Awe, you've got thunderstorms! My aunt is in Kansas and she talks of the thunderstorms. They sound fabulous. 

That is really something I've always wanted to do, what your dad has managed. To get the timing down for the blooms is a real feat! But the loss of a tree, as well? :( So very sad. I've a lot of hemlock and cedar on the property, but year before last, lost one of my old birch back on the back portion of the pasture. It was really sad. I hate losing trees. I much prefer to plant them! :) Keep trying to put a willow in down where my stream is, but I'm cheap and just keep sticking willow sticks in the ground in hopes that they'll find a good pocket of water and keep on going. No such luck just yet! Also have tried the past three years to set in an American Chestnut. We gather the nuts from a park about seventy miles away and bring them back and try and get them germinating. I will be all happy when I finally get some of them growing here.