It has been an interesting couple of days here. The city and state have been all over the national news because of the flooding from days of constant heavy rain. If you’ve seen any news report or watched The Weather Channel, you’ve seen our devastation.
We were very fortunate on the island. The road to our house is severely damaged. But our house and property remained un-flooded. Other parts of the area were not so lucky. The damage in some areas is tremendous.
Our major concern was getting to the horses at the barn to make sure that they were okay. I walked ahead of the truck to check for sink holes and gullies. The road has been eroded by sheet flow coming off the farm fields. In some places, the holes were several feet deep.
After we got to the barn, we found some of the fields were flooded. I moved horses around to put them in un-flooded pastures. Water in a couple of pastures was up to the horse's knees.
Once the horses were moved, we went about feeding them their hay. They were glad to get it and a bit frantic because horses are creatures of routine. I have attached a few photos so you can see their happiness at being fed.
I feel as if my story is so minimal compared to those people who have been displaced, losing their homes and everything they own, aside from what may have been thrown into a bag or two and what they had on their backs. I saw people with babies being raced into boats to escape the flood waters that took over their homes yesterday.
So it has been a surreal few days. I hear that the sun is supposed to peak through the steel gray sky tomorrow. I am looking forward to seeing it.
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| One of many road wash outs |
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| A small lake in the big ring |
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| Driving along the flooded road |
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| Pond overflowing into the barn |
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| Overflow of pond |
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| Horses waiting on hay |
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| My boy eating his hay |
Syd, I was worrying about you when I saw the images fo devastation -- so glad to hear you are safe. And I know you will do what you can to help those around you.
ReplyDeleteOh Syd, I didn't know you lived THERE! I just checked in with another SC blogger today and she said she lives about 90 minutes from all of the devastation. I am so glad that you are alright, but so sad for the others. You know here in Ca. we recently had huge wild land fires....7 deaths, over 1000 homes lost. There have been requests for water storage tanks for people's property where they are living in tents. Such unthinkable loss for so many.
ReplyDeleteWhen I heard about the floods in your state, I thought of you, Syd and hoped you and your wife were okay. Thanks for posting this. It's good to know that you're doing as well as the circumstances allow (including the horses). Stay safe and out of harm's way!
ReplyDeleteHolly
Unbelievable devastation. I can't even wrap my head around it.
ReplyDeleteI am SO glad you and yours are well and okay.
Your horse is such a beauty.
I'm glad you are ok. Those floods look terrifying.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you and yours are okay. We've been praying for you up here in the northwest part of SC waiting to hear what we can do to help.
ReplyDeleteStay safe and dry.
Sherry
I was wondering how things were for you, Syd. I'm glad it wasn't worse. So much devastation - nature is an overwhelming force when extremes of rain or snow or wind come to us.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry for SC in a slight way, I have a fw friends there who thought it better than here and I suppose for the most part they were right. You chose a good piece of land Syd, nust come from knowing what you're looking at but lets hope it doesn't near a year to deliver federal disaster assistance to SC like it did for Sandy in NJ and NY. Having the entire federal SC congressional delegation voting against that aid won't happen this time---though even I'll admit you have a great delegation there when in an average year SC gets back $7 for every $1 it sends, I think in the end I won't mind my taxes not being spent on the tear down of a violent abandoned slum and being spent to rebuild SC for the future.
ReplyDeleteMark, I agree with you. I know that the Gov. turned down federal money. But when disaster strikes all hands are out. It is hypocritical to me. Our infrastructure was crumbling before all of this rain. Now it is beyond crumbling and more like a third world state.
DeleteWe did choose well with our land. Our elevation is 23 feet at first flood. The only part that had water was the wetland on the property which is as it should be. Wetlands are such valuable pieces of land. They help with storms because they are a sink for water and they buffer effects from storms.
This state is really a mess, Mark. It was that way before all of this. It is a tea party state filled with religious morality. Thank goodness, I live near Charleston where there are at least some liberal leanings. Otherwise I don't believe that I could live here at all.
Thank you for your kind thoughts. The sun is out and it is a welcome sight. We are doing well. The road is being worked on today. The worst gullies and sink holes are being filled in. I got off the island for the first time yesterday. It felt good.
ReplyDeleteSo glad to read that your homestead and your beloved horses fared OK, Syd. Thank goodness that Juaquin stayed at sea but it was surely the cause of the flooding. Here in North Carolina we did a bit better but even where I live we had very strong winds and some flooding. I just had an email from the owner of the condo in North Charleston where we will be staying 3 weeks from today when we attend my granddaughter's wedding there. She said there was some water but that it is all fixed. I feel strange about going however, almost like those ambulance chaser folks. The wedding was planned over a year ago so I guess there was no way of knowing and I know the people that service it will be in need of the income so I guess that helps. I read your reply to Mark and it is so near to how I felt when we moved to North Carolina in the late 1970's. I have seen many changes here and hopefully this will be the case where you are. So glad you and C made it through.
ReplyDelete