I thought you might like to see the extent of the flooding of our property after days of rain. There was one little pop-up stream of water that flowed behind our back porch and down the yard. A small drainage ditch between us and our neighbors carried a rushing stream to join the run-off. As you might be able to see, there was no danger to any of us during this deluge. Water collected in the pasture before going further downhill.
I could poke fun at the dire flood warnings, but there were people who were affected. According to local news, there were 10 students in Haywood County who could not be returned to their homes from school. A private bridge to one home had been destroyed, and water covered roads all around the county. The principals worked with the parents to arrange a meeting point to deliver the students.
David and I drove to Jonathan Creek as the rain let up. I took one photo from the bank where we usually stand to watch the stream.
I went upstream for another shot to show the clearance under the bridge. We watched sticks merrily riding the current, freely floating over the usual rocky obstacles. The sound was impressive, too. I know it would be dangerous to swim in a swollen stream, but part of me longed to jump in if the water had been warm. Note: there is no danger of warm water in a mountain stream. It’s always frigid.
David stopped the car near our home to let me take shots of Park Branch – two little streams that flow under the road. The first was near the large bend in the road, flowing from above the road.
The other photo shows Park Branch as it emerged from the pipe under the road closer to home, flowing below the road. I think a little footbridge was underwater. A day later there was debris on the bridge.
Snow clouds followed the rain. I never cease to be amazed that in the North Carolina mountains, snow drifts down from a blue sky. Obviously, the snow comes from clouds, but the clouds may have already blown over before the snow reaches the ground. I watched the mountains from my computer desk as they were blotted out by snow, only to reappear a few minutes later. We had nothing white on the ground after these flurries, but I loved watching the ever-changing landscape.
Mehrling Muse 
I’m glad you are not affected by the heavy rains. Nature can be beautiful and terrifying at the same time.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That can be quite intense. Great photos.
LikeLike
My brother said he had seen swollen creeks without photos to prove it. I laughed. I nearly always have a camera in my pocket.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good to watch from a safe place.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So much water! It is pretty soggy here in PA too. There were snow flurries both days we were in Asheville. I hope when we come back in March it is more spring-like!
LikeLike
Mountain weather is highly unpredictable.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wet here too. . The Mississippi and Pearl and Yazoo rivers seem to have forgotten their banks. The poor farmers who farm ” bottom land ” and other low areas are in trouble …again.
LikeLike
Oh, dear. My brother has a farm in bottom land in TN. He didn’t make any money last year on it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow, lotta water!!! We, on the other hand, are having a big blizzard right now. We’ll end up with maybe two feet of snow!
LikeLike
How I’d love to be in another blizzard! You might be wishing the snow would go away, but I long to see a really snowy day. We’ve had snow off and on all day long with nothing to show for it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh Anne, if only I could ship some down to you! Would you like the 40mph winds with that order, too? 😀😂
LikeLike
I’d just as soon you didn’t include the high winds. The huge oak tree in our yard can seem very threatening when the wind howls. Is the wind whistling around you today?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve been in mountain streams…you are right Anne…even in August they are freezing! We have a lot of rain today in NJ. No snow! Thank goodness. The wind is blowing very hard…was a little worried about branches when I filled the bird feeders. So far everything is intact.
LikeLike
We’ve had lots of wind, too. We saw a forecast of 40-degree winds, but that was for higher elevations.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Super High Tides up here Anne. We’re on good high ground above the creek and river, no issues for us. Chickens love the worms after the rain.
LikeLike
Our worms love the asphalt road after rain, but it’s too cold for them right now.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a natural treat! Bet your waterfalls are going wild!
LikeLike
We’d love to see waterfalls after rain, but lots of time the trails are a muddy mess.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I really appreciate previous generations’ wisdom when we have flooding. I can see that they took precautions when they sited their houses away from water. Many people lately seem determined to live so close to the water that they get flooded. Thanks for the images and glad you were high and dry.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are right about people’s living dangerously near water now. We were dry inside the house. As you can imagine, outside was a different story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was looking at Oregon flooding a place called something “Hollow.” Usually names like Tide Side, Creek Side, River Side, Marsh Road and the like are very good clues, as is Hollow, that they flood.
LikeLike
I never thought of names indicating likely flooding. Good point.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We laugh at the obvious in the names. Probably New England names are very good indicators of problems. Our forebears knew their geography.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love to watch snow as well, I just don’t like being out in it.
LikeLike
Watching snow is a safe pastime. We love to walk when it’s snowing, but only if it isn’t icy underfoot. Driving is another matter entirely.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Well you have a stronger conviction than me, lol
LikeLike
I probably have more experience than you do!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like seeing it snow when I’m comfortable inside. Your photos of the swollen streams are a good reminder to not take weather changes for granted.
LikeLike
There was major flooding in this area a year or so before we moved here. People still talk about it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow, that is the example of what Mother Nature can do without asking permission Two years ago the rains took out my son’s garden that was on the river in Tryon. It looks like the house is high and there needs to be quite a bit more to affect your home. Beautiful photos.
LikeLike
We are on the lower slope of a mountain, not really high at all. Still, there is no danger of flooding or of landslides. We live in a place that we think is perfect for us.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh my, I hate flood. I am allergic to it.But it seems pretty safe in you area.
LikeLike
There goes the missing letter “r” again. That’s supposed to be “your”.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I read it correctly, probably because I misspell words all the time.
LikeLiked by 1 person
There is something wrong with the letter r on my keyboard Anne. I always make a mistake because of it.
LikeLike
I wish I had a good excuse like that!
LikeLiked by 1 person
We haven’t seen the valley flooded, but the creek could wreak havoc if too much rain fell.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow – I have heard about the bad weather in North Carolina and wondered if it affected you. One of the first blog posts of yours I read after following you showed the raging water and it looked gurgly, just like this shot.
LikeLike
I think this time the creek was gurglier than before. It will be gurgliest when the water flows over the banks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So you remember that gurgly post … wow, I had thought that was incredible at the time.
That might have been the initial post I saw … I did not tag my posts at that time and I had searched for a key word “walking” or “walk” and your post at the creek popped up. I think I mentioned that to you recently how I discovered you. We had more snow last night and we are getting 1-3 inches Sunday night and a more significant snowfall on Wednesday night – they are not predicting how many inches for that … Winter is here to stay I think. Walking will take a hit and I hope to get to the Park for my furry friends tomorrow before the snow begins in earnest.
LikeLike
Good luck with the snow. Our forecast calls for snow today, but we’ll be lucky to have anything stick.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I just put the news on a few minutes ago and they said it is snowing again in my part of town – looked, and yes. It snowed three times between Friday afternoon and when I went out this morning. Then snowed while I was out – it stopped and I walked to the Park as the streets were heavily salted so no worries about ice/snow. It was dicey down there at the Park though. I walked on the grass, but critters one to see, likely as I got there later than usual. The snow is bad enough but the freezing rain tomorrow night will be a pain – we have had a lot of freezing rain this Winter.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So I guess everyone is getting this rain! We have lots of flooding here too!
LikeLike
Have you seen any flooding? The newspaper wrote about our high water, but I didn’t see real flooding myself.
LikeLiked by 1 person
No I haven’t seen any as I haven’t been out much in this weather- just to work and around the park on my runs
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have been trying to be good and get my year-end paperwork done, but did you see some of the gushing waterfall pics and videos? Geez, I would’ve loved to see some of those in person.
LikeLiked by 2 people
You might have gotten muddy and wet getting to some of those waterfalls. Someone else’s videos are easier!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Anne, I’m glad there weren’t damage to any homes but I feel for the stranded students. The power of rivers should never be underestimated and here in England there have been so many floods this winter. Alas, much of new housing is built on old flood plains!
LikeLike
I hadn’t heard of the flooding in England, although a number of bloggers have mentioned exceptional rain. We have renewed flood warnings because of rain in the forecast.
LikeLiked by 1 person
And more rain today as a huge storm charges across the country! Hope your flood warnings stay just that … and do not become real floods. It is such a misery for many.
LikeLike
I hope you will be in no danger. If you write about it, I’ll be eager to read it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad to know, you are well and glad the students were reunited. Stay safe and dry.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow!! this is where you live?
LikeLike
We live on a lower slope of a mountain where there is never likely to be flooding.
LikeLiked by 1 person
But this is amazing. I don’t know the real situation over there wether it is troubling you or not. But seems to be lovely.
LikeLike
Floods are not a threat to us. Our state is currently having us shelter in place for the virus, and that is a greater concern. What about you? Are there many cases of the virus in your area?
LikeLiked by 1 person
… 150+ and counting. Curfew is in active all over the country. So yeah same here. We are also being sheltered.
Check this out one of the amazing places I’ve ever been to
https://malindakavih.wordpress.com/2019/01/15/your-mountain-is-waiting/
LikeLike
Your trek was amazing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you very much
LikeLiked by 1 person