Enough Already

As many of you may already know, we are having a rainy season here in Iowa. My general weather strategy consists of trying not to worry about it too much and making the best of things even when conditions are not ideal. I don't always succeed in doing this (I did occasionally burst out this winter, "I am not leaving the house today," when things got too cold), but I do try.

I have likewise been trying to ignore the rain. It could be worse, afterall. We could be having daily tornadoes. Still, the wet can be irritating, particularly since Steen takes a childish joy in finding any mud available in his pasture and rolling in it.

When the Iowa River got so high it overflowed and blocked off the road I usually take to the stable where I work, I found another (albeit significantly slower) road to take. When Brian called me at work to let me know Black Diamond Road, my route to Steen, is likewise closed, again I took another way around.

But things have finally gotten out of hand here. The day before yesterday, the dam above Iowa City filled to the point that water started gushing over the spillway - meaning we no longer have any control over the river. Yesterday, they announced the river was going to continue to rise by many feet until June 20th and then slowly start to recede - if we didn't get any more rain.


But this morning, guess what we woke up to? That's right. A raging downpour.

You may all rest assured in the fact that at least Brian I are in no danger of having to leave our home as we are on high ground nowhere near the river. All of downtown Iowa City would have to flood before our house started taking in water, and if that happened we'd probably leave anyway. Steen is likewise quite safe.

However, many people who would not have been considered in the flood zone are evacuating their homes today.


As you can see, there is water in all sorts of places where water should not be.



I just hope things start to dry up soon.

Photos from The Press Citizen.