Pictures for Pam, Day 70: HFF: Flowers & Fence

(+2 insets!)

I woke up to the pitter-patter of rain on the windows and smiled because we're behind on our water levels here in southern Oregon. Actually, the forecast suggests rain for the next week! Wonderful!

Splashing down the driveway in my new waterproof and stylish sneakers with rain tapping enthusiastically on my umbrella, I noticed our newly made rain diversion channel that's made such a difference to the condition of our road.

Since we've lived here, our dirt and gravel road has been a big problem during the rainy season. The water pours down the side of our steep hill and some of it ends up running down the road and making a mess of things. It's required Steve to fix the driveway with our tractor's scraper. And still, the water is relentless and soon erodes new gullies across our driveway.

A few weeks ago I was on my morning walk during a heavy downpour. I couldn't help but notice the water racing down the driveway and across to the other side in several places. It was going to be a problem soon and I wondered if there was something I could do. I saw an old metal fence post laying nearby and I thought, "What if I drag a furrow off the side of the road to divert the water?" It took just a few minutes in the softened clay mud and immediately I could see that my idea was working! The water that had been streaming down the road was now redirected down my new pathway and off to the side! Hooray!

I worked my way down our driveway, dragging out furrows wherever it made the most sense. Half an hour later I'd gotten most of the water to run off the left or right edge. As I surveyed my handiwork, I was delighted that such a simple solution worked so well.

When I walked back up the road, I looked at the only place I couldn't fix by myself. It was the worst spot requiring a deep, large furrow and using a puny metal fence post was not going to do the job.

I decided not to tell Steve what I'd done, and instead let him discover my project for himself. A while after I got back to the house, Steve went on his walk. I was absorbed in my photography processing when I got a text from Steve. "Come out and see what I did to add to your great idea!"

I bounced outside and joined Steve on the driveway. As we walked down, Steve complimented me on the easy and perfect solution to our water woes and together we wondered why we hadn't thought of this ten years ago. No matter, we'd figured it out now!

"WOW!!! LOOK WHAT YOU DID!!!" I couldn't contain my excitement as I stared at the deep diversion channel that Steve had dug. At this spot, the large stream of water that properly ran down the gully at the edge of the road used to overrun the bank and cut across the driveway. But now everything would change! Steve used a shovel and pick to dig a channel which captured all of the water and directed it back off the road. Furthermore, he had continued by digging a channel for 50 more feet to connect the channel to the original gully. It was perfect.

Together Steve and I stared in satisfaction as the water poured into his channel and off the road. We looked down the driveway and could see no more puddling at all! No rivulets of water, nothing! We walked down to the gate and Steve showed me how he deepened and lengthened the furrows I'd made and both of us bubbled with happiness.

You will see an inset picture of the channel that Steve dug and our road falling off into bokeh beyond. It's a fun picture to show the solution of something that's plagued us for years!

Today's main picture is for Happy Fence Friday! It was taken in San Anselmo on our second hike as Nathalie led Steve and I down from the open space into the lovely neighborhood streets. As I tried to catch up to them, a splash of light caught my eye and I turned to see these gorgeous African Bush Daisies glowing next to a fence. What a perfect opportunity for a colorful HFF picture! Steve and Nathalie were out of sight around the bend but I couldn't pass up this chance…and I'm so glad I got this image to share today!

I also have a picture of our gate and fence that I took the other day--it turned out nice enough that I'm including it as an inset too. :)

Pam, do you guys have any problems with flooding? It can be such a pain to deal with. Our road has been our worst nightmare, but other than that, we don't have any issues. Thankfully our house has ditches to keep the water from being an issue. However, in the house where I grew up in San Francisco, the water would pour off Mount Davidson and right through our basement. My dad tried everything to stop it but the mighty mountain won every time…my oldest brother now has to deal with the issue every year. UGH! Here's hoping that today has been good for you Pam. I know it's a big deal and I'm sending all of my healing energy your way, my dear. *BIG HUGGGGGGSSSS*!!!!

Explored on 1/18/19, highest placement, #1.