6 feet high and risin'

This was the most water Himself and I had ever seen in the ditch. There is a culvert down in that ditch that carries water under the road and into the lake. Normally the culvert can keep up. We have seen water in there a few times. Once, in early spring, the culvert was frozen and the water backed up -- but it didn't back up this deep! That ditch in the photo is holding about 8 feet of water. I am amazed and shocked at this and simply cannot imagine what people in Iowa City, Cedar Falls and along the Missouri River feel when the water comes up and up and UP, in their homes.

How high's the water, Mama?

It has been a wet spring. No doubt about that. The pond has been full each time we managed to slosh our way into III this year. The tail end of June we managed a day and a night at III but as you can see, the pond is way high. Last week we snagged a few days at Too and on the 4th day it rained. Seven inches. We stayed until the next day and with more rain in the forecast and thunder in the southwest, we hightailed it home only to find there had been eight inches in Creston! Creston has more concrete and less clay so we didn't get muddy or stuck in the mud in Creston. We will sneak down to Too again this weekend. I'm packing. Let's see, umbrella. Check. mud boots. Check. rain coat . . .

KAMAKAZIE LAWNMOWER

The riding lawnmower I purchased from one of Craig's friends for a whopping $250.00 turned out to be a real lemon. It did last about 5 years, but it was a constant battle with the drive belt. Then this spring, it wouldn't even start, although it was the fault of field mice that built a huge nest inside the engine. I spent an entire day dis-assembling the mower, stripping down all the covers so I could get the nest out. Finally, I got it started, and all was well, except for the drive belt, so after mowing all day, and just about being finished, the engine started acting up again. I then decided it had one more chance, and only one. If it quit again for any reason, it was history. It started cutting in and out, so before it quit altogether, I decided I was going to drive it into the big ravine about 25 yards from the cabin. I put it in high gear, opened the throttle, aimed for the ravine, and prepared myself to eject when the mower went over. No such luck. It died about 2 feet from the ravine. So after a few choice words, I decided to take some of the new parts I had installed from the mower. Just then I hear the nastiest words I have ever heard from herself, cursing that damm mower. I then realized that sounded just like what I had said, and just had to laugh. We both laughed, left the mower sitting, and went back to the cabin.
boi

Volunteers and No Shows

Last summer, you may recall, I babied some cherry tomatoes along and let them go to seed so that I would have volunteer tomatoes come this summer. If your memory fails you and you want to see a picture of the little cherry beauties and the cage I constructed to keep deer and bear out, go here (I make these links only because it is fun and because I can!)

This year, there is not one single volunteer tomato at III. Not one! Not fair!

However, probably to appease me, the Larkspur has volunteered and was in good bloom this last trip to III. Isn't this a pretty view of the cabin?

Flood Stage on Sandy Creek

We had no idea. I joked earlier in here about high water at III. We had heard about all the rain in Missouri and knew that the rain in south central Iowa would end up in Missouri but we didn't realize nor even begin to imagine the amount of water that tore down the little creek that is our easterly border.

We rode the River Trail Saturday, putting up the new signs. When we got to the eastern most point of our trail, we were both shocked. Near as we could tell, about 10-15' of our property had been washed away. The flooding river took the bank, the fence and 2 or three 75' trees. We just sat there with our mouths hanging open, trying to take it all in. Our 4-wheeler trail now is just a few feet from the edge of the river bank -- with a 15 or 20' drop. That river bank and fence was still here just 3 weeks ago when we plowed in and rode the trails.

Looking across the river bed, we could see the grass just laid flat from the force of the water. It is hard to guess but the water must have been up 15-20 feet. Large trees on the other bank were also washed down. I was angry in a way. I knew there was no way to argue with Mother Nature. What is done, is done. But I yelled, anyway, "give them back! Give back those trees! and I should have just saved my breath.

There's some good logging down there in Sandy Creek if only we had a way to get those great trees up and out of there.

Trail signs

Son's family gifted Himself with more trail signs this past Christmas. As you all have probably heard us whining this Spring that we haven't been! we haven't gone! it is raining again! the lane is pure mud! you might then understand that just this past weekend we finally got most of the signs put up.

And isn't this fun! Three signs at one intersection.

The signs will be so helpful for visitors out on the four wheeler and helpful for grandchildren when they are old enough to run the trails themself. Okay. Who am I kidding, it is helpful to me! As I don't drive the 4-wheeler a lot, when I do I sometimes get misplaced. Okay, Okay. Sometimes I get lost as to where I am in the scheme of things. These signs help me and they look pretty cool too! Thanks, Craig and Traci!

the order of things

This is the right and proper way that a project should be accomplished.























The man of the house (cabin) should read the instructions . . .

then he should figure out how the instructions are wrong and make corrections so that the finished project is right on . . .

then turn it over to his wife to go out and enjoy!

Thank you, sir!

Thank you, children, for the great Christmas gift!

I will be using it often.