Storm Update
These last 2 days have just been nuts. From Friday at 8 am to Saturday at 8 am we received 6.8 inches of rain! IT WAS POURING!!!
We have been keeping an eye on the Russian River (the river that runs through our area) with increasing anxiety, awe and wonder. The "watch" stage is when it hits 15 feet, flood stage is 19 feet. At 7 am on Saturday morning it was at 21.5 feet and rising.
We needed to go to town early Saturday to check on the restaurant, and then decided to take a drive down Eastside Road to look at the accumulated/sitting water. This is what we saw. (You can enlarge the pictures by left-clicking on top of the picture)
When we got home, the winds were whipping up the tarp on the chicken enclosure, the cover on the truck canopy was ripping at its grommets, and the metal roof of the chicken coop was lifting up like a sail. Just at the peek of all this wind, Jeff and I heard a cracking noise...and when I came back in the house, the power was OUT. Farmer Jeff had to go to work and I just went back to bed to both stay warm and read. I ended up falling asleep for 2 hours and then got up and read some more!
At about noon the river crested at 23 feet. I guess there were folks that were evacuated in Healdsburg...and that made it to national news. We hadn't even heard about it until my dad called to ask us about it. I told him that our area was fine and there was no flooding, just lots of wind and no power!
Farmer/Chef Jeff and I had a party to cater last night for 20 and so off we went. It went really well, but we didn't get home until 1 am...at which point we reviewed the highs and lows of 2005. Some of the high points: getting the chickens, the arrival of the kittens and starting my blog site. Low points: a big change at my work, how hard a time Farmer Jeff had at work, and finally, the passing of several dear friends and a beloved cousin that was like a second mother to me...and the losses of our dear pets, Dahlia, the young chickens, Porky, Grace and Jasper.
We still didn't have power when we got up, so...we puttered around the house, all bundled up, and fixed a big breakfast of bacon, eggs and toast, all of which we could still prepare on our gas stove. It is so weird to be without heat, water, electricity for lights, shower, toilets that you don't need to refill manually, and my computer, along with other modern conveniences like the refrigerator! We called up friends and were able to go and use their shower...and then trundled off to 3 parties. The first party was in the area and after we left there, we drove by the house and saw that the lights were on!!! HOORAY!!!
While on the way home from our first party (up the hill from our house) we were able to see what our creek looks like before it gets to us!
We came home from the last party to a heated house, cold refrigerator, lights and electricity, flushing toilets, a functioning answering machine, and wet dogs. You see, we had a break in the rain yesterday from morning to night, but then it started raining with a vengeance again today. Roads in the area are still flooded. I have no idea exactly how I will get to work tomorrow as the little town in which I work has been flooding. Oh well...they will just have to understand if I am late!
The rains have started up again in poor Guerneville but they aren't over head YET. There is yet another flood watch on the Russian River in Healdsburg. Right now the river is at 17.3 feet and is due to go over tomorrow morning, again. The rains aren't over yet...I have no idea what this winter holds for us but I do know this, we are going to buy a generator this week!!!
We have been keeping an eye on the Russian River (the river that runs through our area) with increasing anxiety, awe and wonder. The "watch" stage is when it hits 15 feet, flood stage is 19 feet. At 7 am on Saturday morning it was at 21.5 feet and rising.
We needed to go to town early Saturday to check on the restaurant, and then decided to take a drive down Eastside Road to look at the accumulated/sitting water. This is what we saw. (You can enlarge the pictures by left-clicking on top of the picture)
When we got home, the winds were whipping up the tarp on the chicken enclosure, the cover on the truck canopy was ripping at its grommets, and the metal roof of the chicken coop was lifting up like a sail. Just at the peek of all this wind, Jeff and I heard a cracking noise...and when I came back in the house, the power was OUT. Farmer Jeff had to go to work and I just went back to bed to both stay warm and read. I ended up falling asleep for 2 hours and then got up and read some more!
At about noon the river crested at 23 feet. I guess there were folks that were evacuated in Healdsburg...and that made it to national news. We hadn't even heard about it until my dad called to ask us about it. I told him that our area was fine and there was no flooding, just lots of wind and no power!
Farmer/Chef Jeff and I had a party to cater last night for 20 and so off we went. It went really well, but we didn't get home until 1 am...at which point we reviewed the highs and lows of 2005. Some of the high points: getting the chickens, the arrival of the kittens and starting my blog site. Low points: a big change at my work, how hard a time Farmer Jeff had at work, and finally, the passing of several dear friends and a beloved cousin that was like a second mother to me...and the losses of our dear pets, Dahlia, the young chickens, Porky, Grace and Jasper.
We still didn't have power when we got up, so...we puttered around the house, all bundled up, and fixed a big breakfast of bacon, eggs and toast, all of which we could still prepare on our gas stove. It is so weird to be without heat, water, electricity for lights, shower, toilets that you don't need to refill manually, and my computer, along with other modern conveniences like the refrigerator! We called up friends and were able to go and use their shower...and then trundled off to 3 parties. The first party was in the area and after we left there, we drove by the house and saw that the lights were on!!! HOORAY!!!
While on the way home from our first party (up the hill from our house) we were able to see what our creek looks like before it gets to us!
We came home from the last party to a heated house, cold refrigerator, lights and electricity, flushing toilets, a functioning answering machine, and wet dogs. You see, we had a break in the rain yesterday from morning to night, but then it started raining with a vengeance again today. Roads in the area are still flooded. I have no idea exactly how I will get to work tomorrow as the little town in which I work has been flooding. Oh well...they will just have to understand if I am late!
The rains have started up again in poor Guerneville but they aren't over head YET. There is yet another flood watch on the Russian River in Healdsburg. Right now the river is at 17.3 feet and is due to go over tomorrow morning, again. The rains aren't over yet...I have no idea what this winter holds for us but I do know this, we are going to buy a generator this week!!!
posted by Chicken Mama at 9:41 PM
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