It's spring. In my youth, spring usually meant rain. Lots of it. And following that rain, flooded creeks. There were always floodgaps or floodgates to repair in the spring, as floating debris wiped them out on a regular basis.
In case you didn't get to spend much time fixin' fence, repairing a flood gap is just that. Only the fence you're repairing is usually across a creek, gully, or other low lying area prone to gathering water, mud, and stinging insects.
If you're lucky, the creek you're working across is not still swollen from spring rain, and things go as planned. If luck has run out, there's not only water up to your butt, but snakes with mean dispositions, slippery rocks, sharp sticks, and razor sharp barb wire to contend with. Wire cutters are dropped in among the tadpoles and have to be fished out, much to the disgust of the person in charge. An endeavor designed to test the patience among the best of us!
I was thinking about this ritual of my youth this morning and realized that my life has been much like a series of floodgaps. Rains come, bringing change. Some good, some so-so, some downright nasty. But I've always managed to rebuild, and often with a great deal of love and laughter during the process.
On this blog, thoughts will swirl, not water. Hopefully, I won't have to resort to barb wire for repairs, and those nasty snakes will stay comatose for a little while longer. I hope you enjoy!
In case you didn't get to spend much time fixin' fence, repairing a flood gap is just that. Only the fence you're repairing is usually across a creek, gully, or other low lying area prone to gathering water, mud, and stinging insects.
If you're lucky, the creek you're working across is not still swollen from spring rain, and things go as planned. If luck has run out, there's not only water up to your butt, but snakes with mean dispositions, slippery rocks, sharp sticks, and razor sharp barb wire to contend with. Wire cutters are dropped in among the tadpoles and have to be fished out, much to the disgust of the person in charge. An endeavor designed to test the patience among the best of us!
I was thinking about this ritual of my youth this morning and realized that my life has been much like a series of floodgaps. Rains come, bringing change. Some good, some so-so, some downright nasty. But I've always managed to rebuild, and often with a great deal of love and laughter during the process.
On this blog, thoughts will swirl, not water. Hopefully, I won't have to resort to barb wire for repairs, and those nasty snakes will stay comatose for a little while longer. I hope you enjoy!
