Struck by lightning...

2010-05-27_15bartrams
Originally uploaded by lb_philly.

The big yellowwood in this picture (background, right) is more than 200 years old and was struck by lightning this afternoon. Only one branch remains. The staff says it has survived before and they are hopeful it will make it again, but it's very upsetting -- this yellowwood was a special friend to us.

This is Bartrams Gardens. It lost a 150-year-old, 90 foot tall magnolia this afternoon -- totally uprooted. The storm tore through Philadelphia like a freight train. There are trees uprooted all over the city, and Roy said there was ferocious hail here. I didn't get home till 10:00 so I haven't been out to survey the damage, if any, in our back yard. Tomorrow I go to Germantown, where I imagine I'll be viewing yet more carnage.