A surprisingly strong wind storm hit Chelsea late Saturday night; among the many deciduous casualties of the storm — including one that blocked Jerusalem Road — was an old dead tree next to our driveway.  To our great relief, it didn’t fall on any cars or buildings; however, the corral fence couldn’t escape the dead tree’s inanimate wrath.

Falling (Death of a Tree) (29 December)

How dead was the tree?  As this photo shows, it had rotted so much that it didn’t bring up its roots when it toppled; it simply broke at the surface and fell over.  The hole it left isn’t more than a foot deep.

The falling tree affected two fence posts; one post cracked, but the other, in an impressive display of perseverance, held firm and resisted damage.  But the impact still had its effect: the tree acted as a Sledgehammer of Unusual Size, driving the post two feet further into the ground.

The tree also fell on the power line leading to the barn, snapping it near the barn.

The broken fence post is visible here; the undamaged — but temporarily low-profile — post is on the other side of the tree.