Posted on 06/27/2007 2:52:48 PM PDT by Graybeard58
This time last year we were fighting wildfires, my county declared a disaster area then because of drought, a disaster area now because of floods this past week.
My fences are gone, terraces damaged, hay and wheat crop ruined.
And I thank God for the rain.
We had nearly 10 inches of rain last night and there’s more expected tonight. The road out of the subdivision was flooded with 12 feet of water this morning so we were hemmed in. It’s tricky, but we can get out at the moment. We’re on relatively high ground so think we’ll be ok as long as they keep the dam gates opened downstream.
Water and helicopter rescues were going on all night. One LE said he saw someone being swept past him and he suspects the worst. Another man drowned but was recusitated and was flown out. A grandmother and grandchild were swept away in a trailerhouse. Buildings were struck by lightening and burned because firemen couldn’t get through the water to them. Payless and Walmart’s windows were busted out from the flooding.
Years and years of free rent and other “entitlements”. Loot everything in sight.
Oh, wait. This isn’t Katrina/New Orleans is it?
Prayers with those affected by this.
We couldn’t get a drop in East Texas last year. This year we already have nearly 38 inches of rain which is about 12 inches more than all of last year. Trees are literally washing out of the ground.
You bring up a good point. Here in Central Texas, we haven’t seen widespread looting, murder and mayhem, gee, what a concept.
Even after football games we never seem to burn things and turn over cars. I don’t know what is wrong with us.
What part of East Texas?
Its been raining for months it seems. Heck its raining now.
Its been raing all week and will for the week to come.
Real Texans are always thankful for rain.
Monsoon season has been much longer this year than is normally the case, but I fully expect a couple of months of hot and dry to even things out a bit.
Are you zotting me?
And I thank God for the rain.
You're a farmer, ain't ya?
Felt the same when the north pecan orchard got flooded back in '89...
It takes a few gray hairs and some living to put this weather in perspective.
About every quarter century we suffer bad drought (Dust Bowl, the mid 50s, that awful summer of 1980, and the past decade 1996-2006). And flooding seems to follow, sort of putting a period to the drought.
The 50s drought ended with all-summer rain in 1957, one of the wettest on record. I think that was the year Lake Texoma filled ahead of expectations.
The summer of 1980 was brutal, that string of 40+ consecutive days over 100 degrees. It abated in September with a 10-inch rain that soaked in, no runoff. But then we had big floods the fall of ‘81, worst in my neck of the woods till last week.
Last year was horrifying. Stock tanks all dry, no grass whatsoever, even the prickly pears shriveled. It was risky just to drive the pickup over parched pasture for fear of starting fire.
And here we are, abundant grass, stock tanks overflowing, nature replenishing the water table and springs, maybe even saving some of the Spring Creek pecan orchard that took such a hit last summer.
Our weather runs in cycles, and all we can do is be thankful for the good years and look for silver linings.
I vowed last summer to never again complain when it rains, and I keep my promises.
Texas author. You'd like it.
Palestine
Elmer Kelton. I suspect he knew me when I was a small child. He lived at my Grandmother’s boarding house for University of Texas students on West 22nd. I was too young to remember him.
Yep, I’ve read it, and Kelton’s seen it.
Gotcha on that one Okie01, love that book. His autobiography is a good read too. Kelton is a true son of the soil, Texas, that is...but my in-laws are S. Central OK and SE OK, hoo-boy, some real folks there too...
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