Old Boy (my Great Blue Heron friend) usually sits in the “driftwood tree” farther out in the lake. Remember?
These days he’s roosting elsewhere and I can’t blame him.
The tips of the branches you see in the photo below are the top of that tree after two weeks’ worth of rain… with another weeks’ worth of thunderstorms in the forecast.
That’s a lot of water!
(Or, as they say around here: a “Lotawatah.”)
There’s a road by that name not far from here — for good reason.
This photo is more “brown” than “blue” but you get the idea…
A neighbor called to check on the flooding by his cabin. (This is the photo I sent in reply.) Somehow it reminded me of Johnny Cash’s song, “Five Feet High and Rising.”
How high is the water, Mama? Two feet high and risin’… three feet high and risin’… four feet high and risin’ — and on it goes. Whether or not you’re a Johnny Cash fan, The Man In Black wrote real-life lyrics (even though his song pertained to flooding in next-door Arkansas at the time.) Yup… that’s our “real life” at present.
According to the Army Corp of Engineers — the efficient folks letting out the deluge day by day at the dam 15 miles east of here (yes, our lake is THAT big!) — Lake Eufaula is hovering around 598 feet… 13 feet above “normal.”
Generally there’s a 15 foot “drop” between the lake and our “lakeshore”
It’s comforting to know that the ol’ Lightning Tree has witnessed this before — and oh, how I love looking at things from a tree’s perspective! There’s less chaos and more calm about the rising water level when witnessed by a stalwart soul — merely a phenomenon to note (despite the waves crashing ashore on windy days) — ho hum, been there, done that. Que Sera Sera.
Thankfully we live farther up “the hill” and are safe and well, other than the occasional water moccasin (aka poisonous “cotton mouth” snake) in search of a place to sun themselves. Can’t blame them either! Their habitat is in more danger than ours.
Please pray for our friends and neighbors (vertebrates and invertebrates alike) living in the low-lying areas. We may be treading carefully these days, but at least we aren’t treading water!
Enjoying “life on the lake” in spite of things,
~ Kim
Oh my, KIm. Glad you are on higher ground. Too bad you can’t send a bit of that to the thirsty folks in California. Prayers for those in need and always for you. Sending love to all, Jeanne
Thank you, Jeanne… was just about to sign off for the weekend and contemplate smashed fingerling potatoes. ;) Truly wish there was a way to “share” all of this water!
Those are wonderful shots Kim and yes it does look like a lottawatah! I was also thinking of how frustrating it is to have so much water in some areas & then other areas being so dry. They do say that water is going to be the biggest crisis rather than oil.
You know, I get the heeebeee jeeebeeez just looking at these photos b/c I don’t want you and R to have any more issues…you’ve had ENOUGH for a lifetime! While it’s beautiful, it can be skkeeeerrreee! I can feel the warmth of the sun and breeze…just gorgeous photos, luv! xoxo
Loved the before and after pictures of the tree, Kim. That makes it really easy to realize just how high the water really is at your area. Glad y’all are up higher !
I love how you personify the tree as this old, wise creature who has seen the before and after :D
Lovely shots!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
That sure is a lot of water. What a shame you can’t ship it to CA where I here they’re in a terrible draught. We’ve had our share of water here too xx
It’s been raining here too but not like that. In Australia it’s either drought or flood and in Queensland where I live it can be both at the same time. (Queensland is more than twice the size of Texas)
Stay dry!
Call it lucky or not, I’ve yet to experience flooding in my life. It may be an adventure for me. Hahaha!
It was raining for 3 days and we nearly had floodings again in Austria. I was looking at your flooded photos in awe and shock. Good you live much higher! What a mess floodings can be.
Gorgeous photos… I’m glad your no too flooded! Liz xx
Things sound terrible in Oklahoma since you posted this. Hope you ok?