The boat

That boat looks like it is in trouble, doesn't it? The waves seem pretty intense and the sky looks threatening. There is a hint of high waves tearing at it if you look close. That boat is in trouble.

Or is it? Actually, that's a tractor in a farm field Southwest of Lincoln and the waves are a couple of small hills covered in soybeans. I took this shot in the middle of a thunderstorm. The wind was howling and I was in the worst spot a storm spotter could be. I was at a point where I was going to take the brunt of this storm--wind, rain, hail, lightning, and maybe a tornado.

In order to get the shot, I had to roll down the window for my trusty Nikon. I snapped a few shots, including this one which showed up on CNN, and pulled the camera back in and tried to roll up the window. The key word is "tried." It would not come up and just about then, hail started to come out of the sky-not from up above but from right to left and I was left. The stones were quarter to golf ball size and they were coming through the open window like practice shots at the flag from Tiger Woods. I just covered my head and took the beating. Soon it was all over and the storm passed. No tornado. Lot's of hail. Damaged fields. And a pretty good picture for the price of a few head dents.

After all, this is Nebraska and no place for the weather faint-of-heart.