Recent flooding reminiscent of days gone by

Oh didn’t it rain, and doesn’t it rain almost every day, and I think everyone has just about had enough around here.

Those poor folk who have had water creeping up to their door steps or in the cellars, those who have had to deal with water in their yards, garages, cellars or in their homes, our hearts go out to them. Some places around us have had volunteers come to their aid to either help fill sand bags or move items from homes when the water invaded. They were certainly welcome a lot.

And, in those places where the storms have brought down trees, wires and even buildings, that help was so appreciated that words can’t express their thankfulness. Here in our local areas we can only say that after viewing TV reports on horrendous storms, we can almost believe we were blessed by only the small debris compared to the scenes we watched in other states as well as our own state. I know that some places surrounding us did have some damage that seemed to be local that was more damaging than other local areas and TV did not acknowledge them.

The storm over the 4th of July weekend was the one here in our area that seemed to be the most devastating. That Sunday as the rain poured down and the waterways seemed to be growing higher, we REALLY started to take notice. When I looked out my kitchen win- dow and to my surprise saw our garden all under water, it was the first time I realized that we were among all the others dealing with f loods. Police and firemen were out helping those in trouble (me included). Two of our one-way streets were shut off, completely inundated. It was the first time I had ever seen that happen. Fortunately in late afternoon, it started to recede and we could again see our plantings, which weren’t too damaged.

This brought up the flood that my parents used to speak of back in the 1920s where we lived now. The water came into the cellar and kept coming up the cellar steps to the first f loor. All kinds of items, including canned ( home) goods were f loating around and when the water went down (I never knew how they got rid of it all) the cellar floor was MUD. Is that what some people are experiencing today? It was then back in the ‘20s when my Dad started putting in a cement floor, which would have been just as muddy but easier to dry out and clean. The poor people of today who have just such a situation as back then, Mother Nature has been wreaking havoc on all of us.

The sand residue left from the flood waters on the part of the lawn at our house has caused problems in mowing and the grass has become doubly thick and higher than the rest of the lawn. In place of one tank of gas it takes two now but that is the least of our worries and problems.

Huge trees that were uprooted have been recycled for firewood for some folks which isn’t a loss for others.

Gardens will come back; they might have set a little back growing and producing and no doubt some were completely lost but neighbors and relatives will help those who had the loss.

Yes, this year has been really a great many hardships for so many and those who lived in the “safe” locations where they weren’t affected can count their blessings and perhaps donate or assist those who weren’t so lucky.

“When I looked out my kitchen window and tomy surprise saw our garden all underwater, it was the first time I realized that we were among all the others dealing with floods.”