming tomorrow, and hopefully it won't do any more damage.
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures! Almost scary clouds.
ReplyDeleteIncredible photography, I love your pictures!
ReplyDeleteOminous, indeed. Isn't it something living on a farm when 'odd' weather stuff happens? Seems I just hold my breath sometimes, waiting for ????
ReplyDeleteGlad it was just yellow and didn't turn into something else.
beautiful photos as always! And yes, the fair sure seemed short on livestock this year....it wasn't the same.
That's definitely kinda spooky.
ReplyDeleteExcellent pics. Did the space ship land safely???
Nita, nothing but a little wind. It was just weird. I couldn't believe the barns when we went over yesterday. Used to be the stalls were so full you sometimes had to hand hold cows to clip. Now half the barn is set up to equipment and clipping stalls.
ReplyDeleteDani, thanks, I kept coming in and then it would change so I would run back outside...
Aussie O, it was extremely pretty, but I worried about wind coming with it...didn't turn out too bad though, and thanks
Cocked and loaded, it was quite an evening and of course, two of the kids weren't here
Mrs. M Guess it came right down the valley from you folks to us and then went right on over to Albany and environs. Some night.
AKAgaga, I don't blame you, That tree was something indeed. Glad you didn't get hit when it took out all your windows.
Linda, thanks, it looked like something in a horror movie just before the monsters show up
David, thank you very much and thanks for stopping by to comment.
Teri, the weather sure does have more of an effect when you have animals. The cows and two horses were out on one hillside when it hit and the lightning was so erratic that I was really worried about them.
Steve, thanks, I am not sure, but I think I heard a faint voice out there saying, "Beam me up, Scotty"
Fred wow looks like it was in the midwest when we were out there. Storms like that out there normally do something. Great pictures!!!!!
ReplyDeleteLOVE YA!!!
Mappy
Nice pictures. :)
ReplyDeleteMatt, thanks, it was certainly different. Love you too
ReplyDeleteOlivia, thanks so much and thanks for commenting.
Wow! I would have been heading for the basement had I seen that sky. The only skies I've ever seen that were odd colors were usually followed by a funnel.
ReplyDeleteHey there stacy, thanks for visiting. We were watching developments real close for just that reason.
ReplyDelete