24 Pints of Sweet and 3 Inches of Sour

Since we were rained out (or should I say rained in) I put up 24 pints of strawberry jam and 5 quarts of rhubarb, made 2 rhubarb pies and a strawberry cake...with a house full of kids. Let's just say this did nothing for the 'diet'!!!

We got another 3 inches + of rain last night. The road just east of us (about 1/4 mile) is completely washed out by the creek that runs along our property. I heard on the news this morning the the county just east of us, Lawrence County, is being evacuated. The levees broke last night along the Wabash River. So now not only is much of Jasper County under water but now Lawrence County is being rapidly flooded. All residents are being asked to evacuate immediately. I cannot imagine such a nightmare. How would you pick and choose what to take with you, knowing you might loose everything. I suppose my photos would be the most important things.....

I live in a tri-county triangle, I can literally walk on foot to Jasper County to the North and Clay County to the West, I live in Richland County. We have been very fortunate here so far. Although it's hard to say yet how this is going to affect the harvest this fall. My family had not yet put any beans out, so that is a good thing, although it's getting late in the season. Corn may not fare so well this year. I have a feeling 2008 is going to be one of those years that become legend amongst the small rural communities around here. Last year we had a drought so badly that we actually ended up buying hay from Texas to feed the cattle....farming is such a gamble. Last year we were begging for rain....now we just want it to stop!! It looks like we will now get a break from the rains, at least until the weekend comes.

Thank you for all the prayers. The people in my neighboring counties still need them....if the Wabash River gets loose, as it seems to have done in Lawrence County, it will be horrifying.