hailstones the size of mice

This is the rather tragic, if colourful, aftermath of a bizarre sudden hailstorm that hit us this afternoon, completely out of the blue.

I've never seen anything like it! It was incredible, standing at the window, watching it bouncing off the rooftops.

It was so loud, we could barely talk inside the house, and had to watch, marvelling, as the hailstones battered the strawberry plants, punctured holes in the rhubarb leaves, and ripped the lilac blossoms from the tree.

And then, just as suddenly, it stopped, and the sun came back out, and it seemed as good an excuse as any to don my wellies and get outside to see the damage.

I wasn't the only one taking photos (although I was the only one dressed in bright yellow wellies, bright green skirt, sparkly blue cardi, and a red polka dot scarf - a ludicrous combination that was commented on by a fellow photographer, and I'm convinced he got a sneaky picture of me as I was walking along...)

Strangely enough, I feel a lot more lively after the storm. I think thunder and lightning does that to you sometimes (when it's not scaring you so much that you have to hide under a blanket, that is). I spent much of the day before that lying in the sunshine on the living room floor, and eating cakes at the Women's Institute, so a little bit of energy was welcomed.

I used it wisely - to make chocolate cornflake nests, with chocolate eggs, and little furry chicks perched on the top, of course.

But then it went dark before I could take pictures, so you'll have to wait til tomorrow for that delightful treat (if any of them last that long, that is...)