A week to remember (4)
WELCOME HOME…
If we thought that it would be an anticlimax to arrive home after all the dramas of our journey (check here, here and here if you missed them)…
We were wrong.
First of all, a big male roo was beside our houseyard to welcome us home…
Well I am not precisely sure if he was there to WELCOME us, as much as try and find somewhere to keep his feet a bit drier…
CHECK OUT THE WATER IN THE RIVER…
(Okay, you Yanks can check out the roo. I see ’em every day, so its the background that wows me, but I do realise some people MAY be more interested in the foreground impersonation of a Qantas symbol!)
This morning we got up to heavy rain thundering on our roof … so we decided to check out what had been really going on in our absence.
The river, which has had a couple of runs in it over the past ten days or so, is no longer going down. (Unlike after this post.)
Which means that water is now backing up from the dam wall (about 15km downstream). To really put this into perspective, the dam was officially at 1% capacity when we arrived home here at Christmas time four years ago. Earlier this year, it lifted to about 5%.
When we left on Friday to visit Mr Incredible’s sister for Christmas 2010, it was at 56%.
When we arrived home on Sunday, it was reported at 68% and rising fast.
I recall the dam overflowing as a child. Distant memories. Mostly, the river bed has been dry in my living memory – a place for cattle and horses to forage sweet couch grass in the dry seasons.
Most of the past three decades have been dry seasons. The gum trees to the right of Violet’s new palomino indicate the high water point from previous flood levels, 30 or more years ago.
There are no animals who live here (besides possibly Lacey) who have ever seen this natural phenomenon.
Not even this little know-it-all. Look – it’s Rob Roy the bedraggled!
I feel amazed and priveleged to witness this flood.
I know my parents – who have disembarked from a great cruise but are not yet able to get home – will gaze on these images in wonder…
But I have more…
Cause the river level today reached…
100%
So stay tuned.
6 Comments
gramps
Well, here it is in soggy but sunny (today) California. And I am wondering and hoping that water levels are going down and things will be more normal for you soon
Leenie
Well thanks for posting photos of your kangaroo lawn ornament. If I saw something like that here I’d double-check my meds.
Things look pretty soggy there. Hope the high water doesn’t cause plumbing and sewer problems. And I hope you have ways to get groceries. Looks like the animals have plenty and plenty of green, green grass.
Leenie´s last blog post ..A TREK AND TRACKS
A Novel Woman
Whoa Nelly, that’s a lotta water! I don’t know what’s worse, too much water or too much snow.
http://anovelwoman.blogspot.com/2008/03/few-more-photos-of-easter-weekend.html
I think water is worse. At least you can shovel snow out of the way. I hope the rain stops soon and life gets back to somewhat normal. The kangeroo, however, was a bonus. I love wildlife of any kind (except gray squirrels) and to be able to look out my window and see a kangeroo outside would be, well, magical for this Canuck. Thanks for the photo! Stay high and dry! When all else fails, don the hip waders and pour yourself a nice glass of Chardonnay.
A Novel Woman´s last blog post ..Ho Ho Hope for the Holidays
Patches
Oh my goodness! That was quite the adventure! It’s been pretty soggy around here, but nothing like that! Wow! Glad you got home safe!
Kelly
Well, no snow and no rain for us…though we could use some of your rain.
I think I held my breath as I read through your entries, BB. I’m SO glad you didn’t try to drive through that last bit of water. My husband always watches pictures on the news of cars getting swept away in floods and comments as to why on earth people try to do drive through water like that!
God was watching over you and yours! Glad you’re home safe and sound. (Although I am anxious to see the results of 100%!)
Kelly´s last blog post ..Gingerbread
Catch the Kids
Wow! great stories. Glad you’re home.
Catch the Kids´s last blog post ..Christmas Halleluia or The Cleaning Was Done By Others