OUT OF THE MOUTH OF ...

I haven't moved for a long, long time. In my youth I lived across the Mississippi on an apple orchard in La Crescent, Minnesota and when my owners moved, they moved me with them. I really don't even know how old I am.  

One week ago my life may have changed forever. You see I had hung around on this same lane for over 40 years with views of a pond where loons, turtles, ducks, muskrat, beaver and many others have visited/lived.  In fact, we usually have a couple of sand hill cranes hanging around nearby. The pond, fed by a spring in the adjacent hillside, has been plugged up by some aggressive beaver so it remains pretty stagnant. Next to me sits a small bridge over Coon Creek known for its good trout fishing. Many a fisherman have thrown a line in enjoying shade from trees lining its banks. It is Coon Creek who is really the main character in this story as I'm just the narrator. 

My job has always just been to hold my owner's mail. I am now dented, rusty with a fading rainbow on my side, a large old country mailbox whose life's usually pretty serene.

I have had a couple of float trips before last week as Coon Creek to my east across the lane jumped her banks and has removed me twice before. In 2007 after 14 inches of rain my owners thought I was gone for good and replaced me with a smaller shiny black version. (You know they don't make them like they used to)... only to put me back on a new perch after the neighbor discovered me down stream. 



The new mailbox became a planter. 


Then nine months later, a 100 yr flood and Coon Creek moved me again. Once again I was returned to my owners and sat on another perch until a week ago a flash flood ripped me up with such fury, I'm not sure if I will be found this time. The water came higher and faster than it ever has before stretching all the way from one hillside to the opposite. I've heard tell that other mailbox who replaced me was herself yanked out this past Monday. I may have even seen her floating by with the neighbor's mailbox this time, that two timer. 

The neighborhood just doesn't look the same after two flash floods in a week. AND they say there is no such thing as climate change. Coon Creek doesn't even recognize herself being a half mile wide with a crazy crash diet shrinking back to her original size in 24 hours. 

This time my poor owners are stuck thanks to Coon Creek coming up higher with almost 2 feet of rushing water over the end of their driveway. Here's a visual so you can see where it normally hits the black top. Yep, this time she left a gaping 3 ft hole that no vehicle can circumvent. Her current was stronger than ever before.

Look at the biggest indentation where I used to reside at its disappeared edge. You can tell how far over the road went from the foreground of the pavement.

Home, sweet home

This is south of the bridge. Yep, somehow even after 2 flash floods in a week, the bridge is still there.  Compromised, I'm sure.

Here's a view of the north side of the bridge even late afternoon yesterday, the water was still running over part of it. The water had covered the bridge's railings again the night before. Who knows what Coon Creek'll look like in 24 hours?

I don't think I will be returning to my old life. But only time will tell. Water is almighty and Coon Creek and the Coulee have had their fill of it. Last night another storm ravaged through dumping another 2 inches according my owner's gauge. If I'm not found, I can say I have lived a good life and Coon Creek will live on ... 

LOSS

The older one gets, the more loss one experiences.  The past month  has been filled with loss. Last night torrential downpours added to my tears and swept away parts of our road from one end of the Rainbow Valley while a swelling creek turned the opposite end into a raging river swallowing it. 

The rains will eventually stop, the water will recede and the soil will dry up as we await machinery like bulldozers and bobcats needed by many others.  

almost knee deep by first curve 

Tuesday morning was spent cutting and stacking the 3 downed trees vs 100+ back in the 1000 year flood of  '07.  The road also only had 4 mudslides vs 8  but the ruts were deeper some being waist deep. With a mile drive there's a lot that will need to be fixed.

Biggest slide

Impassable even by tractor

waist deep

Not being able to see the bridge nor the black top was worrisome because that would mean the approaches to both sides of the bridge would need to be rebuilt once the waters receded. But would the bridge even be there/ would it be compromised? Coon Creek had never been so high. The bridge was sighted on our neighbor's drone shot. 

Red arrows indicate bridge taken by neigbor's drone

Later in the day, their mailbox stood alone. Ours had washed away once again. This is its third trip down the creek and would it be retrieved a third time? It's just a thing. Gravel is just a thing.

We were lucky as throughout the day we heard about folks losing buildings, homes, businesses, farmland, livestock, their livelihood. We got off easy just being cut off to the outside world.

We have our health. 

This past month we have said goodbye to 3 friends- Marty, age 83,  Meredith 34, and then Monday I helped prepare my friend Roberta, 71, for her burial.  Loss comes in many forms but nothing can replace people...

FOTO FRIDAY: BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR

FOTO FRIDAY: We just couldn't wait for spring and with its arrival came 2 snow storms within a week, unusually warm weather interspersed with severe thunderstorms. Last night's rainfall will probably bring the creek over its banks. 

 TRANSLATED: Our one mile road from the mailbox was flanked by 2 mudslides and washed with big ruts in addition to the fact we are also losing our road in two spots due to the all the downpours. 


Some ruts were midcalf as seen below.

Imagine looking down into a 3 ft ditch and seeing your road in its bed. Below is evidence of the road collapsing.

 

Natureman worked diligently some 3+ hours regrading the road to try to save it on Wednesday.  We have our fingers crossed that the backhoe and 7 truckloads of gravel can be delivered soon.

Oh Mother Nature you love to keep us on our toes/ make sure we use our boots.
    
I wasn't at a computer due to some special granddaughter time last week for FOTO FRIDAY so I will add one this week to make up for it. Here's its link:HOPPING IT"S NOT TOO LATE