Adventure Awaits!

Monday, May 2, 2011

Big Water

Hiya Folks,

Today's theme is flood water.

 I went home to a Kentucky full of tornadoes and flood water. My home right now is experiencing a historic flood with waters reaching the level of the flood of 1937. Here's some pictures of Southwest Kentucky during the 1937 flood. Here's some pictures from that flood.
Paducah, KY 1937

Flood Memorial Paducah, Kentucky

Dowtown Paducah-1937 Flood.



The Ohio River and its tributaries are swollen and many people in Southwest Kentucky are having to evacuate their homes. I went home and helped sandbag houses, stake high water roads, and move cattle to safer ground. I felt like I was in a John Wayne movie. I luckily have been raised by cowboys, so my upbringing helps me know what to do when trouble is a'comin'. The Army Corps of Engineers have been considering busting a levy on the river to keep the city of Cairo, Illinois, from going completely underwater. For ya'll not from that part of the world, Cairo rests at the crux of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers and is considered one of the most important ports on the Mississippi River. Many of my kinfolk are surrounded by water, with their houses looking like islands. Today, my uncle used a john boat to go get my grandfather out of his house because it was inaccessible by car. Interesting to watch how Mother Nature can put life at a standstill.

Lonnie Johnson wrote a great song called "Flood Water Blues" about the 37' flood. Here's some lyrics to it:
"When it lightin', my mind gets frightened, my nerves begin weakenin' down
And the shack where we was livin' began movin' 'round...
Women and children were screamin', sayin', 'Lord must we go?'
'The floodwater have broke the levees and we ain't safe here no more."

Very haunting song. Here's a recording of Mr. Johnson singin' it.

1 comment:

  1. Dang! Is that what you had just come from doing? Why didn't you say so?!

    ReplyDelete