Sunday, April 24, 2011

Easter Dinner and a Flood

All the dogs got into the act  and got  all dressed up for Easter,

I had candy eggs, rabbits and chicks for the little ones.

The dining room in it's Easter finery.

This is right out side my front door. We put up a temp. flood wall. If the river rises we have to add sand bags to the top.This goes up fast and 4 people can do it in a couple of days. It is 1000 feet long.



  I hope every one out there in Blogville, had a wonderful and blessed Easter. I had the family for Easter Bunch at, My Old Historic House. Every since my Mother and Father have gone my brothers and sister and I have to take turns having the family get together. It was my turn this year to host the Easter celebration. Of course right in the middle of it, or on top of it, the Mississippi River, that is only a few 100 feet from my front porch, decided  to flood it's self right out of it's  banks. For the past few days the whole town has been busy building a temporary flood wall and filling thousands of sand bags. If viewed from the air, I am sure it would look like an ant hill.


I got out my beautiful English platter to show off.

This is out the front door of my shop. The sand bag wall will grow to about 4 foot tall.

I saved the jonquils in the ice box for weeks for the Easter brunch today.

Standing on my front porch looking toward the shops down town.

  Every year in the spring we have this problem to deal with. In 2008 we had a giant flood. I had only owned, My Old Historic House, for 2 years and that was an awful present for any one to give me. The river rose to a record height and we had to build a  sand  bag wall all the way around the house. There was no electric or plumbing because of the high water, and I had to wade water up to my waist to go to the rest room, in a porta pot. The water stayed up for over a month and was a couple of other months before we could get rid of all the sand bags. I was sure hoping that would not happen again,  for a least 20 years. Last spring we had threats and the river came up and down all summer. No problem in the end. This year there has been so much snow and bad weather up above us, that the old Mississippi is on a ramp page.We can not set and wait as all this pre-flood prep  takes time and man power. Sometime it comes up so fast there is very little warning.It's a lot to go through, but living on the river, the views and the barges and birds all year, I guess , some how make it worth it.




We have to rent big pumps like this one to pump the water that comes under the flood  wall, back into the river.



The park is completely under water.
  I took the day off  today, after I spent the morning making a few hundred sand bags and got every thing ready for my family and our wonderful feast. I figure I needed to take a break and observe the Lords very special day.I tried to make it nice, even though we were almost in the middle of a flood,I thought my family and I deserved a beautiful table.
   I am really under stress as the flood causes the whole town to close down. We get water over the roads coming into town from both directions and we become an island. No one can come and shop and I worry about the bills. This could go on and on and I might be closed for a couple of months. I hope some people shop on  in my Etsy shop, on line, and that would really help.Some how it always works out.
    I will be away from the computer a lot in the coming days. I do manage to check in at least three times a day. I wanted to get this post done and out there before tomorrow , where I will again tackle the sand bag war.Come by for a tour or to help sand bag. I will leave the lights on till they cut them off, because the water has gotten to high,  Sissy Dog will meet you with a jump and a kiss.

  www.richadsgreatstuff.etsy.come

The big old ham, the guest of honor at our Easter brunch.


Some one had to wash the dishes.



This was my bargin  shopping find. A quilted peach colored bed spread for $6.00 at Goodwill that I will use as a table cloth. Just throw it in the washer and dryer.

Angel food cake and fresh strawberries. 


Our youngest, great niece, four months old.


My Victorian glass Easter eggs made a grand appearance.

18 comments:

Curtains in My Tree said...

What a great looking Easter spread

I love the dogs with their bunny ears on

I seen Sissy sitting on a family members lap so cute

I will be worried right along with you about high waters.
It would be traggic for that fabulous historic house to get water in it what a night mare of a worry.

Janice

Anonymous said...

We've been thinking of you Richard! Hoping you all manage to keep the water back!!

Glenda/MidSouth said...

Wow! Sorry you are having to deal with the flooding. :( Looks like you had a great Easter get together. "They" are saying we are going to get record amounts of rain fall in the next couple of days.:( Weather this last year has really been bad. Sure hope things improve.
Glenda

Pam of Eastlake Victorian said...

Happy Easter, Richard. Looks like a fun family gathering. I hope the river stays out of your home and town this year. Those once-in-a-lifetime floods are not supposed to happen twice in somebody's lifetime!

PAINTORDIG.blogspot.com said...

Oh I feel for you and all the worry about flooding. We had a flash flood last week and there was 2 and a half feet of water in my yard! Thank goodness only the basement flooded. We can't fight mother nature can we. I am glad you got a little resite from your troubles with your lovely Easter brunch. The dog ears are too cute. Hope Sissy got a piece of that ham!

Sweet Old Vintage said...

Looks like a wonderful Easter... The chandelier over the table is just too lovely...

lvroftiques said...

Richard I'm praying that water stays away from your beautiful house! We have rain rain rain at my place. I'm so tired of it. The rivers here tend to flood also, BIG PITA!
Your house looks beautiful for Easter. Love the bunny ears on the staffordshire pups! *winks* Vanna

Babs said...

Richard, I hope the waters of the mighty Mississippi have receded some. It looks like you had a nice Easter in spite of it all.
Love your Staffordshire spaniels with their bunny ears. I have a little lone spaniel who lost his mate, but he's still a favorite thing of mine. Oh, I just got a good look at your dining room chandelier it's spectacular!
Take care,
Babs

Sissysmom said...

Looks like your Easter was a great time with good food in spite of the threatening waters. We will be praying the water will recede soon! Give Sissy Dog a pat on the head from me. Keep her water wings at the ready, but hope she doesn't need them!!

A. Kadowaki Busby said...

Hi Richard,
The menace of a flood must have weighed heavily during your Easter holiday and still must, but those photographs of your family in your home are simply heartwarming. It looks like you have a solid support system there. Loved your Easter decorations!
Anyes
XX

Unknown said...

Wow.....a lot's been going on in your neighborhood. Hope the Flood Waters and rain are subsiding. I wish you could send some of that rain down to South Texas. We are Crispy Critter right about now. Your home is GORGEOUS and the dog bunnies made me laugh out loud. Glad you got to enjoy some family time and celebrate Easter between all the sand-bagging. Take Care!!!

Designs on 47th Street said...

What fun pictures of your family, dishes and decor. I enjoyed seeing all of this. Oh my...I'm sorry for your water woes. My mom deals with this threat in her area and it IS a worry! Hope your town avoids the threatening waters.

Donna

Marty@A Stroll Thru Life said...

Love the pics of family and friends all getting together for fun and great food. The dogs with their bunny ears just tooooooo cute. I so hope the weather changes and pray for no more rain. Thanks for joining TTT. Hugs, Marty

Tea in Texas said...

Hope you are doing better with the flood and sand bags. Your family Easter feast was so beautiful. I'm glad you took those great photos of your family. I see the temporary wall and sand bags are so important! We have had severe storms and tornados all around North and East Texas but just rain and winds in our area of Dallas county. Take care and hope you are doing well!

Mikey Fuller said...

Beautiful Easter spread! I love the glass eggs! I'm having Easter again this Sunday, as my great aunt who usually host the brood of us was in the hospital over Easter. Glad to see the Flood didn't do too much damage!

Anonymous said...

Hi Richard! Oh, I'm sorry about all of flooding and hope it won't hurt your shop and your business.
Well, in spite of it all - look at your lovely Easter table. I love those pretty Victorian Easter eggs. I've only seen one other blogger with a few - you have a zillion!
Now I collect Staffordshire dogs too and I just laughed out loud when I saw yours with the bunny ears! So cute.
I know your family felt so special seeing all of the beautifulness you did for them.
Take care.
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;)

Anonymous said...

Your dining table is so pretty. The Victorian glass Easter eggs look terrific with the chocolate bunnies. How clever of you to think ahead and save jonquils in the frig!

The pink bunny ears on the dogs are wonderful!

Deb

Unknown said...

I was wondering if the flood got into your house despite the flood wall you built. The scenario would be pretty much disturbing if it did. Just imagine the huge cleanup you'd have to do if that was the case!

Gail Wallace