Violent storm topples trees

Clifford Alsop cleans up his front yard on Old Plank Road in Orange County, following a storm that downed numerous trees on his property Thursday.   “It hit so fast,” he said, “that I didn’t know what was going on.  I was just sitting there eating my cereal, and it got just as dark as midnight.  It started raining, and it just poured.” / Photos by Dan McFarland

Taking a break from their cleanup efforts, Jackie and Clifford Alsop and dog Buster examine the root ball of one of their downed trees.  Most of their tree damage occurred along a three-quarter mile walking path leading to a small stream on their 14 acre property.   “Our little quietness back there is gone,” Jackie said.