We basked in another mild day in Iowa. The heat is returning the end of the week. Before we know it, we will be getting ready to flee south from the inevitable cold that will settle in by November. Iowa is a state of extremes. Heat- Cold / Drought- Flood. There doesn’t seem to be much in between in the weather here.
I finished waxing the motorhome this morning. My goal of not leaving the lake area this weekend was realized. I still have a long list of little projects I want to get done but I made a good dent this weekend.
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Tree Top Debris[/caption]The water is now back in the confines of the lakeshore for the most part. The beaches remain underwater and some of the natural flood plain areas are still holding water. I think the worst part of flooding is the after math. I am always amazed at the carnage that is left behind when the water recedes. It’s amazing to walk along a trail, or what is left of it and see a tree limb 15 feet up in a tree. The smell is the worst. The dense stand of timber that surrounds volunteer village is serving as an air filter for the stench of rotting vegetation that hangs in the air where some 15 feet of flood water stood just two weeks ago.
The foot bridge that connects my favorite walking trail is intact but not the beautiful place it was five weeks ago with its tree canopy tunnel reflecting morning light on my walks. The trees are covered in dirt from the flood water and limbs that washed in are tangled in the mess of branches that are knotted up from being submerged for several weeks. The warblers and song birds are gone now. The only birds that are active are the tree swallows, who are feasting on the population explosion of insects. As we made our way to the parking lot area that just became dry yesterday a big flock of Franklin’s Gulls were sitting on a patch of tree debris. We walked past the field that Champ and Will planted with sweet grass for the deer and he wondered out loud if they would have him replant for fall food.
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Rain clouds were in the area. As we rounded the corner to come up the road back to our RV we were treated to the site of a shower in the distance and a bright ray of sunset striking through the middle. It was quite beautiful. The picture doesn’t do it justice.
Work awaits us both, tomorrow. Champ will continue with flood recovery here at the lake, I will go back to the overhaul at the store that will likely take most of this week to complete. I am looking forward to dinner out with my sister this week. It will be the first time I’ve seen her since returning home in April. August will be busy with birthdays, and an out of town wedding. The summer is really ticking by quickly!
Until next time…
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