A Drive To White River and Guion

Eleven and a quarter inches of rain fell At The Farm in less than three days.  The valley was roaring. I did not get pictures.  I haven't checked for water damage away from the house.  I do know where the grass was gone, the top soil is too.  We were lucky.  The water falls almost as quickly as it rises.

That water is finding it's way to White River and on down the line to the Mississippi.  It was some serious rain.  Places not far from us had road closings and I'm sure when the water goes down there will  be damage. The good news I've heard of no one in our immediate area hurt by this monster rain.

Today we drove to the Guion Arkansas where Hubby grew up and where we lived for a while as a young married couple.  The waters are receding but are a long way from be normal.

My heart goes out to those down steam as the tributaries add to the volume along the way.

I will let the pictures tell the story.

May all life be safe down stream.

How High's The Water, Marcy? or Water World

At three AM this morning it was pretty darn high.  I could see only with the lightning.  Marcy's house and ours were islands.  We were grateful there was no bad storms with it.

After the water receded

in Marcy's yard

five hours after the peak

I'm glad it was dark.

This is the "dry ditch" beside Marcy's house.  You can tell from the grass it was much higher.  I tried to take pictures in the dark...doesn't work.

This was all running water before daylight.  Yep, that's a lawn chair.  The water almost reached our house and did flow strongly around Marcy's.  Much like another storm two years ago only more rain this time.

We are safe.  The ponds are full.  Some roads are gone and much land has washed down the creek. The work waiting is overwhelming to even think about so like Scarlett O'Hara, I will think about it tomorrow.

Chaos Rains

and chaos reigns.

We were the lucky ones.  Seven total inches of rain with hail and wind.  The garden was under water. Water gates moved down the creek along with a few flower pots from Marcy's yard but we were all safe. Erosion was our worst problem.  The waters receded almost as quickly as it rose.  We are on high ground.  If it had been daylight I would've been rubber booting.

Vilonia and Mayflower Arkansas were not so lucky.  Several states had tornadoes last night.  The season has begun.

Driving out this morning the water had receded along with our road

This was part of our road.

Ponds were over flowing.

There were ponds where no ponds had gone before.

Where was I going? you ask...

Toni helped haul two loads from his storage to go into the family shop to sell.  Soon, we hope, someone will love his old stuff and take it home with them...and then he can get more stuff!

Stopped at the traffic light on Norfork Dam Toni got out to check on me and my full pickup.  The load in the truck was riding very well.

We had followed a semi-truck out of Mountain Home.  He was driving so slow traffic was backed up for a ways.  We had just passed the Dam Bait Shop (I'm not swearing.  That is the name!  I would like to answer their phone, "This is the Dam Bait Shop.  What the hell do you want?").  We were headed up the Dam hill and I knew that truck could not pull it.  Slowing down it stopped completely.  I thought student driver but it was certainly someone who did not know what he/she was doing.  The truck stalled.  We have traffic backed up as far as I can see.  The truck's back up lights came on!!!  I look behind me.  Toni is right there. I can't back up and the truck keeps rolling backwards!

I look up the Dam hill (I enjoy saying that entirely too much) and there is no oncoming traffic.  I cut the wheels sharply and shot out into the opposite lane and flew around the truck.  The whole line followed me. As far as I know the truck may still be there.

We reached the shop safely and unloaded Toni's stuff.  We were good packers.  Every nook and cranny in both vehicles was packed to the gills.

Driving home I noticed the skies were clear and the neighbors cattle were celebrating with new green grass. I wonder what I will do tomorrow?