Sometimes my family likes to travel to to get close to nature.  This is a story of how nature took the initiative and got frighteningly close to us.

My 10 year old daughter and I had just returned home from her soccer game on a sunny and calm Sunday afternoon.  As we casually chatted in our kitchen over a mid afternoon snack,  we were suddenly interrupted by a load 'crack' from outside. 

For a split second there was a swirl of leaves as if a hurricane had suddenly sprung up, followed by a tremendous crash that shook the entire house.  As plaster flew across the kitchen, I grabbed my daughter's arm and pulled her out of the room.