Aftermath

How very, very lucky I am. The sun is shining. The electricity is on (it never went off for more than a few blinks). It is cool, and there is a soft breeze. The Punsit Creek has finally found its way back to its bed and is confined with its banks. Yes, it is still roaring, thundering, muddy. But it no longer threatens the driveway or the bridge. Down stream it succeeded in taking out a bridge and the road is closed there. Here things look and feel normal. The windows are open so that the house can dry itself out. Maya the Dog is lying in the yard.

Where yesterday there was rushing, flooding water, today there is nothing but wet grass. The grass and all of the plants have been pulled uniformly flat and combed down, all in the same direction, all neatly pointing downstream. There are still many deep wet spots and puddles. There is lots of mud and silt. There are fresh raccoon and ground hog tracks in the mud. The birds are singing.

And a huge tree like a whale carcass has come from somewhere far upstream and beached itself next to a big sycamore tree. If I don’t like this as ornamental sculpture – I don’t – and I don’t want to wait for the next 250-year flood to come and take it away, I will need to figure out how to move it or dispose of it. Today that does not seem to be a priority.

Many roads are still closed in Columbia County, New York. Some people don't have electricity. And the State of Emergency remain in effect. Emergency Management has urged everyone who can just to stay home so that road crews can clear the roads, repair downed wires, and restore electricity. That's good advise and people seem to be following it.

I hope everyone will be well and safe, that everyone can return swiftly to normalcy.