Bruce's Picks for Pics

A post from Bruce. A brief run down of the last six days, followed by his favorite flood photos.

Saturday and Sunday we got 10 inches of rain each day. We were at ground zero for one of four counties considered federal disaster areas. I drove back from camping on Saturday right in the middle of the storm. Power went dead Saturday afternoon.

Monday: We had no power, no water, no phone service, and our cell tower was knocked out. Spent most of the morning inspecting damage and mopping up seepage around the foundation. Fortunately, the dams the ladies and I built with cinder blocks and shovels of dirt during the storm sufficed to direct water away from the house. Checked on the neighbors. Heard about nearby tornadoes (2 miles from here). Bathed in my boxers in the creek. Tried to figure out how to communicate or travel to the outside world and get some news. I was able to retrieve cell phone messages only by driving on a neighbors’ property to the top of his ridge about a half mile away and holding my tongue just right. Neighbors from all around came and parked there to chat on the phone. Wouldn’t you know my car charger chose this moment to start smoking unexpectedly. Our only road out road was washed out with only ATV access to any adjoining roads. The chasm separating us from mainland was about eight feet wide and six feet deep. Other roads nearby were decimated. Most local businesses closed and gas was rationed. Water in town was tainted. No power across 90% of the area. The power station was under water.

Grilled chicken and made scrambled eggs in the fireplace. All our camping fuel, and propane was gone. Big Duh. Put buckets outside to collect water to use in toilets. Only three gallons of drinking water available for us. Plenty of eggs and chicken.

Tuesday: Neighbor bulldozed a truck full of gravel into the chasm. Established communication with outside world. Drove on the roads. Watched rivers of water carry the topsoil of our garden away. Bummer. Spent seven hours getting to the next town to buy a generator and supplies and a burrito. Roads were horrible. Took detours to detours of detours to detours of detours of detours. Got back after dark. Spent the evening at the neighbors roasting marshmallows over a candle.

Wednesday: Hooked up generator. Got Internet. Life is good again. First hot shower since Friday.

Thursday: Power restored. Phones come back to life.


My Favorite Pics, Day by Day:

Saturday: The so-called chicken "tractor" was being flooded by a stream of water. The ladies attempted to quickly move the chicks out of the way: Also known as a chick flick.

Saturday, Day one, the garden was not looking good. LOTS of water running right down the middle of it. The trickle turns to brook, brook to creek, creek to stream, stream to river.
--Okay, "river" is an exaggeration. But I say it was a "stream" and I'm sticking to it.

A small brook appears running down the middle of our southside fence line.

--Yes, a "brook". Never reached "creek" stage.

Day Two: Below, in the foreground is water running off of our lane into the creek (middle of picture). By this point the two had become one. In the background you can see the lane continuing on the other side. If the van was to cross the creek at this point, the water would have been about 15 inches deep and would have come in the doors. Van could have floated. Dog was placed in the picture for scale.

Same vantage point below, panned back to show our lane running into the creek. Ordinarily we would be driving in the foreground right to left, and turning back to the right and crossing the creek down the lane in the far back right to retrieve our mail.

Day Two: Grilled chicken prepared in the fireplace (don't worry, no chicks were harmed in the preparing of this meal). Also scrambled some eggs (no fetuses were harmed in the preparing of this meal).

We spent basically all day soaked through and through. I changed clothes I think four times. The fireplace was awesome to these chilled ole' bones.

The dike below was developed very creatively and in quick desperation by the ladies in my absence using lawn clippings, shovels of dirt, and a tire. Water was seeping in the basement door jamb. Upon arriving home, I shored things up and redirected the water with some cinder blocks-- making the grass clippings nothing but window dressing and garnish.

We diverted relatively clean water gallons at a time off the roof system. Olivia used it to wash dishes.

Day Three: Perspective on the brook/ creek/ stream running through the yard and garden carrying my precious gardening topsoil away. Dog placed in picture to show scale.

Did I mention we got a little wet? Dog placed in picture to show scale.

Days Three and Four: True to the Tennessee way, we hung clothes wherever we could to dry out. Unlike Washington we only air our 'clean' laundry.

Picture below shows the road near the mailboxes. You could straddle the canyon and still drive down it a little ways.

Going up the road a quarter mile on the way to the Cell Phone Ridge, we encountered this road. This was Plan A to get to the ridge. We chose Plan B. We all practiced using our synonyms for 'canyon', such as 'abyss', 'chasm', 'gap', 'gorge', 'gully', 'rift-in-the-earth's-crust', 'ravine', and my Dad's favorite: 'void'.

While using Plan B to get to Cell Phone Ridge, this was one sight (below). This pipe used to be horizontal, and, oh yeah, under the ground.

This is the former chasm which cut us off from the world:

Notice the water line running down the side of the road where green turns to brown. Despite this, this is one of the prettiest pictures I have ever taken.

Asphalt road near our house approaching the disaster stage. I hope no one goes over this at night. No cones or other safety warnings.


Trailer across the street. Note the debris stuck in the barbed wire fencing.




Water where there should be none. Note the mud up the tree on the right marking how high the water went. Supposedly 40+ feet above flood stage.

Closing photograph. One of the highlights was going to the Lovett's and roasting not only marshmallows over a candle, but everything else in the fridge.

And remember I do not exaggerate.

Jonathan Lovett placed in picture to show scale.