Tonight around 10:30 a hailstorm blew in from the north, with 70-mile-an-hour wind gusts reported at a weather station about a mile away from the house. Penny-sized hail pounded the house and garden and blew past the front door horizontally. It went on for at least 10 or 15 minutes before subsiding. Torrential rain followed, along with much thunder and lightning. There’s still a bit of lightning now, and rain continues to fall, but the worst is over. About 20 minutes ago, however, we heard a transformer blow, and the lights of the houses across the street went out. Whatever the reason for the fluke, I’m glad our side of the street didn’t lose power.

I’m a little worried about damage to the tender growth in the garden, but nothing can be done except take a look tomorrow morning.