More flood photos

The same bridge, only “un-flooded”.

And, to give an idea of just how much water that is:

The stats, in case any one is interested…

“The Meramec River crested at 26.84 feet (nearly 15 feet above flood stage) on March 19th 2008 at 6 p.m. at Steelville, Missouri. This is approximately 0.4 feet, or three inches, below the record crest of 27.22 feet that was observed on July 27th 1998. This flood event ranks as the second highest flood of record at this point on the Meramec River.”

Gray Line = Major Flood Level
Yellow Line = Moderate Flood Level
Cyan Line = Flood Stage
Blue Line = Action Stage

Death cannot keep it’s prey!

On the third day the friends of Christ coming at daybreak to the place found the grave empty and the stone rolled away. In varying ways they realized the new wonder; but even they hardly realized that the world had died in the night. What they were looking at was the first day of a new creation, with a new heaven and a new earth; and in a semblance of the gardener God walked again in the garden, in the cool not of the evening but the dawn.
~G. K. Chesterton The Everlasting Man

Photos from our Easter morning:

We stayed overnight with Dan’s brother and his family. We were up late dyeing eggs, laughing and listening to bluegrass…

Breakfast was Chocolate Babka (fast becoming a tradition for our family) a fresh citrus salad, eggs and bacon. And of course, lots of coffee!

The camera battery died, so I was only able to get a few action shots of the girls in their Easter dresses which Grandma Brand made for them.

I hope that your Easter was peaceful, and that you had time to reflect with awe on the amazing fact that death has been defeated for those that love Him!

Easter Eggs

The Easter Bunny
M. Josephine Todd, 1909

There’s a story quite funny,
About a toy bunny,
And the wonderful things she can do;
Every bright Easter morning,

Without warning,
She colors eggs, red, green, or blue.

Some she covers with spots,
Some with quaint little dots,
And some with strange mixed colors, too

— Red and green, blue and yellow,
But each unlike its fellow
Are eggs of every hue.

And it’s odd, as folks say,
That on no other day
In all of the whole year through,

Does this wonderful bunny,
So busy and funny,
Color eggs of every hue.

If this story you doubt
She will soon find you out,
And what do you think she will do?

On the next Easter morning
She’ll bring you without warning,
Those eggs of every hue.

The Flooded Meramec

…and rises…

Stunningness

This is Kinsley’s glamor look. The look she gives you when she knows she’s so beautiful that it must be taking our breath away. It’s the look that begs compliments, and usually gets our attention, if nothing else!

It takes a little concentration and a lot of work to acquire that drop-dead gorgeous look, but once she’s got it, nothing can stop her!

PS – I did not give her free access to my cosmetics, or teach her how to apply them. She’s very resourceful.

and the water rises…

everyday photos :: rainy day

“The best thing one can do when it’s raining is to let it rain.” ~ Longfellow

I’ve always thought there is a certain coziness about a rainy day. The sound of the raindrops hitting the roof and windows, the fresh smell that comes with the rain, and even the muted colors which can sometimes seem dreary.

Anything can seem cozy to me, If I consume copious amounts of coffee.

The plants have been loving the rain, and it’s encouraging blooms on my peace lilies.

The town where my 97 year old great-grandfather lives has apparently flooded. I hear tht the citizens are vacating by boat, in many cases. The country highway leading to my grandfather’s farm has been closed down due to flooding, causing my great aunt and uncle to have to drive their back-hoe through the flooded areas to get to my grandfather and take him to higher ground. A childhood friend of my grandma’s, living in the same town, apparently walked out of his shop (he’s still working as a machinist at the age of 80) to check on some equipment he had in the back of his lot, near the creek. He didn’t come back. They just found his body near where he must have fallen into the creek. It’s so sad! Life was normal for him and his family just yesterday, and then it began to rain.

illness

The main reason I haven’t written much lately is that we’ve all been down with the flu. Which seems to morph, and grow, and take on new personalities every few days. We’ve been through the aches, the fevers, the coughs, the throwing up, the bronchial asthma attacks, the diarrhea, and any and all other nasty symptoms you can think up. Poor Kinsley has had a rough time of it. She seems to be the most affected by our illnesses.

Today she’s slept a lot. I think she has a sinus infection as she complains of all the appropriate symptoms.

This last photo breaks my heart. She wasn’t crying (she’s been a real trooper), but her eyes have been achy and watery. Poor baby…

‘tater head

Kinsley recently found Dan’s childhood “tater head” set, and has had loads of fun with it. It makes a great distraction while I try to get through part of my morning routine.

She is frustrated by it’s lack of eyebrows. Eyebrows are such a prominant part of our family, you know. The lack of eyes in general, doesn’t seem to bother her.