What I quickly noticed was that I not only had 3 oak trees down, but also had many large limbs broken in tops of trees throughout my yard. Well, to be more precise in a line leading directly up to our new nursery room (for our adopted daughter, Lauren Grace), crossing our roof dang near dead center of our home, and IMMEDIATELY doing much more severe damage in our backyard.
Here's a few pics of the damage leading to the house...
Here's some closer pictures of the tree damage in the backyard...
So with winds strong enough to break waist-sized healthy live oak limbs and to pull an adult red oak up by the roots, and with the wind shoving the branches to within feet of our front door, what was the extent of the actual house damage?
Thanking the GOOD MAN above for so little damage, as well as the fact that my Mother-in-law had little Lauren Grace with her in town at the time of the storm.
Also amazed at how intense the damage could be in one area and mere feet away the most fragile of God's gifts went untouched... here's a few pics of glass hummingbird feeders, butterfly garden, and a Confederate Rose bush all within 50 feet of shredded trees/limbs.
Feeling VERY thankful now and actually would be lying if I didn't admit to enjoying releasing some pyro tendencies this weekend (got to tend 4 burn piles at one time
)... and of the three trees I lost, two were water oaks and they will NOT be missed -- storm actually did me a favor by dropping them away from the home before they aged/hollowed out as water oaks all tend to do) 
Will end by sharing if anyone has a true need for firewood, just send a reply my way... I've cut and burned all the tops and even if I keep/split half the remaining logs, I'll have enough wood left to last me for the next five years.
Surprise, surprise... they didn't show up so no McCain/Palin fans need be worried in regard to my vote 
