Berms and Babies

The flooding continues - and will throughout the summer. It is so odd - this type of flooding. There was warning time for berm, levee, and sea wall building. Most people - if able to afford to do so - have moved their belongings and moved their families, temporarily, to higher ground...but the waiting for damage continues.

A park gazebo slowly disappears.

This isn't a flood like the wall of water that usually comes to mind. This is an agonizingly slow seepage of the Missouri River and all it's confluences. We just keep watching the width expand and swallow up anything in it's path, blurring and marring the landscape. The speed of the river is estimated to be twice it's normal flow, uprooting whole trees and disconnecting docks, making its normally dangerous current even more treacherous.

Over-pass supports being swallowed by the Floyd River as it converges with the Missouri River.

The river gives new meaning to 'water slide' at a local park.

Up river, in South Dakota, two of the six dams have reached their all-time release record of 150,000 cubic feet per second (approx. 1,112,000 US liquid gallons per second). This peaked outpouring of water will continue through mid August. It's any one's guess how long it will be before things get back to '"normal". Here are a few pictures taken from my home town, situated on the tri-state area of Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota.

It's good to know we still have a sense of humor. Here is a T-shirt Lindblade Sioux City Gifts is selling.

(SUX is actually the FAA's official designation for local airport!)

And now on to the card of the day. I've been on a baby card making spree and at my age that is MUCH better than a baby making spree!

Peek-A-Bear Baby
~Base card PaperTrey Ink Kraft cardstock
~Layer of DCWV Nana's Kids
~Ribbon
~Sentiment buttons
~Layer of Kraft cardstock using scallop circle diecut - edges dotted with Sharpie fine-point marker
~Freebie digital image from May Brit, colored with Copics, wheel spokes highlighted with metallic Sharpie, printed on Cryogen White from Paper Temptress, die cut using scallop circle, dotted with fine point Sharpie marker
Challenges/Inspirations
The Poodles Parlor - anything goes
Cupcake Inspirations - photo
Scrap Creations - anything goes
Bearly Mine - anything goes
Hooked on Craft - anything goes
Wee Memories - anything goes

Thanks for clicking by.
Nancy in Iowa

Oh Baby!

As I mentioned in my previous post the Missouri River is exceeding its banks for hundreds of miles up and down stream from my home town of Sioux City, IA. I'm inserting a few pictures of the flooding that is occurring in my hometown and surrounding areas. The devastation will continue down the course of the Missouri. As you can see in the images below what appear to be bushes are really tree tops surrounded by the Missouri River. (Photos by Christine McAvoy). According to the local meteriologist the haze is a result of the fires currently burning in Arizona.

 A house surrounded by the Missouri River.

 The Missouri makes its way over its banks and toward Interstate 29.

Now for something a bit more cheerier. A 'gender-neutral' baby card for the yet unborn baby. Below is a baby card per friend Mary Lee's request. It was fun to make this one.

Cute as a Button
~Base card - PaperTrey Ink
~Layer of green cardstock
~Coordinating layers of Basic Grey Oh Baby!
~Orange cardstrock die cut circle topped with fabric embellishment by Daisy Hill
~Free digital image by MelonHeadz Illustrating, colored with Copics
Challenges/Inspirations
Crafy Pad - stripes
Crafy Catz - lots of circles
Craft Room - anything goes
Catch the Bug - anything goes
Stamp Something - use a digi
Do You Stack Up - orange

Thanks for clicking by,
Nancy in Iowa

Life, Lemons, and Levees

What a horrific last few days this has been. My hometown of Sioux City, IA is on the brink of a massive flood. My home is in no danger of Missouri River water but there are hundreds of people packing and moving. Where do you move if you have no family in the area? Where do you store a lifetime of 'stuff'? How do you start over with a mortgage that you will still owe even though your home will be swept away downstream? How much kindness and generosity of others can you experience in the span of a week without shedding a few tears?

The 'experts' are anticipating the river to crest at 35 feet. Thirty-five feet over the banks...that is nearly unimaginable. I'm not sure what the lemonade side of this flood would be...that people have had ample warning, that we've had sunshine in the wave of people evacuating their homes, that even with this impending devastation people are resilient and are keeping their hopes alive along with their sense of humor.

I will be putting in minimal Bubble time for awhile. I have friends to try to help. That will be more theraputic than even my cherished card making time.

Detail

Detail

Inside (or just chuck them at people!)

Lemon Chucking

~Base card PaperTrey Ink Lemon Tart

~Layer of striped design paper

~Lemon slices grosgrain ribbon

~Amber bling in the corners

~Digital images by MelJens, colored using Copics, highlighted with Stickles Yellow, pitcher highlighted with Stampin' Up Crystal Effects, ice cubes dotted with Stickles Diamonds

Challenges and Inspirations

Creative Cowgirls - summertime fun

Crafty Hos - summer

Gingerloft - tie a yellow ribbon

Pile It On - summer

Prairie Fairy - summer

MelJen's Designs - coastal fun (sipping lemonade, or maybe a Blue Lagoon with Blue Curacao, Lemonade and Vodka, on the beach)

Totally Paper Crafts - get fruity

Thank you for clicking by.

Nancy in Iowa