I was busy working on my computer last night, concentrating very hard apparently. There was a rainstorm going on outside, lots of thunder and lightning, but still I kept working.
When I finished and the rain had stopped, I went outside to bring Furbee the cat in for dinner and I saw this, which happened about 15 or 20 feet from where I was sitting.
I'm not sure how I missed it, as I said I must have been really concentrating!
The trunk had to be almost 2 feet in diameter where it broke. I guess I know what I'm going to be doing over the next month - cutting up a tree!
I find any loss of life very sad and a tree of this size that must have been around for many years is no exception. I'm not sure if it was struck by lightening or just blew over. It looks as if there may be insect or fungus damage in the trunk, so it may not have lasted long anyway.