It's been over a month since the BIG flood. Nick and I can travel the trail around our property without a canoe or waders. We walk and see grass, high up in the branches of the trees, at least 8 ft. We see a slimy, brown sludge covering everything. Dead worms and voles, melted pumpkins, debris, all scattered everywhere. We see signs of beaver tasing our apple trees. The smell is powerful! People ask us if we flooded, and we say, yes, what a crazy time that was! They ask if we...

Today, we hosted part of the Pilchuck Audubon's Christmas Bird Count. One benefit of the high flood waters is that we have a lot of new species on our farm. Waterfowl: Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser, Pied-Billed Grebe, and Goldeneye. Here is some info on the Christmas Bird Count in case you'd like to get involved: https://www.audubon.org/community-science/christmas-bird-count/join-christmas-bird-count

We're happy to report that the water stopped overtopping Friday night, and when we woke up Saturday morning, the flood left behind a pudding-like layer of silt on the road. We spent the rest of the day visiting with neighbors, sharing stories, and processing; after which we began the cleanup. Late in the afternoon, Nick and I canoed the back pastures, fields, and forests, assessing the damage and being in awe of the amount of water that now rests in the back of all our properties. It will...