Friday, October 9, 2009

If Nothing Else…

I’m really good at employing unusual methods to accomplish the task at hand…

But first I want to thank Robynn from over at Robynn’s Ravings for letting you all know that I’ve been socked in with big thunderstorms that came through. I’ll be sure and return the favor some day… 

rain 10.8.09 001 looking toward the gate This was on the front porch lookin’ out toward the gate yesterday morning during a break in the downpours.

running water from rain I swam out waded out to the gate to take pictures just for you all.  The dogs looked at me like, “You are nuts!”.

chunk floater This rain was what we around here call “a chunk floater”.  This chunk is about 14 inches long and 1 1/2 inches in diameter.

backyard 10.08.09 This was looking out the bathroom window over part of the backyard to the propane tank.

looking north toward the goat shed And north towards the little barn and the goat shed.

the road And looking south down our country road.When Bro and I got back yesterday evening about 6 p.m. I remembered to check the rain gauge. 

rain 10.8.09 016 We had almost 4 inches at that time.  The rumbling, grumbling thunder started up again about 7 p.m. and started pouring down again.  Until after 11 p.m.

When I got up this morning it wasn’t raining, but grey and heavy clouds.  I hustled around and loaded up my pickup again and I hossed the washer and dryer that we had in one of the little barns onto the trailer and Bro and I headed to town and got that load off.  When we got back to the plantation I remembered to check the rain gauge.

rain gauge 10.09.09 003 Let’s look at it from another angle…

rain gauge 10.09.09 004 Yep, that gauge is lipping full.  Almost 51/2 inches in the last 24 hours. So now you know why I couldn’t even catch one second, much less one minute of internet time.

The falling on the knee again?  About 10:30 p.m. Carol said did you hear the weatherman saying we could get to 35 F. tonite?  Nope, didn’t hear it…  Well, says she, you’d better get the plants in off the porch… So I told Bro if you will stand at the door I’ll hand them in to you and we both won’t have to get wet.  So I would step out on the deck, grab a plant or two, pour the excess water off them and stepped in and handed them to Bro, turned and went back out and grabbed more and repeated the process. Some of our plants are large and heavy and I  was tiring out and trying to hurry because I was getting wet. I stepped out, barefoot, and hit wet deck just right, did a whoopti – into a single legged split… bunged my big toe, knocked of my rhinestone off my toe nail  and then landed on THE knee… but I didn’t hit nearly as hard as last time and my toe is sorer than my knee… Thank goodness. So you don’t need to worry about any bones.

And the reference to my Ethiopian Ingenuity… Found this photo while looking for THERE photos ---emergency belt Yep, that’s a bungee strap.  I was running errands and got tired of hikin’ my drawers up and all I had in my pick up was a bungee cord.  It worked.

emergency belt 2 Need I say more?

I’ll get back to Bartlesville (THERE) on the next post.

20 comments:

Robynn's Ravings said...

Helen! You mean you were tellin' me the TRUTH?! Wowee!! You don't need a truck - you need a schooner! Glad I got off the plane in Winslow, Arizona and hitched a ride back to California with a girl, my lord, in a flat bed Ford slowing down to try and run over me.

It was my pleasure and I got to meet some of your sweet friends. You and I talk on the phone like old friends. We're about as comfortable as two OLD shoes. Love YA!!

Twisted Fencepost said...

Boy, you have really had a chunk floater down there. I call them gully washers.
You gotta slow down before you really hurt something!
We've had 3" of rain so far. And more on the way.

Cindy said...

Water, water, everywhere!

Be careful!

Brenda S Okie in Colorado said...

Oh Dear Helen. It seems when we hurt our knees, we can't stop falling. After my knee replacement, I have fallen so many times and each time on the bad knee. Be careful. That is some rain storm. Thank goodness you aren't here right now. Snowing and 18 degrees. And, to add to Robynn's comment...Take it eeeeeezay!

farmlady said...

I don't usually say this because we have way too many people moving into California but YOU SHOULD MOVE TO CALIFORNIA.
Now I know why my dad's family left Enid and came to southern California. What with the dust storms, tornados,thunder and lightning, rain and red dirt you guys are living in a midwestern weather funnel back there.
You need to get you some California Sunshine.
Take it easy on that poor old knee. You only have two of them.

hetty said...

That's a lot of water! Sorry to hear about your fall. You gotta look out for yourself! I bet knocking that rhinestone off your big toe really hurt! Did the temperature actually go down to 35F? We had rain all day yesterday. I have no idea how much, but it started to come into my solarium! And on Monday I'd better have all my plants inside because the temperature is going down to -1C, that's around 30F.

hetty said...

Ah, geez! Did I comment on your 'belt'? No! I woke up in the middle of the night and thought, "Darn, I forgot to comment on Helen's belt". So...... clever use for a bungee cord!

Reddirt Woman said...

Robynn I wouldn't lie about something so serious as getting you to guest post. And I love you for doing that for me and so many other things like getting off the plane in Winslow Arizona.... you are too much fun for one person!

Becky you are right... it ended up being a gully washer. Do you all have toad stranglers out your way? That's the next stage after gully washers...

Yep, Cindy, and I hate when it's deep enough to get over my shoe tops... you never know out here where the excess water is coming from...

Hey Bren...I heard it was snowing up your way. Big juicy flakes. But not stickin' yet to speak of...

Connie when I was growing up we had an aunt, uncle and cousins that lived in Santa Monica. I loved going to visit them but if I moved to California I'd want to live in the foothills... and I really am trying to take it easy. I don't bounce as good as I usta' did...

Hetty it is a lot of water in a 24 hour span for us. Of course there was the street flooding on some streets around, bu every one knows which roads to avoid. And no, dadgum it, the temp only went down to about 50 F. So I did the semi-splits and rhinestone losing whoopdi for nada...zilch...nothing. And thank you for noticing my belt. I thought it was clever for a quick fix, but I'm sorry it woke you up in the night. Oh and losing the rhinestone didn't hurt. It was on top of my nail... it just hurt when I realized it was gone. I have gotten kinda used to looking at my feet and seeing a sparkle.

Reddirt Woman said...

Oh, and FYI it is 41 f. (5 c.) here at 9 in the morning and wonderful gorgeous sunshine.

Thank You, LORD!!!!

Katidids said...

Wow! we had 4 inches, roads washed away etc. what a mess. Clean up is longer than the storm! Take care of that toe & Knee!

Debbie said...

ROFL..the bungee cord!

Now, composing myself, I am so sorry about the um, excess water you are having. That's one heck of a mud puddle ya got there! Been there and done that.

I'm hoping you have lots of sunshine today!!

Tina said...

you should change your name to red-pond woman after that storm!

Tina

Lonicera said...

I like Tina's remark! I wonder how long it will take for all that water to soak away... Hope you're drying out.
Caroline

Laura ~Peach~ said...

i have a john boat in the back it looks like you might need it!
HUGS!

Reddirt Woman said...

Kate, the road coming in and going out to the blacktop didn't wash out but it sure gave new meaning to the song that I sing when I come in or drive out, "Tip toe through the pot holes, through the pot holes of life..."

Tina that is so true... I have a red dirt shirt that was actually dyed with the red dirt water. Someone thought of that idea and sells them. If you remember my post about a certain SueSue jumping on my ivory colored sheets and I have paw prints on my sheeets now. Indelible.

Caroline our soil around here is somewhat sandy and though it was only Friday when I took the photos of the rain gauge, yesterday was sunny and it got up to about 70F. and no rain today I can walk out front and not sink into the mud. It dries out pretty quick unless we have had several days or weeks of inclimate weather.

Peach a john boat would sure come in handy and I appreciate the offer but I think I want to try for one of the air boats like they use in the swamps...

Aleta said...

Woah! That's some red dirt turned river. Wow. And 35 degrees? Yikes! What weather. We're getting the rain off and on, but no cold and nothing like that type of flooding. Hope it gets better for you quickly! I liked the pictures though, gave a real good feel for what's going on over there!

DocSly said...

I am glad you can swim. Hope all is well with you.

Roslyn said...

Lord have mercy I missed a heap of fun stuff while I was off retreating with my quilting bunch! So you couldn't stay out of trouble while I was gone missy, & now you have more bruises & bumps I guess it was resisting arrest,LOL?
Maybe that is the same big storm system that's headed to Farmlady's place?
OMG you are too much, the belt cracked me up!

Unknown said...

You come by your name "Red Dirt" Because add water and you have "Red Mud"... LOL

The Wife said...

Look at that red dirt. I remember that dirt. Lived in OK for a little while back in the day. I'm tired of the rain. We need some drying out.