The Big Rain

daily haiku

rains came for a week
heavy flooding mayhem roads closed
hidden treasure green

It's been quite a week - I am happy that I live in Birney and on a hill. Last weekend heavy rains started and continued for almost the whole week. The leaks resulting from last July's storm were active but not too bad (as yet). On Monday all roads were closed - a good time not to have a medical emergency; the road to Sheridan opened on Tuesday and by Thursday all roads were passable once more.

All around SE Montana flooding hurt people and homes, the Crow Tribe was badly hit and there are now National Guard helping there. National Guards are also in Roundup where the Busy Bee cafe is under water and most of the town as well. The Busy Bee is a community hub. Neighbors meet there to have a cup of Joe and exchange news - Bill Clinton held court there when he was running for 2nd term presidency, so without it there is no place to commiserate with each other over all that has occurred in the floods.

Here in Birney the river is very high and water is now pouring over the old spillway at the Tongue River reservoir. There is a second spillway that will take extra water for a one-hundred-year flood - hope it does not come into use! However with temps forecast to go to 80's this week, there may be snow melt pounding down Goose Creek and into the Tongue River causing more difficulties.

Life is never dull here on the hill and a lot of my thinking and writing often revolves around the weather. I suppose it'll be mosquito season by the end of the week!

Birds life

daily haiku

thunderstorms and rain
unfamiliar bird appears
a gift from the storm?

Spring is slow, cool, and rainy here on the hill. Over the weekend the sun was out and we had lovely days. "Sitting outside weather," I thought - but no such luck; the wind battered the hill for 2 days at 20-40 mph. Everything that was not tied down rattled and clanked, but amazingly, I did not find any damage. This has been followed by thunderstorms and rain. The roads are sloppy and the days are dismal.

However the bird life is entertaining me. The bluebird in the photos above is nesting under the eaves. Mrs Bluebird gets out to stretch her legs and wings now and then, but since I don't hear any little cheeps as yet, she is still keeping the eggs warm most of the time. Their nest is above the ceiling to the left of my computer, and as the chicks get larger they create quite a racket upon the arrival of grubs and insects - delightful to hear.

Goldfinches and purple finches are around, along with lark sparrows, robins, and chickadees. This morning I had a special treat. As I drew open the bedroom curtains I saw a small black bird with orange/red chest and bars on wing and tail. A first. It took a while but I finally found it at http://www.whatbird.com/ a great site for finding unkown birds. It was an American Redstart - I have not seen it here before - what a treat. So spring may not be cooperating with me, but the birds are holding down the fort!

Sprouting

daily haiku

trees sprout baby leaves
blossoms are not far behind
spring pulls at my heart

In between storms we are having warm days, and trees and perennials are beginning to open. Even the honeysuckle tree that Ben and I severely pruned last fall, that I thought might be dead, is putting out new sprouts. The next task I have to do for it is one that I hate - treating it with systemic insecticide. Necessary because the ladybirds took off and didn't complete the job of cleaning up the aphids.

I am sprouting too. Torn between holding onto the sharp clear memories of Peter along with its pain, or moving forward into a newer less painful life. Actually I don't think I have much choice. Life is giving me my own spring purging.