Mine, mine, mine

It seems that the local flood is on everyone’s minds these days. The national news has been covering our region, “sandbagging”, "crest", and “sump pumps” make their way into our daily language, and I hear there are even water-filled ditches in the “desert” of western ND!

Although the road closures and detours are annoying, I am grateful for the newly-constructed, expansive bridge near our home that is invincible to the flood waters. And although the fields are so full of water that they look like lakes (and it makes seeding seem like a far away dream), I am grateful that our home and our families’ homes are high and dry.

This photo was taken while driving on that new bridge that was built to span the Red River between North Dakota and Minnesota during the spring floods.  In years past, this area would be completely impassible (unless by boat) and we could not get to North Dakota without driving either an hour south to the Big City or an hour north to Canada. In the photo, you can see the water up to the road signs on the left where the old bridge used to be.  Now, driving high above the "raging waters" and almost up to the tops of the trees, I feel like I'm laughin', like I'm golden, like I'm cheating because it's just so much easier to get around now…

It is so weird to drive on the interstate and see water for miles on both sides of the road. Airboats (like the ones from “down on the bayou”) can be seen cruisin’ along in a wheat field.  Weird.

Here is another sight that you do not see every day on the prairie...

This photo was taken from the interstate.  You can see the water-filled ditch in the foreground, then the frontage road, and more water in the field in the background.  What peaked my interest were all those little, white specks.  Those are snow geese and swans congregating on an "island." They look like seagulls in the ocean.  Right here in God's Country!



(Does the seagull/Finding Nemo reference in the title of this post make sense now? Just trying to keep you on your toes!)