No flooding at the farm thankfully, but our dear community, the tiny towns of Black Earth and Mazomanie are still coping with the effects of 11-15 inches of rain in a 12 hour period.
Here’s the bridge going west from Black Earth toward Mazo (photo from WSJ). The milk truck in the background had to be hauled out of the gap, being the first, at dark-thirty in the morning as milk trucks always are, to discover that the bridge was out. Who knows how long the bridge will be out. Right now our little county road has become a main highway, since it’s the only way to go east to west around here.
Here are photos from some of the local news services (WSJ, Channel 3000). I appreciate being able to use them:
We count ourselves especially lucky, because not only are we on a hill, but after drenching rain, wind and lightning hour after hour on the night of the storm, I suggested that we ought to check the basement. Good timing, because a leak the size of a small fire hose was disgorging water at who knows how many gallons per minute. (Okay, maybe a leak the size of a large garden hose. I suspect the size of the leak will get bigger and bigger and faster and faster as I get older and older.)
It turns out the remodelers had directed the downspouts such that all the water flowed right into the basement. Actually, they put in a new sump pump under one side of the basement, which was pumping water into the basement on the other side, where the old sump pump pumped it out… back into the basement on another side. Dueling sump pumps. Cue the banjo. In their defense, the downspouts looked fine to us too when they left.
That night we spent a wet, windy 30 minutes in constant thunder and lightening redirecting the water. (I told Jim I couldn’t remember it thundering non-stop for so many hours on end. It turns out that the storm stalled overhead for hours, ala Houston.). I spent some time sweeping the water into the now functioning sump pump, turned on the industrial fans and all was well by morning.
Not so for so many people in our community (and Middleton, Madison and Cross Plains). One man died tragically, ripped out of the arms of another, and there were several rescues dramatic enough to deserve their own television episodes. Many people have lost virtually everything they own–their house, car, all their possessions–and have no insurance to help them. (Don’t judge… you can’t actually get flood insurance even if you want it in many cases. It’s much more complicated than you might think.)
If you’re interested, here’s a video from WISC TV taken from a drone going west from Middleton to Mazomanie. It starts out in Middleton with little damage, but scroll ahead to see Black Earth at about minute 20.
I wish I had more photographs, but I have been a bit shell shocked and never seemed to have a camera at the right time. It’s actually amazing how fast some of the water goes down. On the day after the storm, Jim and I tried to walk the dogs but instead of a small stream, we discovered a river about 400 yards wide, streaming by at 1o-15 mpg. Two days later it was gone, leaving muddy fields and fences with debris 3-4 feet high. Here is one of the few photos I’ve taken of the after effects. Look carefully; the railroad tracks are actually suspended in air on the left–you can see their shadow underneath them.
A lot of people in the community are doing wonderful things, from delivering food and water, contributing money, helping to clean out and truck away tons and tons of ruined furniture, clothing, papers, photographs… many of the things in life that we think little of until they are gone. Some of my dear friends distributed fruit and drinks to folks in Mazomanie yesterday, and they said the most valuable thing they could do is listen to people’s stories. We all need a witness.
As a small business owner, whose office escaped flooding by a block or so, I think often of other small business owners in Black Earth and Mazomanie. I dropped off some sandwiches today to the staff at The Shoe Box. Actually, no one would call it a “small business,” since it is “The largest shoe store in the Midwest” and a place that sells T-shirts that say “I survived Saturday at the Shoe Box.) But it was horribly flooded, lost 10’s of thousands of shoes, and whose staff has worked tirelessly for 8 days to clean up and re-open. It opened today, the 28th, and if you want to help, go buy some shoes there. Ask for the owner, Steve, and tell him Trisha sent you.
And don’t miss lunch or dinner at Black Earth Lanes (their Chicken Caesar Salad is beyond yummy, and I almost never eat commercial chicken) and The Shack (Burgers? oh yeah!) Both places, in Black Earth, had tremendous damage to food and equipment, but are open for business and would be happy to meet you.
In Mazomanie, our go-to restaurant is Base Camp, open for breakfast, lunch and an occasional very special dinner. They don’t have a cook, they have a chef, Izzy, who is beyond fabulous. I’d eat anything she made and order seconds.
MEANWHILE, back on the farm: We are under a severe weather alert, and their are tornado warning a bit north, so I’m going to post this and do the outside chores as quickly as I can. I should mention that our cats and sheep seem fine, although there is obvious olfactory evidence that something large died not far from our house (i.e., it smells god awful outside). I’ve searched for it, and would use Maggie to find it, but she shouldn’t be trudging up and down steep gullies now. I imagine we’ll find the bones come winter.
Gotta go, pray for no more rain tonight. Our cup runneth over.
Ellen says
Wow, just wow. Nature is unbelievable with its power of water. Glad you’re okay and hope the area bounces back quickly.
Kaye wickenberg says
We’ve certainly had a lot of rain here on the edge of the Southern KettleMoraine but fortunately our soil is sandy and sops up moisture. However, the heavy rains have saturated old trees on our woods and toppled not just dead branches but uprooted some. Those trails need to be carefully taken.
One question? Large instant ponds in the horse pasture are suddenly full of frogs! So where do they come from over night?
Our border collie has taken this opportunity to add muddy little green woodland stickers to his beautiful coat! I think it is just to get attention and some brushing! Loves being brushed.
Erika says
I’ve been reading steadily through your archives ever since adopting a new dog in May and learning so much! I’m sorry that my first opportunity to comment is based on a natural disaster. We went through massive flooding in 2011, and my husband and I found that it took a long time to recover, emotionally. There’s that initial burst of clean-up and problem-solving and the energy of that keeps you going for a while. But once we had time to sit still a couple months later, the grief and fear were waiting. (It took a couple years for us to stop getting jumpy during storms…) My best wishes to you and your community!
Alice R says
Wow. I’m sorry for the devastation and pain in your community and very glad you are all safe. There has been too much extreme weather and pain this year.
Jan says
Trisha, that was so kind of you to bring sandwiches to The Shoe Box. What a remarkable community you belong to. Best thoughts for all of you during this crazy weather.
Trisha says
Ah, Erika, I am so sorry for what you went through. Thank you for the reminder to everyone that some of the worst of it is after the adrenalin fades.
Roy Murphy says
We have a new 20 month old Great Pyr, Max, adopted 5/17/18 thru the Pyr rescue. He is beautiful, and a hand full. Previous owner gave him up saying – Too Much Dog. An older man who did not socialize Max . Supposedly he spent most of his time sequestered in the kitchen.
Anyway, we have been reading your book ” The Other End of the Leash” and working with a local trainer that was mentored by Jean Donaldson. Max is a challenge, very smart, and quite fearful of new situations, people, and other dogs. He has a couple of dog friends in our neighborhood, but the rest are usually bark at and lunge at during walks. He is showing improvements. He did bite one of our neighbors, in the front of her yard while on a walk. I did not notice any posture indications that he was going to do that, but he was standing between her and I. He has also jumped at a couple of other people hail on walks. We now keep more distance and more distractions ( treats ). We also have a harness and a basket muzzle, that we use.
We have my daughter and her 2 1/2 year old dynamo daughter coming next week for a week long visit. We are a little concerned, but dedicated to handle and make the best of the situation. We have an appointment with a behavior Vet this Friday to get more input.
Your book is great, and an inspiration to those who love and try to understand our best friends -be them 2 or 4 legged.
Margo Harris says
Hope all is well, Trisha. We’ll be thinking of you! Thanks for the photos….scary, for sure.
Barb Stanek says
All of us need drying out! Safe thoughts to all in Wisconsin who are struggling with wave after wave of storms. Not to mention the thunder and lightning, as you said, Trish.
On a behavior note, my only Portuguese Water Dog (age 8) developed fear of thunder and lightning after his half-sister died June 6, 2018. His fear quickly escalated to a fear of storms in general. He also escalated to warning me that a storm was coming about a half hour before it actually came. (Sensing the change in barometric pressure?)
His behavior became frantic. He did not wish to be soothed or held or talked to. Any of these behaviors on my part escalated the anxiety behaviors on his part. His eyes dilated, his panting increased, and he ran around, pausing to frequently bounce off of me like a trampoline. He started this behavior after his sister died, and I’ve been trying various non-medicinal things to help him ride through the storm.
I tried “thunder treats,” but was afraid I’d add nausea and vomiting to the other behavior. I was giving him treats until the thunder continued and continued and continued!
I’m not recommending what finally worked, but I thought I’d mention it. I have a large (about an acre) fenced back yard. After I became afraid that my dog was uncomfortable with all the treats I gave him, I let him outside in the back yard.
It was windy, raining, lightning and thundering, and storming. My boy lay down by the back door under the eaves and watched the storm. (I was afraid he would go out and get hit by lightning, but I also sensed his total physical discomfort with his mental discomfort.) I stood in the door with the door open so that he could come in any time he wanted. I asked him if he wanted to come in, and he looked at me, but stayed where he was. I didn’t talk to him again, but just let him know he could come inside whenever he wanted.
Gradually, he stopped panting and started relaxing. After about 2 minutes outside, he came in the house. He was still agitated in the house, but not as agitated as he had been before going outside.
Yesterday (8/28) when the storm came, he was not as agitated. He didn’t ask to go out, and when I offered him the opportunity, he didn’t take me up on it. He also didn’t do the frantic dashing around the house, and he infrequently used me as a trampoline, a marked improvement.
After about the first five minutes of the storm, he lay down in the middle of the living room and waited out the storm. He was panting slightly. But he was considerably calmer than in any other storm this summer.
Interestingly, if I talked to him or touched him, his level of anxiety increased as did his former storm behaviors. So I just sat in the room with him and was quiet.
I am NOT suggesting that anyone let their dog outside in the middle of a storm like we’ve had. My pup was not in the storm, but under the eaves. He got wet from blowing rain. But he didn’t go running into the breach.
Anyway, I think that it was very interesting behavior. I’m glad that he appears to have lessened his anxiety on his own. I didn’t want to use medication for this unless I had to.
I’m kind of eager for the next storm to see if he’s fixed it or not. And it will be interesting to see what next summer brings. But for now, he’s found a way to get through the storms with less anxiety.
Minnesota Mary says
How devastating! Other areas of our nation are also suffering. Hawaii had the hurricane and Maui also had fires rage through some areas, destroying stores and homes and churches. My friends on the island are fortunate to still have their home but for a tourist-dependent state, this will impact them for many years.
LisaW says
Global weirding is scary. The extremes are more extreme and the swings are wider and wider. We’ve had tornado watches (used-to-be a rarity in VT) and old growth forests upended due to flash flooding. Hurricane Irene’s effects are still being felt 7 years later (we were spared any lasting damage but most of the state was not so lucky). I remember feeling so helpless in terms of how to help and what made the most impact in recovery. It’s the little things that do seem to add up to lasting impacts.
Years ago, we had an earthquake rattle the house and it sounded like all the slates were falling off the roof. Our intrepid dog, Grace, fierce defender of all things property, was from then on afraid of anything that sounded like a strong wind. Hard to counter condition the odd earthquake 😉
Much empathy to your communities and to our planet.
Karen says
And here I am in fire-ravaged California. I haven’t seen a drop of rain in months! Not fair…
Always amazing to me how our great country can have so very many different types of weather and with it, dangers!
Nicola says
Thinking of you all Trisha. Hope the dogs weren’t too traumatised by the storm. Erika and your comments about the aftermath of events like this can’t be underestimated. Stay safe and take care of each other.
Andy says
So sorry to hear of all this! Please do stay safe, and please let those of us outside the midwest know if we can assist with donations to recovery funds.
Chris from Boise says
So sorry to hear about the flooding there. Wow. Thank goodness Redstart Farm is on a hill.
Glad you, Jim, the animals and the farm are all safe; our deepest sympathies to your friends and neighbors and the local communities. It looks on the weather pages that you’ve had substantial rain since then – hang in there!
I must add, though, that your description of the basement sump pump wars had Mike and me in stitches. I’m sure it wasn’t funny when it happened, but oh my you put a good spin on it!
Roy Murphy – good luck with your Pyr mix. Sounds like you’ve found some good resources to help you on this journey. As one who worked through a similar situation, I can report that one can accomplish a LOT with behavioral modification under the guidance of a good trainer/vet. Don’t be afraid if your behavioral vet suggests meds. For some dogs they can mean the difference between “I’m so over-wrought I can’t even hear you” to “I’m really scared/upset; help me stay in my thinking brain”. For us it took years (not as many resources available a decade ago), but oh what an insightful and life-changing (and ultimately wonderful) journey.
Jann Becker says
Locating “something large and dead” would be my dogs’ idea of a dream job! Glad all of you are safe.
Ron Bevacqua says
Glad you are safe Trisha and all of your K9 companions,too. My thoughts & prayers to your lovely community for a speedy recovery.
Trisha says
Thanks so much Barb, this is fascinating. First, that the behavior began after the death of another dog—a good reminder to us how dependent one dog can be on another, although there is little sign of it until one dog is gone. Second, that being outside actually helped her dog rather than make it worse—a good reminder here that little is more frightening than a lack of autonomy when one is truly frightened. (And also brings up questions about what’s going on inside houses during storms, re electricity, noises we can’t hear, etc). I agree with her that her story is not a suggestion that people use this strategy on most dogs—I’ve had far too many clients whose dogs ran away in storms in a panic. But it is interesting food for thought. One last thing re treats—I’d start giving them when the pressure dropped (this dog was clearly back chaining), but not use them once the dog became panicked. I used “thunder treats” with my dogs because they were only a bit anxious, not terrified. Once that happens, drop the treats and work on finding a safe house for your dog (defined by the dog, not you).
Gayla says
Relieved to see you post after the threat of tornado’s have passed. At least with a hurricane there is time to prepare and a good chance of survival. To live somewhere that gets tornados must be terrifying…
Wishing everyone, everywhere, a safe and happy weekend!