# Tornado!!!!!!!



## Eric Muehlbauer (Sep 19, 2010)

I haven't posted in awhile. That's because Thursday afternoon we were hit by a tornado! Right here in NYC! My area got it the worst- 125mph winds! My house is OK. My decks are destroyed. I have no yard...just trees, trees, and trees! 4 trees came down. I can't move around much, as tree trunks block access to anything. I think my plants are all OK, but there are lots that are unaccounted for, as I can't find them under the mess. I've been repotting the paphs and phrags I can reach...I think all found plants are OK. Epiphytes can stay out of their pots...that's their job in nature. No TV or internet...I'm posting this from Starbucks. When I finally get online I'll post pics.


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## Darin (Sep 19, 2010)

Our prayers are with you Eric that you and yours get back to normal soon. Be thankful that y'all are okay. Stuff can be replaced. People can't.


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## PaphMadMan (Sep 19, 2010)

Just think of all those tree limbs as free orchid mounts. Good luck with the clean-up and finding the unaccounted for plants, at least the ones that haven't been transported to Oz.


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## Clark (Sep 19, 2010)

If you need a hand with clean-up, I'm not out of range.


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## toddybear (Sep 19, 2010)

Oh Eric...my heart goes out to you! My garden was struck by a hurricane a few years ago and I lost my 50 year old tree and lots of garden damage, so I have a little idea what you are going through.


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## Hera (Sep 19, 2010)

Wow, keep your head down! Let us know how it goes with the clean-up.


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## KyushuCalanthe (Sep 19, 2010)

So sorry to hear of that Eric. Bloody hell, a hurricane is one thing, but a tornado in your yard is crazy. I take it your family are fine. Where were you when this was all going down?!


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## cnycharles (Sep 19, 2010)

was wondering if your area got hit; hadn't seen you post for a few days. glad to hear that you are okay and that nothing really important was lost


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## NYEric (Sep 19, 2010)

Yeah, I'll call tomorrow to see if you need help.


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## etex (Sep 19, 2010)

Oh,no!! So sorry to hear about your misfortune. You'll be in our thoughs and prayers!


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## Jorch (Sep 19, 2010)

Oh no! Tornado @ NYC?? That's crazy!!

Hope you get everything back in order ASAP!!


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## SlipperFan (Sep 20, 2010)

I read in the paper that there were 2 tornados in NYC, and am sorry you apparently were in the midst of one. Glad you are OK, and hope you can get everything back to normal soon.

NYEric, what about you???


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## Yoyo_Jo (Sep 20, 2010)

Holy cow, who'd a thunk it. Glad you're all right and best of luck with the clean up. Talk about weirdo weather....


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## JeanLux (Sep 20, 2010)

Too bad!!!! Fortunately your house is ok and nobody got hurt!!!! Jean


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## chrismende (Sep 20, 2010)

Sorry to hear of the tornado damage! I saw some of the news about it, I think, on the Weather Channel - it showed trees down in Brookyn and people unable to get out of their houses!
Weather is such a capricious business! 
Hope you are safe and sound now and that you are able to pull the plant matters back together.


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## SlipperKing (Sep 20, 2010)

Glad to hear family is OK. Hang in there, hard work ahead. Take advantage of these guys offering to help you'll need it. Take lots of pic (for insurance)


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## Shiva (Sep 20, 2010)

Well! If no one is hurt and your orchids have come through the storm in good shape, that's the most important. I hope you have a good memory for plant stickers: which goes with what and so on. And with all the broken limbs in the trees and uprooted trees, you may have more sunlight available from now on. I hope you come out of that mess quickly. Good luck!


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## paphreek (Sep 20, 2010)

It's good to hear you're OK. I hope the next few weeks sunny days and mild temps to give you a chance to clean up before winter.


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## goldenrose (Sep 20, 2010)

:clap::clap: Thank goodness all are safe!!! As much as we hate to loss our orchids, they can be replaced, the humand live's can't. 
Hope they're as few stumbling blocks on the road back to normalcy as possible.


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## Ernie (Sep 20, 2010)

Crazy. Glad you're okay!!!


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## NYEric (Sep 20, 2010)

SlipperFan said:


> NYEric, what about you???


I got caught in one on the way home, a few tractor trailers were blown over 1/2 mile ahead of me on the highway. I dont live near where they touched down.


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## Eric Muehlbauer (Sep 20, 2010)

Back in Starbucks. There were 2 tornados, 1 in Brooklyn, 1 in Northern Queens. Between them was a "microburst" that was much more powerful...125mph winds, the tornadoes were "only" 80mph and 100mph. My area was the one to get the microburst. I was right there when it happened. Between first hearing thunder (and there were no tornado warnings at all as of 15 minutes before the storm) and having the storm arrive was only about 10 minutes. When the thunderstorm hit, I closed my bathroom window, then went downstairs to close the back door. In the 30 seconds it took me to get down to the back, it went from ordinary thunderstorm to windstorm...the wind kept increasing, I shut the door, and saw branches go flying...I ran out of the room as the trees came crashing down...I thought the room would get crushed. Then it was over. The whole thing was less than a minute! Trees are still down...they will get cleared out on Wed. I'm hoping to get cable and internet on Thursday...but I'm doubtful. The telephone pole is down. Oh well...I did want more light in my yard, and I didn't like those trees. So now I have MUCH more light!


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## NYEric (Sep 20, 2010)

Optimist!


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## SlipperFan (Sep 20, 2010)

Well, I'm glad you are both OK. Scary time!


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## NYEric (Sep 21, 2010)

I wasn't scared just excited; until I was suck in traffic and the bridge structure I was on was bouncing up and down!!! Then maybe a little!


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## paphioboy (Sep 21, 2010)

Thank goodness you guys are safe... Sorry to hear about the damage...


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## hardy (Sep 21, 2010)

There was a hurricane in Taiwan last weekend. Lots of damaged and toppled trees in my campus, broken garden landscapes.... But of course that cannot compare to a tornado, since there's no damaged structure nor casualties here.... Hope things get well soon over there!


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## Eric Muehlbauer (Sep 24, 2010)

I'm back! Got my cable back today...although without a telephone pole, its just snaking across my yard. All trees are gone...including the live ones. My yard looks like a moonscape. I got more light, that's for sure. At least the Asian tiger mosquitoes are gone. Lost a lot of paphs...more actually in the clean up than in the storm. Many were damaged just from dehydration, as I couldn't water them. Lots of lost tags...at least they were complex crosses so I don't care...the species I recognize. Most tragic was the loss of my 28 year old insigne, a collected plant that was my hardiest paph. I had 4 divisions....all lost. I could only find one, totally crushed and dehydrated. I'll post pictures when I have the time and patience to deal with image shack.


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## NYEric (Sep 24, 2010)

Sorry to hear about your losses, time to get more plants!


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## Eric Muehlbauer (Sep 25, 2010)

After insurance pays me back! they said the first check is in the mail............


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## rdlsreno (Sep 25, 2010)

That is so bad to hear! I hope every thing goes well.

Ramon


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## JeanLux (Sep 25, 2010)

Too bad loosing your insignes especially  !!! Jean


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## John M (Sep 25, 2010)

How'd I miss this thread!???? Man! I'm so sorry for you Eric. That's a huge disaster. I'm really glad that you are okay and your house survived; but, your yard seems to have been devastated.....and the loss of so many of your Paphs is such a crappy thing to happen. Good luck and take care of yourself so that you stay healthy and have the strength to put in the extra work you've got on your plate right now.


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## cnycharles (Sep 25, 2010)

how much does insurance pay for replacing full-size trees or aren't they that gung-ho? sorry to hear about your plants - maybe the loss of tags for complexes is someone's way of saying that you should grow more species? 
 sorry, probably poor attempt at light humor, glad everyone is okay


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## Eric Muehlbauer (Sep 25, 2010)

Insurance will not cover the lost plants or the damaged (destroyed really) landscaping. Interestingly, they did cover the broken pots. (I had a lot of really nice Chinese pots.) They also covered tree removal and replacement of my damaged decks, roof, siding, and fence. Thanks everyone for your kind thoughts. I was happy to find that I still had a small division of my insigne. Not blooming size, but at least part of its still alive.


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## Lanmark (Sep 25, 2010)

Wow! How traumatic for you!  I hope you will adjust soon and get back on the road to a normal way of life once again. Events like this are never easy to cope with. I'm really glad to hear you were at least able to find a small living division of your treasured insigne.


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## NYEric (Sep 25, 2010)

I have this GIANT vanda that would like the extra light!


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## Eric Muehlbauer (Sep 26, 2010)

Gee....wonder where you got it?


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## NYEric (Sep 27, 2010)

I have a lot of receipts for plants if you need! :ninja:


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