(New slide show at bottom of post.)
We're going to dodge the rain showers and head out to do errands today. It will be interesting, too, seeing any water damage along the way. Towns especially in the Central Vermont area were hard hit by the deluge of water yesterday - gulf towns along Rt. 12, and a few north of us. According to the forecast, later today the rain will begin again and last through the weekend. We'll all be growing gills and webbed feet before the summer is over. I know I've worn my barn boots more this year than any year I can remember since I left the farm of my childhood.

Speaking of childhood - I've agreed to speak to the Cabot alumni group on Saturday at their luncheon. That should be a hoot. I have never gone to one of their gatherings although I've belonged to the Alumni Association for quite a number of years. I'm looking forward to seeing people I probably will be embarrassed that I don't remember and being surprised at who they are. I'm awful with names. Lots of times I recognize a face but don't have a clue who it belongs to. I'll spend a few minutes telling them about the work I've been doing for the Cabot Historical Society, and then I'll be back at the historical society in the a afternoon - working. It's going to be another soggy day, and with gas prices the way they've been, could be there won't be as many people around as usual. We'll see.

We need to get going, but if we get some good pictures this morning, I'll post them later.

Later: The Passumpsic River was very swift today, almost over its banks in places. We took pictures as we came off Railroad Street onto Concord Avenue heading east. We were across the river from The Old Mill exercise club and Elements restaurant, near where the Moose river flows from East St. Johnsbury into the Passumpsic. Lots of water going over the dams, for sure.

As we were leaving this morning, Fred snapped a picture of our "lower 40" - the lawn below our house - quiet, peaceful, even a faint glimmer of sunshine. If we walk there, though, the ground is wet with the water running off the hillside above. No raging waters here, but still everything is very soggy. I haven't had to remember to water my hanging petunias or any of the outdoor plants this year, but I have had to empty gallons of water out of the two big containers for my scheffleras. Poor things don't get a chance to dry out. Here are the pictures we took this morning:

Slides