I live out in Eden Prairie. We heard the sirens too. Also one phone alert. Luckily no tornado came. Lots of branches down in the neighborhood but no trees like you had.
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{That’s a lovely home!}
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On the left - where its raining; on the right, where I am
Literally the only place it is raining on the island.
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You’ve been missing a horrendous heat wave in the Chicago area, so I’m not going to feel too sorry for you!
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I learned that “heat wave” in French is “canicule.” From the constellation Canis Major. Same origin as “dog days.”
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TIL that too.
thank you!
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I wouldn’t say ive been missing it 
Heading home this evening, then I’ll see what survived in my garden
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Interesting! Каникула (kanikula) is “vacation” in Russian. The dog days of summer is when most people go on vacation.
(Because the beach is no fun at -40… Fahrenheit or Celsius.)
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I suppose a lasting effect of Peter the Great.
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The Ancient Egyptian New Year began when Sirius once again became visible. The Nile’s yearly flood also generally coincided with Sirius’ reappearance.
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Grew up in Alabama. Never felt any desire to be in touch with 100 degree weather. Air conditioning all the way.
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Same here. I’ve had my share of occasional heatwaves in Mid-Atlantic states, but nothing really prolonged. Two family members just told us they are moving. My aunt is going to Houston, and a niece is going to Phoenix. 
I asked them both to consider ways to keep cool if there’s a power failure, just in case. I still have flashbacks about monsoon season storms in Phoenix during business trips (they were always scheduled in August). 
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I have never been capable of coping with the cold (until the hot flashes began), and could only deal with heavy heat while living in el lay’s Inland Empire. Humidity murders me, but after a couple-three weeks in in S Coliforniyah, I was all, “Oh. Only 90 today? I can wear jeans.”
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You really want me to move to Finland, don’t you?
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The forecast predicted a chance of showers this evening. Instead, we have had 6 hours of steady rain. So humid. When I left the grocery store my glasses fogged-up. Saw a few fireflies, though.
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I like wind, too….
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I got a closer look at the base of the tree, and it wasn’t actually uprooted after all. The trunk was partially hollow near the bottom, and it had just snapped off in the high wind.
The neighbor said that Xcel Energy came by to look and left a note saying that the lines weren’t theirs. So the neighbor called the City who said Yes the lines were Xcel’s…
Ultimately it was Minneapolis Parks and Recreation who came and removed it—or, most of it. They left about eight feet of trunk, leaning at a jaunty angle, presumably for the homeowner to have removed. It looks to me like they took away as much of the trunk as they could manage to reach from their cherry-picker, while avoiding stepping onto private property.
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Probably Ron Swanson’s Minnesota cousin, Jon Swanson.
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