Nancy's Blog

Water is up again this morning. Here is the mailbox.

View of the mailbox at the end of our drive.

What? You can’t see the mailbox??????Well that’s because you CAN’T SEE THE MAILBOX! It is completely under water. The water rose about 8 1/2″ from yesterday morning. I couldn’t get very close to the yardstick we are using as a gauge, but it reads 32 to 32 1/2″ (yesterday was 24″). You can see what is sticking out on the lower left side of this photo.

The gauge on the road reads over 9 1/2′ now. The next time you come to the greenhouse, you can look at the edge of the parking lot & see that is where the water level was at it’s highest point this morning. I’m hoping it doesn’t go much higher than this!

At the edges the water is right at the parking lot on both sides of the road.

Crystal has learned to respect the water after having her moment(see day 6)of being swept away. Yesterday when we boated out, we closed her in one of the greenhouses because she tries to come with us and swam out one time in another flood which really caused problems. But yesterday as we were boating away, Mike looked back & there was Crystal. She had escaped from the greenhouse and was running along on the dry ground to keep up with us. I worried what she would do when the dry land ran out & was afraid to even look back for fear that it would encourage her to swim to us. Thankfully she stood at the water’s edge and watched us boat on away. I noticed today when we took our morning walk, as I waded out to see the yardstick, she stayed back on dry ground! I don’t think she likes the floodwater any more than we do now!

That is it for today. I enjoy seeing your comments, it is nice to know someone is looking at these photos!

Things are beginning to look serious….not that they haven’t already. The updated river forecast shows we might be closed down for a 3rd week. I had my heart set on opening up again at Mother’s Day or close to it. We will probably even be rescheduling or canceling Late Night due to the flood…..

On Sunday, this was our mailbox:

Higher than the 1997 crest, 3" to get in it.

We stuck a yardstick 9″ in the ground a day or so ago so we could see the rise without going out to the mailbox. Here is Sunday’s reading.

With the reading of 15″ we could tell the water level had gone up 6″ from when we put the ruler in the ground.

After 4 1/2″ of rain last night, here were our findings this morning.

Mailbox is halfway submerged.

24" means a 9" rise since yesterday

Here is the view of the greenhouses.

I had to rush off before finishing what I wanted to say. We heard that we needed to get our vehicle to higher ground since parts of 69 north of Hasting Lane were beginning to go under, so we made an unexpected trip out. Not an easy feat when that involves a boat!

This is the gauge on our Hasting Lane.

Mike says he should have made this taller!

And a view looking back at the greenhouses.

Greenhouses from the boat view.

Here is an updated picture of my sign at the highway.

You can't read that we are closed, but I guess you could figure that out!

Finally, here is the highway shortly before you get to Hasting Lane, right where the “Octagon” house is if you know that spot.

Highway 69, north of Hasting Lane about 1/2 mile.

As bad as it is for us, there are people who have it much, much worse. At least my house is sitting safe and sound. I count my blessings. Please pray that the rain ceases and the water recedes quickly.

On what should be the busiest day of my season, a bright warm sunny Saturday, I have to be closed. I really try just to not think about it. I appreciate your kind comments when you have called to see if we are open. At this point I’m still hoping to be open May 8. Mt. Vernon’s gauge looks promising, but I can’t tell on JT Myers yet.

I have some flood photos to share today. Yesterday, we boated out for mail and newspapers. I got to see what it looks like from the “other” side. I think this picture tells it all:

Even my sign on the highway is getting flooded!

Hasting Lane, doesn’t even exist! There is just enough room to pull your car 1/4 of the way on it to get turned around.

This morning we made our normal trek up to the mailbox. I walked out partway & turned around for this photo.

View of the greenhouse from our driveway.

We like to check the depth next to the mailbox, today it lacked 10″ of getting in.

The mailbox at the end of our drive.

It was just a few inches deeper than this in 1997, but we haven’t reached the crest at JT Myers yet. The current is really swift over our road. I don’t go out as far as Mike does since he has his hip waders on. Crystal always comes along, but stays back with me(in about 12″ of water). Today she stepped off the road into the ditch beside it and was swept away by the current. She tried to swim back to me, but couldn’t make headway and finally swam back toward the greenhouses until she could walk out. She didn’t come back in beside me after that!

After we checked the mail box, we climbed on our roof for the overall view of the flood. Here is what the greenhouses look like. You can see the flood is close, but still not a threat to the greenhouses or my sales building.

View from our house roof.

I feel really sorry for those who have water in their homes from this flood. I also count my blessings when I see the damage from tornadoes in the south. I realize I have problems, but they could be much worse. I’m hoping it won’t be long & I won’t have time to post this daily blog! Until then, it is my link with the “outside” world:-)

Today the water is 6′ 9″ deep across our road. I have several pictures to share from that, but first I have to show you the geranium bench! It took 3 days, but I finally picked all of the blooms off of all of the geraniums!

You can look back a few posts to see this bench in full color. Hopefully it will be that colorful again by the time you can get to the greenhouse again!

The geraniums will keep better for the next week without blooms in the humid greenhouse.

Last night we walked out to the mailbox to see how high the water had gotten, so I’ll share those photos.

Hasting Lane, looking toward the highway from our driveway.

Looking back at the greenhouses from Hasting Lane.

View of our mailbox & sign from Hasting Lane, looking West.

This morning Mike & I took our morning stroll to check the level again. Here is the current view of the mailbox.

Our Driveway with the mailbox in the background.

Mike checking how much more to get to our mailbox. I couldn't go out as far as he did since I only had regular boots on & the current wanted to wash over the tops of them.

19" from our mailbox. In 1997 it lacked 8" of getting in our mailbox & we think this flood may slightly exceed that.

Every day we check the NOAA web site(many times) and see what the predicted river levels are going to be. When it actually crests I will take photos from the roof of our house so you can get a real perspective of how much water there really is.

Looking at the predictions I am hoping we can be open on Mother’s Day Sunday. I can’t tell what JT Myers level will be by then, so I may be being optimistic. Mt. Vernon’s gauge  shows it is dropping off rapidly & it may be off the road by then. If so, I will stay open longer than normal Sunday hours!

More tomorrow!

Is it really only day 4??????

The sun is shining this morning, how I wish we could be open!

I promised some flood pictures today. Last night I took a picture of “Hasting Falls”. I’ll bet you didn’t know we had a waterfall down here! 🙂 I’ve only seen it a few times, thank goodness. Anyway, it is south of our house where there is a natural barrier between a fence row of trees and two fields. When it breaks over the fence row it makes a noise of rushing water that we can hear easily from the house.

Close up of Hasting Falls.....doesn't really rival Niagara, but it's close by!

What is amazing to me is that we drove through this area the prior evening & never even saw water close to here . The next morning this was the view.

A full view of the water across the field road we crossed 12 hours earlier!

This morning the water is at our mailbox. It measures 6 feet deep on the road.

View of the mailbox on Hasting Lane right as you turn into our drive.

Of course on our morning walk to view the water, we had company.

Crystal is never far from where we are.

Crystal is missing all of the treats my employees bring her each day. Some of the UPS and Fed-Ex drivers bring treats, and even customers have brought treats. She’s having to survive with just me feeding her!

I’m off to water the greenhouse & work on geraniums. I think I’ll finish that task today!!!!!

Water is 4 1/2 feet across the road today. It is really coming up fast. It now has crossed on the south side of the house as well, so we see water looking out 3 of the 4 directions!

I actually have time to download some of the pictures I have taken earlier in the spring, so I’ll share some of those as well as current ones. I have to show my favorite customer in recent days.

This little boy was certainly enjoying his visit while his Dad shopped. I thought it was too cute not to snap a shot!

Yesterday I told you I was taking the blooms off of the geraniums. In the high humidity of the greenhouses(especially in extended rainy weather) the blooms on the geraniums go bad and make the foliage suffer as well. Since I know I won’t be able to be open for a couple of weeks, they will be easier to care for with the existing blooms removed. They should begin  re-blooming about the time you can get back in. This first picture shows the greenhouse bench of geraniums in full bloom.

And here is a closeup of the actual blooms and buds.

Notice all the small buds as well as full blooms!

Here is the finished product…at least the part I could get done yesterday.

You see the blooms in front, but the back half of the bench has been plucked and spaced one by one. I’m sure missing my employees right now! 🙂

I had a call this morning from a gentleman who wanted plants. When I told him I was flooded out and water was across the road, he asked if he could boat in!!!! I had to laugh. I’d LOVE that, but with a “State of Emergency” declared, no one is allowed to boat in for casual reasons, especially if you don’t live here.

I’ll try to take a few flood photos to share next time, but now I have to get over to the greenhouse. My geraniums are calling!

And HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Sheila today!

Yesterday morning we were able to drive out in a pickup. The water was 10 to 11 inches deep. By mid afternoon when I was done with my errands, Mike picked me up in the dump truck, and the water was about 14″ deep. This morning(April 26) the water is 2 1/2 feet deep! That is a huge jump in one day, from 11″ to 30″!

I didn’t get much done at the greenhouse yesterday, but I’ll be over there working all day today. My task is to remove all the blossoms from the geraniums….and there are thousands. I’m taking my camera, so we’ll start pictures soon.

The water is too deep to chance coming in to the greenhouses. Before long, we will be boating in and out if we need to leave. As of Monday April 25 we will close down until the roads are navigable again.

I want to thank all of you who came to shop both Saturday and Sunday even though the weather wasn’t the greatest. Especially those of you who braved the water across the road on Sunday. I certainly appreciate all your care and concern for my business. It is a devastating event to have to close for 1 or 2 weeks during what should be the peak of my season. It is hard to see all of the hope and hard work my employees and I put into raising these plants be jeopardized by something we can’t control. Hopefully the water will go down quicker than expected and we can get back to business as usual.

The other sad thing is that our “reception” for Sheila on her birthday will have to be postponed. We were really looking forward to honoring her 20 years of work at Hasting Plants. I am hoping to have it rescheduled on May4, but I’m afraid that we might not be open again by then. I will post it here when we get it figured out.

Keep all the people affected by the flood in your prayers!

We will be open today, but you will have to drive through water to get to us. Hasting Lane has 3 low places. The deepest will be the one closest to our greenhouse. Right now at 11:00 a.m. only that place is covered. There is a gauge beside the road where you can see how deep it is.

I would not go through in a car that sits low. Pickups and SUV’s usually sit higher and have no problem. This will probably be the last day we will be able to be open for quite a while.

We will reschedule Sheila’s reception for 20 years on next Wednesday, May 4 if possible. If the flood still has us closed, we will let you know of a new date.

Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers that this flood recedes quickly! Thanks.

Last night we had 2 inches of rain, with quite a bit more expected in the next couple of days. After seeing the article in today’s Evansville Courier, many of you came to get your plants today even though the weather was not the greatest. I really appreciate your support. Having to close down during my peak selling weeks will be a devastating  event.I hope we can be open on Sunday, but the water is so close now, the extra from the rain may cross the road earlier than I thought. I’ll know better when I leave for church in the morning & then come home around 11:00. At that time I’ll update the flood information on my home page.

Mike just looked at the river forecast, and it looks like this one could be close to the big flood we had in 1997. If so, it will close us for a good week and possibly even longer.