NOAH?

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Last night the rain began around 10 pm and stopped around 6 o’clock this morning.  Rick and I looked outside at the rain gauge and could not find the red marker that indicates the amount of rainfall. Upon closer investigation the marker was up to the top and water was flowing over.  We received more then six inches of rain in less then six hours. Our pond is full, higher then I have ever seen before.

The bridge is raised up and aver. Notice the trees and
debris clogging the culvert on the right side of the bridge.

The force of so much rain in such a short period of time left areas familiar to me unrecognizable. Rick and I took a three hour tour on the four wheeler and surveyed the damage surrounding our farm.  Roads were been completely washed away.  Bridges were destroyed, and more incredibly, moved and raised several inches.  Farmer’s fields were underwater. We fear more rain could wash out the last road we have to get in or out of our area.  Our pond could over flow and wash away its berm. The NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) website shows more rain headed our way over the next few days.

Monday June 20, 2011

Rick in the 4- wheeler crossing
a washed out area of our road.

I heard on the radio this morning a list of the roads that are impassable.  All of the roads are in our township and the immediate surrounding area.  It was slow going out of our little back woods but I made it.  We experienced a few hard down pours during the day but nothing like Saturday night.  It was mostly overcast.

Tuesday June 21, 2011
 By evening last night the clouds were rolling in again and sometime after midnight it began to storm.  Lightening lit up the bedroom and thunder sent the dogs to the windowless bathroom down the hall.  The gauge shows 1 ½ more inches of rain.  The road I have been traveling to get to the highway is even more washed out with trenches twelve inches wide and deep.  Any more rain and I will begin to worry.  Rick tells me there is a tornado watch and NOAA reports conditions are such that it is difficult to predict exact areas at higher risk. 

The water wash this
road completely away.

Before dinner I took the dogs for a walk to see if any work had been done on Rag Hallow Road.  A small area had been graded but my guess is that the township or county is going to bring in some heavy equipment, rock and gravel to re-establish the road. And with the prediction of more rain, it would make sense to wait.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

I woke to the sound of rain on the window. I pulled the fan out and closed the windows on the east side of the house. Luckily, it is not a torrential down pour.  NOAA is stating there is an 80 percent chance of thunderstorms through tomorrow night.

Last fall we placed a fallen tree at the edge of the pond.  I had read that this simple act will help attract birds and turtles and other creatures. And it did…as I have written before, we have had several pairs of mallard and wood ducks. This tree is now floating in the middle of the pond.

As I look out to the rain gauge this morning I see the garden is over grown.  The vegetables and berries are growing well but so are the weeds. I guess that is how my week end will be spent: weeding.

I can't imagine this corn is salvagable.

As I reflect on the weather and the amount of time Rick and I have spent watching, talking and trying to predict what will happen next, I realize I never did this before moving to the country. When I lived in the suburbs, I watched for tornadoes when the conditions where right. I was concerned about lightening if the girls had a softball game. And I needed to be aware of snow storms to see where and if I was going to see my patients.  But I realize the relationship I have with Mother Nature is so much more intimate now. Our very well being is directly related to the temperature, wind and storms.  When Rick and I went out to survey the damage, we notice we are not the only ones. On Sunday many people were out on their tractors, 4 wheelers and trucks. Some of us needed to know how we might get out of the valley; some people were checking their fences or cattle and some were assessing the damage to their crops.  We all stopped to share a few words of encouragement and awe. They say we get these kinds of rains every 100 years. We have had three in the last five.

NOAA?  NOAH?