by Bill Byrne | Jul 10, 2017 | Uncategorized
With a resilience we humans possess in great amounts, our area has bounced back from the “500 year” floods in the Spring. Anita, at Two Rivers Canoe Rental, is a great example. She lost everything in the flood, including the store building 30 plus feet above the rivers. She’s operating [and living a lot of the time] out of a small trailer at the junction, offering all her normal rentals [and even watersocks out on a railing]. I do miss being able to stop in and get an ice cream bar, but have no doubt that by next year that will be available also. The rivers themselves have their ability to quickly return to their natural beauty, with a certain amount of human help retrieving all the debris left from the destruction of property that was very widespread. As a well known singing group so aptly put “life goes on within you and without you”!
by Bill Byrne | May 23, 2017 | Uncategorized
We have the first of two field trips today….2nd one is tomorrow…..our days have been filled with flood damage repair and trying to catch up with mowing, etc….still continues to rain every few days….we have a good intern from Indiana with us now, so she has helped us out a lot…..we are in the middle of haying season, but have that on hold priority wise till we get fields cleaned up, fences out of the way, and road and creek crossings filled…..
by Bill Byrne | May 11, 2017 | Uncategorized
We were able to repair most of the damage at the main part of the ranch, and had 125 people at a wedding on Saturday, as well as two school field trips this week. From here we move to fields, creek crossings, roads, and trying to restore most of that!
by Bill Byrne | May 5, 2017 | Uncategorized
Latest rain is another 4 inches…..finally supposed to stop and dry out for a few days….now have to figure out how to park 100 plus people for wedding and reception on saturated ground tomorrow, as well as continue repairs on the flood damage….got down to the creek yesterday….all fencing, tire tanks, road gravel, etc is gone….hay fields full of junk….found river cabin about 300 feet down the river, standing on its end in the water in the middle of trees….devastation around here is unbelievable….tree retreat is still standing…..labyrinth is gone, as well as road to upper fields along the creek…..but, hey, here comes the sun….love to all bill
by Bill Byrne | May 5, 2017 | Uncategorized
We are going to slow down….some day….balance is all about purpose, variety, and creativity…..the key is the balance, which I never seem to get right!……put in 12 hours yesterday on the tractor, filling washouts with 6 truckloads of oversize rock brought in by dump truck….starting to look somewhat normal again around the office, etc, which Bette, Julie, and other help washed down and cleaned, pulled back gravel, etc….We are lucky….the devastation of other businesses is much greater….trail rides lost all their buildings except the big arena, golf cart shed 6 feet under water [including our golf cart]….many houses lost that never saw water before, many cabins washed away….road down the hill to Alley Spring is gone again [106 hwy]….town of Van Buren all under water…it goes on and on, plus the toll of deaths is at least seven and rising in the Ozarks….if you can imagine, the river at Eminence crested at almost 24 feet….the old record was 18+ feet…..anyway, another 500 year flood that seems to happen [and get worse] every 10 to 20 years now….We do still have the tree retreat, but are sure the river cabin is gone….still can’t get to see with the water up…..
All that said, life is good….and wish we could trade in bodies like we do cars!!! love to all Bill
by Bill Byrne | May 5, 2017 | Uncategorized
Good morning….record! floods down here on the ranch…..road at the bottom is gone and a 4 foot deep ditch across it that we will start working on….have a big wedding Saturday so need to get all working again….lake held though the emergency spillway was used by lots of water….flooded the big barn with about one foot of water, and just barely got in the farm hall and the office….river crested at about 23 feet, 4-5 feet over the previous record….we won’t be able to see about the cabin on the river, but we figure it is gone….many cabins lost on the river…..also, don’t know about the tree retreat….will see today….gotta love the ozarks, but sometimes feel like its getting to be more work than we want….all our hay fields are flooded, so will have to clean trees and stuff out of them when drys out….and I’m sure lots of fencing repairs…love to all bill
