Storm damage

I've been clearing storm-dumped undergrowth that was a fire hazard and unsightly. Remember they had monster hailstorms which transformed their beautiful river into raging, boulder-tossing torrent? Well, when the water receded it had torn up willows, thrown down branches and clogged every felled tree and plant in thick mud and humus, bound together with brambles. When you first look, it doesn't seem so bad: there's so much greenery, the birds and crickets never let up, and through it all there's the sound of the river and the waterfall. Closer inspection shows the damage, though, and Kath mourns the beautiful glade of roses and willows that disappeared in an afternoon. The signs of regrowth don't quite compensate.