T-minus 12 Hours and 40 Minutes

Let me get this straight the Republicans are threatening to shut down the government because they are not getting their way on Obamacare. Reminds me of the quote made by an Army Major after the bombing of the village Ben Tre during the Vietnam War, "It became necessary to destroy the village in order to save it."

One Last Flooding Post

My husband has a friend in Nebraska who sent him this message:

Your flood came to North Platte and brought with it all of your rattlesnakes. They were washed downstream (way downstream) by clinging to branches and tree trunks. When people try to drag the debris out from under the bridges to get rid of log jams, they get bit. 20 people so far.

If you Colorado people would please come get your rattlesnakes, that would be great.

Post Flood Photos

The photos below were taken by my husband while walking the dogs this morning. These photos were taken in the same area where this photo and these photos were taken. Where we walk the dogs is near a river and it all was under water during the flood.

 

This photo shows a four stall horse trailer in the river. At one point that river was up past where that piece of what-is-now scrape metal is lying on the riverbank above and to the right of the trailer.

This photo shows a pile of wet hay bales, probably pulled out of the stack of hay behind them, smoking due to spontaneous combustion. Wet hay develops molds and bacteria that release massive amounts of heat causing the hay surrounding it to dry out. Internal temperatures keep rising until, between 180 and 212 Fahrenheit, the dry hay starts burning.

You can tell how high the water got in this area by looking at the mud and debris trapped in the tree to the left of the smoking hay bales. The river is this photo is still running high. This may be called a river but normally it is a small stream at the bottom of a 15 to 20 foot gully.

From the Colorado Department Of Transportation facebook Page Today

"This was the scene 10 days ago on State Highway 66 over the Saint Vrain River east of I-25. Note the red car floating in the river (don't worry, the driver was standing next to our photographer Jeff and was perfectly safe). Since the flood, we have already repaired the highway and reopened it after a multiple day closure. Stay tuned for more openings - we have several contractors on board and are working 24/7 to get more highways repaired and opened."

CDOT and its contractors are doing a great job.  The highway through town was washed out between us and the town to the east and CDOT had that repaired and reopened two days ago. These people are amazing.  Thank you CDOT.

Flooding Update

We got more water in the basement than I expected.

Why I Have Only Posted Once This Week

Real Welcome To Colorful Colorado signs here.

Kaaan-an-an-as!

Where the wind comes sweeping down the plain
And the wavin' wheat can sure smell sweet
When the wind comes right behind the rain
-From the song Oklahoma by Rodgers and Hammerstein

This is a screenshot from the August 7th 2013 episode of ABC News. As you can see someone did not study a map of the USA before labeling the states on this slide. I also wonder about our educational system as any American child over the age of twelve should be able to distinguish one state from another.  Although, I must admit I probably could no longer  label all the Midwestern states correctly anymore, they were my bugaboo in school, but I do remember being told to check my work before turning it in.

Friendship

If your ever down a well, ring my bell
-Friendship from Anything Goes


I was watching an episode of Perry Mason in the basement this morning when out of the corner of my eye I saw a tiny head pop up from the bottom of the window well and then hit the window screen. It made me jump because I at first thought a rat had somehow gotten into the window well. I turned to focus completely on the window and got another jolt when whatever was in the window well jumped up onto the screen and started climbing up it. That is when I realized I hadn't seen a rat but a frog and said frog was trying to climb out of the the well. He was moving so fast he got almost half way up the screen before he fell backward and disappeared into the bottom of the well. I hurried upstairs to get my husband since he is the official remover from the house of unwanted insects, arachnids, reptiles, small furry mammals, and now amphibians. It took him less than a minute to open the window, detach the screen, pick up the frog and carry it out to the backyard.

Little Sally Pumpkinhead was very interested in finding out what my husband had in his hands and after my husband released the frog into the greenery surrounding the dry pond I let her out of the house. She trotted over to where my husband was crouched down and he pointed the frog out to her. We thought she would remember the frog friend she had back in Kansas but the first thing she tried to do was pounce. My husband blocked her with his arm while the frog hopped deeper into the plants. Little Sally Pumpkinhead spent a few more minutes looking for the frog and ignored me when I ordered her back into the house. I decided to leave her in peace, knowing the frog could take care of itself. I'm hoping the frog stays in our yard and that LSP decides to make it her new frog friend. Of course that depends on whether this frog likes to be licked or not.

Game Day

I must say it is great to be back in Broncos country.

Eary Morning View Out Bathroom Window

AKA The First Monday In September

A history of Labor Day here.