The large, old Catalpa tree in the front yard of Steve Davis along Paxton Guinea Road in Miami Township will be missed for its shade."It kept this side of the house real nice," he said Thursday afternoon while surveying the damage to his property after Wednesday's storms. But if one had to be brought down by the storm, Davis is mighty glad it wasn't the old oak right next to his prized place, a blues music step-back-in-time.He has guitars, a drum set, microphone, wall posters and a setup that's perfect for soaking up the sights and sounds of the blues.Which is what Davis was doing Wednesday as he crafted another cigar box guitar in his woodshop when the wind outside his window sent him scurrying out of there."It was like nighttime," he said Thursday. "You know, all of a sudden I just started seein' debris flyin' everywhere and it was crazy. It looked like somethin' out of a sci-fi movie or somethin'. It was unbelievable. See fences flyin' and stuff."There's debris, damage and downed tree limbs all around him.It's like that along Three Chimneys Lane where a lot of old, mature trees snapped like matchsticks within seconds.Jen Culbreth was on the top floor of her home."And before I got down to the main floor, these trees up here were already snapped in half," she said.She immediately thought of the basement."And my husband, Andy, was like I think it's already over. And we walked to the back of the house and all the trees were down, flattened the place that, just completely gone," she said.A look around the neighborhood showed the narrow line the mighty wind had traveled.It was almost as if the storm had selected certain trees to take out while leaving others standing untouched.Folks there just like Davis blocks away were waiting for an insurance evaluation."I haven't done a whole lot today," the soft-spoken Davis said. Didn't sleep good last night. Long night."The long days ahead will involve tree service appointments, chain saws, chippers and clearing these yards of debris."Back there you can kind of see some people's siding that's wrapped around that tree," she said.Culbreath is glad her kids are with her parents right now, sparing them of the sight of their backyard demolished.Four-year-old Brooklyn would be out on the play set in the back every day.Replacing it will be high on her family's priority list.Davis' next-door neighbor has holes in the roof, no power and a tree to get off the house.But he and his wife are unscratched."We got plenty of ice," John Sheehy said with a quick laugh. "So, I'm good. Plenty of beer iced up."Davis, who knew the legendary Lonnie Mack and played in a band called "Time Bomb", looked around his musically-sacred place and felt relieved today.It is intact."It means a lot to me cause we play here all the time, you know. At least twice a week," Davis said.Jammed there, in fact, last night after the storm with his three-piece group.He is not sure if he'll plant another tree out front, but he'll probablywrite a blues song about it."The Catalpa Blues," he said with a chuckle, already thinking ahead.
The large, old Catalpa tree in the front yard of Steve Davis along Paxton Guinea Road in Miami Township will be missed for its shade.
"It kept this side of the house real nice," he said Thursday afternoon while surveying the damage to his property after Wednesday's storms.
But if one had to be brought down by the storm, Davis is mighty glad it wasn't the old oak right next to his prized place, a blues music step-back-in-time.
He has guitars, a drum set, microphone, wall posters and a setup that's perfect for soaking up the sights and sounds of the blues.
Which is what Davis was doing Wednesday as he crafted another cigar box guitar in his woodshop when the wind outside his window sent him scurrying out of there.
"It was like nighttime," he said Thursday. "You know, all of a sudden I just started seein' debris flyin' everywhere and it was crazy. It looked like somethin' out of a sci-fi movie or somethin'. It was unbelievable. See fences flyin' and stuff."
There's debris, damage and downed tree limbs all around him.
It's like that along Three Chimneys Lane where a lot of old, mature trees snapped like matchsticks within seconds.
Jen Culbreth was on the top floor of her home.
"And before I got down to the main floor, these trees up here were already snapped in half," she said.
She immediately thought of the basement.
"And my husband, Andy, was like I think it's already over. And we walked to the back of the house and all the trees were down, flattened the place that, just completely gone," she said.
A look around the neighborhood showed the narrow line the mighty wind had traveled.
It was almost as if the storm had selected certain trees to take out while leaving others standing untouched.
Folks there just like Davis blocks away were waiting for an insurance evaluation.
"I haven't done a whole lot today," the soft-spoken Davis said. Didn't sleep good last night. Long night."
The long days ahead will involve tree service appointments, chain saws, chippers and clearing these yards of debris.
"Back there you can kind of see some people's siding that's wrapped around that tree," she said.
Culbreath is glad her kids are with her parents right now, sparing them of the sight of their backyard demolished.
Four-year-old Brooklyn would be out on the play set in the back every day.
Replacing it will be high on her family's priority list.
Davis' next-door neighbor has holes in the roof, no power and a tree to get off the house.
But he and his wife are unscratched.
"We got plenty of ice," John Sheehy said with a quick laugh. "So, I'm good. Plenty of beer iced up."
Davis, who knew the legendary Lonnie Mack and played in a band called "Time Bomb", looked around his musically-sacred place and felt relieved today.
It is intact.
"It means a lot to me cause we play here all the time, you know. At least twice a week," Davis said.
Jammed there, in fact, last night after the storm with his three-piece group.
He is not sure if he'll plant another tree out front, but he'll probably
write a blues song about it.
"The Catalpa Blues," he said with a chuckle, already thinking ahead.
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