This is one big mess down here on the gulf coast, we are flooding every where, there is mass evacuations going on, and that low is moveing back into the gulf and there expecting it to reform into a tropical storm, Herman hospital in Huston, there generators are flooded, and they are haveing to hand bag those who were on resporators, they are evacuating the hospital now by helocopter, As for me I know how Noah must have felt, my garden is flooding, the water is standing everywhere, snakes are swimming, the barn in ankle deep in water, what happens to the hoofs on cows and goats when there is no dry ground?chickens on the roost. In huston, some of I 10 freeway is under 10 feet of water, if you have a heart attack , you are plumb out of luck. At lease this old house of mine is built up high, One newsman said this unheard of, 40 inches since Tues, and no where for the water to run off. Well just sounding off again, Love Irene

-- Irene texas (tkorsborn@cs.com), June 09, 2001

Answers

Irene,

Can you scrifice some bales of straw or hay to get the goats out of the standing water? Not much you can do for the cows, I know, but they're hardier than the goats. Cows can tolerate wet conditions in their feet better than goats. Sorry to hear about the flooding there. Our news up here in the Seattle area has said nothing about your situation there. We're still concerned about drought and water/power shortages.

-- Skip Walton (sundaycreek@gnrac.net), June 09, 2001.

WOW!!!! I hope you don't lose any livestock and are able to stay well!! I will keep you in my prayers! Cindy

-- Cindy in Ok (cynthiacluck@yahoo.com), June 09, 2001.

Get some sheets of plywood and some 2x4 or 4x4's and build a few platforms with legs for the goats.I bet they're tired of standing.

-- CJ (000@owl.com), June 09, 2001.

Irene, some good suggestions here.....any old wood or doors across some bales of straw will give the goats a "roost".....we had that this spring, no fun at all. Cattle will be ok for a couple of days but the goats will go down fast without a place to perch.

-- diane (gardiacaprine@yahoo.com), June 09, 2001.

First I've heard of your plight down there........I'll be sure to watch the news tonight. Wishing you the best that can be had at this point. Hope everything dries out soon and your animals and family are OK. Take care.

-- cindy palmer (jandcpalmer@sierratel.com), June 09, 2001.

We brought the hay bales down from hay loft, and built a place for them to get out of the water, except they are eating there stand.what a mess, course there are lots and lots of folks with no house tonight, so can"t complain, they say it could keep raining through tomorrow, I have a pond some where also a dock, can"t see it any more, all under water, thanks Irene

-- Irene texas (tkorsborn@cs.com), June 09, 2001.

Oh No, Irene, so sorry to hear of this! I just seen my past float before my eyes too. Can't advise ya about any thing, but sending prayers your way! I use to live in Brazoria county, then Harris county, been through those floods. We were rescued once via boat and old army truck, think that was back late 1970's early 80's ?..brain fog. Flooded again on us where we use to live in Harris county. My youngest son thought he'd have some fun in a run off ditch out back where we lived. The streets drained into this ditch and then it drained into the San Jacinto river. The water in that ditch suddenly rose as the streets drained, rapids whisking him away down stream. He just happen to catch onto a concrete pillar, (to this day I know you know WHO..HE placed my son there:) he crawled up on it and waited to be rescued. Helicopter over head and volunteer rescue people every where, then the street lined with folks, seemed like for miles. Very scary ordeal, watching this and being sooo helpless. Fantastic outcome! His temp. had dropped from being so cold, he had been in the water for about 3 hours. All the way to the hospital he just kept begging me, he just wanted to go home and drink hot chocolate and warm up. My 20 year old son is living there in north Harris county now. I do hope he stays in and out of it! We're in MS. now and it's still raining here too. My garden is under and looks like much is lost now. Hang on to sanity, Irene...! Starting over can be a toughy, but not impossible. Keep ya some blankets ready, should you need to leave. I know it's warm out but that water is awfully cold. Maybe have a change of clothes ready too should you have to go to a shelter. We're here for ya! Prayers and well wishes to the flooded folks from any where! Do keep us posted, please! Prayers-Hugs Debb

-- Debb (fly45@bellsouth.net), June 09, 2001.

OH MY! This is the first I've heard of it too. That's such a hard thing to go thru, Irene. I sure hope those waters can run off and out of peoples places soon. Does any neighbors have any dry barns up higher? You might have to build the goats a ramp to the hayloft if it gets any worse. Maybe over the summer you can dump dirt in the barn and get the floor up a foot higher than outside. That's what I do here, we're on a high hill, but it runs fast when it rains hard. I have to channel the water where I want it to go. I can't imagine 40 inches, we got 12 inches in 12 hours one year and it shut down the whole area. You hang in there and please keep us posted.

-- Cindy in KY (solidrockranch@hotmail.com), June 09, 2001.

Dear Irene, we were ordained the opposite, with no rains, wild fires,abound. until this week in Florida. The skies have finally opened bountiful. Thank God! If you need food, I have a nest egg. Hydrated foods they are, in pretty cans. Not exactly like Mom's cooking, but at least substaining. I can send them, or drive them, where you need. Let me know where to deliver. Ye Gats, my Boss will never understand! So What?

-- My Story (andi@sticking.com), June 10, 2001.

Houston THEY have a problem! It's really bad for sure there! My daughter is still trying to call my son in Houston from MS. and ALL the phones, cell phones too and even the pagers aren't getting through! Due to all the heavy rains. I can not recall it ever being as bad as this, ever.

It has already been labled a disaster by the govenor of Texas. Count me in to help!

Let us know Irene Prayers for all tonight, Debb

-- Debb (fly45@bellsouth.net), June 10, 2001.

The good folks in Houston certainly don't deserve the mess they've been handed. Hard to believe I'm in the same state and we're in a drought. Sure wish mama nature would learn to balance things. But this is hurricane season, and the coast gets hit hard. This year it's harder than usual.

My Coastal grass is turning brown and the yolk of the hen's eggs are getting more yellow. We're in drought most of the summer. When the rain returns and greens up the grass, it'll be back to orange yolk eggs. Gonna have to think of getting a big ol' round bale of Coastal hay pretty soon for the stock.

Yep, sure wish there was more of a balance.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), June 10, 2001.

Irene:

Can you find an old panel van? If so, could it be towed to your property and used for a temporary goat hotel? The cows will eventually need to get out of the water also. Can you scrounge up some pallets and build a large enough area for them to lay down out of the water?

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), June 10, 2001.

To my story, thank you so much, I have dry food left from Y2 K, so we are all right in that part, I can"t believe you would drive all that way to bring us food, you are a real good person, Loaded all farm stock up in cattle truck and took them to high ground to a friend up north, just to much for us to deal with here.the water is going down a little, but there saying it may rain again, the wind is blowing, My phone is working locally, but can"t call my daughter in florida, maybe later today. the Govenor has declared this a disaster area.We had a lightning strike on the house, we had a outside surge protector, thank the lord,we have generator power, its butane, bought that for y2 k too.We are going to make it, and thank God your boy got out of that river, the lord put that branch there for him, You have all been such a help for my spirit, thank you all again, Love Irene

-- Irene texas (tkorsborn@cs.com), June 10, 2001.

Oh that's good Irene. That's nice of the friend to have your animals for a bit till this is over. They say the rain is leaving you all, supposed to be gone by tomorrow, and I hope they are right!

How is Vicki? Havn't heard from her yet I don't think unless I missed it. I know she is right north of Houston.

-- Cindy in KY (solid_rock_ranch@yahoo.com), June 11, 2001.

Thank Heavens it sounds as though you are fairing through it. Praise the Lord for friends!! So glad to hear back about ya. I'll be so glad when you folks can phone out cause we still in LA./MS. can't phone to ya'll over there. Haven't heard from my son over there yet!!! Praying he's doing alright. I begged him to visit an extra day here, ha but then he'd been stuck in LA. We're not flooded here where we're at like it is in Baton Rouge. Seen the news, what a mess. The good Lord had His hand on you, your home and animals for sure!

Take Care Irene

Debb

-- Debb (fly45@bellsouth.net), June 11, 2001.

Irene and all you southeast Texicans.. I do feel for you! As a child in Houston, I remember Hurricane Carla and many other flood seasons afterwards, but I can't imagine something of this magnitude. My thoughts are with you and having to deal with livestock in all this. It's hotter than 7 hells here and dry to boot. We are already into fire season here.. but, at least you can load up the critters and get out of the way. Taken care. dh in nm

-- debra in nm (dhaden@nmtr.unm.edu), June 12, 2001.

Debra, Hi, You're in the land of my dreams! Lived in NM and just love it there. I'd love to return, someday...really just might, miss those mountains something awful! What part are you in? I've lived in Silver City, well just outside of it in Arenas Valley (however it's spelled) also in Hillsboro, call myself growing up there in GoldDust back in the 60's there was a house on top a hill we lived in. Believe it's a mining office now? Then also lived in Ruidoso, so beautiful, just can't afford property around there~ ah, just had to say Howdy with some one living where my heart is. Fight'en the mud and 'squiters here in LA. they'll be so bad after all this blasted rains!! Hope ya have a safe summer. Debb

-- Debb (fly45@bellsouth.net), June 12, 2001.

We are fine up here north of Houston. It would be truly ark building time if we were to have standing water. The roads to everywhere were impossible as the rivers crested. Though without internet service, electricity for a few hours, and no phone service to check on my daughter, we felt very lucky to live high and dry and to have our food stored. We did rescue a herd of goats as the Trinity river came up, and a dear freind lost most of her goats and a few of her guardian dogs (she does rescue) they all drowned in the flood. Her blind doe Anya did live through this, though how she did was a miricle. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), June 15, 2001.