We've had a lot of rain in the past two days, but just a little north of us there was a lot more reported. All of that is running off the mountains and into our lakes and ponds and keeping brooks and rivers raging. The water coming over the dam this morning was a good example. I stood near the foot bridge and watched the flow as it moved from under the highway bridge. There were bits of debris floating gently at first, past grass and bushes bent with the flow of the higher than normal water, and on towards the dam, bits of wood and leaves sometimes caught briefly in a whirlpool near the grassy bank, but then moving on, gaining momentum and slipping over the glassy smooth roll of water and disappearing into the churning white cascade to the rocks below.

I tried to guess if the rubber dam was six or maybe eight inches below the rolling surface of water. I couldn't tell. Maybe more. A lot of water was going over the dam, and if the penstock was open, that would mean a lot more water was being let out of the pond. Still, water in the pond was higher than usual.

We were fortunate not to have severe damage like many other towns. From washed out culverts and bridges to straight-line wind damage to timber lots and crops, towns north and south of us got the brunt of the storm. Today has been pretty nice with no more rain here, but in the southern part of the state there were heavy storms again.

We were in St. Johnsbury this morning and noticed a "For Sale" sign on a little house next to the river as we drove along Concord Avenue to Railroad Street. We could see water rushing over the dam at Mill Street, too, and we wondered if anyone would want to buy property so close to the river.

On our way out of town, as we left Memorial Drive by the Price Chopper market and headed up Hospital Drive towards the interstate, we saw three ducks waddling down the road in the east bound lane. There was traffic, but one car had their emergency blinkers going and was slowly following the ducks. The driver motioned for car behind him that were about to pass to slow down. We were already slowed as I was fumbling for our camera. Fred got a couple of pictures, and we waved to the man following the ducks and slowing traffic. Then I noticed there was writing on the side of the car. Big letters: TRAFFIC CONTROL. You couldn't fabricate a story better than that. We weren't quick enough to get a picture of the car, but I swear it's true. We have no idea how long the Traffic Control Officer had been herding those ducks, but he sure had everything under control. That's a long bridge span and the ducks probably knew the river was just below them - they just took a wrong turn at the bridge . . .

Click on the quackers to make the picture larger.

Things are getting set up for the fair in Danville. There was a lot of activity there today. The weather is going to be just about perfect, from all reports. Some years back the Joe's Pond Association entered a float in the parade - and as I recall, they won a prize. I looked for a newspaper clipping to that effect, but apparently I don't have one.