The flood

Just after my last post in late May ... the water came and came and came.
We were in full flood here on the homestead and were scrambling a bit to keep our roads and bridges from washing out.  There were a few pretty exciting days. 

Living remote and off grid means we look after these kinds of things on our own... As David often says; the buck stops here.  Fortunately, our home, greenhouse and outbuildings are on higher ground so no worries there.  That made it a lot easier to enjoy the beauty of our temporary lake and all the excess water … when we weren’t scrambling with tarps and rocks and sandbags.

The poor beavers got flooded out … they had the top floor of their den for a while and then went underwater as well.  They hung about though, like us ~ waiting for the water levels to subside and then to work, looking after any damage, which for us was minimal thankfully and our long tailed buddies are doing fine as well. 

It is a natural occurrence that the hay meadows flood ~ it irrigates the hay and we’re on the migratory route of all sorts of shore birds and geese and ducks.  But it was intense this year.  Lots of flooding throughout the region so we were not alone, that’s for sure. 

Here on the meadow, the extra rain is a real blessing in most respects.  The meadows get an excellent soaking and the edges of the forest where we have lots of big old trees and old willows also got a really good drink ~ the kind of moisture they don’t often get ~ just ahead of our (blessedly short) hot summer.

Some photos

All the water you see here is normally meadow … 

In the forefront of the pic below is where our creek runs ~ it swelled it’s banks right up to the road

View from the crossing that very nearly washed out

Just lots of water…

But no complaints … I know there are lots of places and people on the planet who would give anything for this moisture.

This is the road at the south end of our place … 

 

 A small footbridge we built about 6 years ago.  It hung in alright but also very nearly travelled down the creek.

David’s ingenious answer to saving this road … he and Vince used a huge tarp and laid it across the road where the creek was washing over it, weighted it with large rocks and it worked like a charm.

and so much beauty amidst all the excitement … 

We are blessed, and ever thankful.