A storm dubbed "Storm of the decade" plowed through California on January 4, 2008.  While we watched, many accidents, fallen trees and rising creeks disrupted lives throughout the area, but thankfully no deaths were reported.

The City of Trees lost many and a few of these were in the Historic City Cemetery.  A small window of good weather on Saturday permitted a preliminary assessment of damage in the Cemetery and to roses in the Historic Rose Garden

        This Italian Cypress fell BETWEEN headstones!

Buff Beauty nearly hidden behind a fallen elm limb.

Buff Beauty from nearly the same spot, taken in April, 2007.  Fortunately, most canes survived.

Italian Cypress in the Cemetery's Center Run.  When it fell, it threaded through several  headstones

Hard to believe that these fragile headstones were not destroyed when the Cypress fell.

Photo showing damage to a surround when the Cypress fell.

Note the piece of the iron fence still in the Cypress tree!

This tree in the Pioneer Plot was snapped off at the base.

Close up photo of the stump showing how the tree twisted in the wind before breaking.

Barbara checks out a large elm limb that fell across a plot, knocking down one headstone but missing others.  No damage!

A close examination shows the limb's weakness - honey bees had found a home here.

Much of the Cemetery looked like this area around the Mark Hopkins mausoleum - just lots of debris.

Middle-aged trees seemed to fare best - like this magnolia, they may have lost limbs, but didn't get uprooted like some younger and older trees.

Most memorial stones like these on the plot of Maria Rupp survived, though a pile of debris covers the roadway behind the plot.

Anita assesses damage to two roses covered by an elm tree limb.  We've got our work cut out for us. 

(NOTE: the headstones behind her were broken prior to the storm.)