The River...and...The Ford...

I love...looking at old paintings...like these....

I collected them...years ago...

Condition...wasn't important...

As I drove...yesterday...making deliveries...

I crossed the Iowa River... and thought about this old...painting....

It reminds me so...of The Iowa....

It's good to see the River...full...again... {it's actually...Flooding}

It was so...shallow...last Fall...the kids said...fish...were in pockets....

and couldn't get out...

Very...Sad....

So...tho...it's flooding...and...that isn't good...for some folks...

it is...wonderful...to see it...Flowing...again....

I have an appointment...this morn...then...

House Cleaning...for Miss. Scarlett's 2nd Birthday Party!

Hope you have a Lovely...day!

Barb C.
{Happy Birthday...Dad...You would have been...100...today...!!!
Miss You...}
{as I wrote this...Birthday Wish...for Dad...
and glanced up...at the Old Painting...
It reminded me...of the Iowa...River...
Our...experience...of the Iowa...at the Exact spot..I crossed...yesterday....
Dad and I were coming home...from a Wonderful Farm Auction....
I was about...8....years old...
It was Late...and...the Old truck...was low...on Fuel...and Loaded Heavy....
so...Dad opted...to take a short cut....
Unfortunately...the Bridge...was out...they had the road...torn apart...as well...
Dad...drove...down in the ditch....by the river...got out...and walked...across......
it was...pretty shallow...
I sat up...high...in the truck...watching him...so afraid...he would drown....
He assured me...it would be fine...
it was Summer...the River was shallow...
If we turned back...we would have run out of fuel....
no cell phones..in those days...and no houses...near....
So...Dad found a spot...that he thought would get us across...The Iowa...
and...it almost...did...
We made it across...so the front wheels...were high and dry...but...as we were climbing...out of the river... with the monster load...
the rear...Axel...sunk...deep..into the muck....
The Old...Ford...wasn't 4WD.... and...we were done...
so...
Dad walked...for miles... to get to a phone...
I waited...in the Ford....
He called a friend...from Cedar Rapids...got him...out of bed...
who drove his '49 Boom Truck...out...
{by then...it was...the wee...hours...of the Morn...}
I remember...them...letting what seemed like Miles...of cable...
to reach...from the road...to the Ford...
{the Boom...was what seemed...a Mile high...on it's own...}...
I stood back...and watched that Old boom Truck...Rear...up...in the air...
It's Old Headlights...where shining...into the Sky....
 The Truck's...Massive front end...was way...up off the ground...and...
the Big...Duel Tires...were Smoking...as it walked...only....inch...my inch...
on the Smoking Rubber...
Pulling The Ford...from the water....
It was a sight....!!!
When we finally...got Home...
Mom...Eclipsed...that sight...
She...was Smokin' Waaaay More...than the '49's...Old Tires....
oh my....
'The Journey'...}