As I mentioned earlier, we have had frequent rains both in Austin and at the farm. We drove to Hamilton on Saturday of last week to spend Memorial Day Weekend at the farm. Rain was predicted, and the weather-guessers got it right this time. Our prayers were answered. We arrived to find 4.5 inches in the rain gauge from Friday’s downpour, and more predicted to fall. And fall it did…1.75 inches Saturday night and another 1.5 inches (in less than 30 minutes!) on Monday. With almost 8 inches coming down in such a short time, the creek is out of its banks and two of our stock ponds are full and running around the spillways.
When we took our walk on Sunday, we found the upper stock pond full and running through the draw-down tube into the creek below. From there, the water had filled the lower pond and spilled out into the pasture along the creek.
Then, on Memorial Day a torrential downpour dropped an additional 1.5 inches, sending the upper pond racing around both ends of the earth dam...something I have always wanted to see but had never before experienced. When the rain stopped, we went down to take a look and found the water over knee-deep to a dog and past mid-calf on me.
Here, from below the dam, you can not only see the water rushing in from the draw-down tube, but coming in from either side as well.
Late afternoon brought clearing skies in the west, but still plenty of wind in the clouds overhead. There have been several small tornados in the area in the last couple of weeks. We lost a couple of trees here at the farm, and limbs from several others. There was property damage in Hamilton and surrounding counties, but thankfully no loss of life. We continue to keep a close watch on the skies, however.
We are grateful for the rain, but saddened by the loss of life and property both here and in the Wimberly and San Marcos areas. We hope that the good rains continue to replenish the lakes and aquifers, but pray that they come more slowly.
Amazing.
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