INTERNET DOWN, AN ANNUAL EVENT

FROM THE BACK DECK AS WATER RISES.



A WEE DUSTING OF SNOW BEGINS THE THREAT OF INTERNET DOWN.

IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR, DEAR READERS...THE MIGHTY MISSISSIPPI IS FLOODING EXTENSIVELY, BACKING UP OUR LOCAL RIVERS, STREAMS AND INUNDATING THIS OLD OXBOW.

THE VIEW FROM HERE IS A WATERWORLD...FLOODING TO THE COUNTY ROAD, ACRES UPON ACRES OF WATER...AND NOW WE DROP INTO THE 20s AT NIGHT...ICE WILL FORM, AND THEREIN LIES THE ANNUAL PROBLEM OF NO INTERNET.


OUT HERE, IN THE WILDERNESS, INTERNET IS BY SATELLITE ONLY.

WE CAN GENERALLY SURVIVE THE FLOODING AND MAINTAIN CONNECTION, BUT NOT WHEN ICE FORMS ON THE SATELLITE DISHES.

SO... EVEN LIVING 8 FEET ABOVE THE FLOOD, A COMMUNITY OF HOMES BUILT "ON STILTS" (PILINGS, WHATEVER), KNOWING THIS HAPPENS TWICE A YEAR, WINTER AND SPRING, THERE'S JUST NO FIGHTING 'MOTHER NATURE'...WHEN THE ICE COMES, THE TEA ROOM MUST HIBERNATE, UNWILLINGLY, WITH MUCH COMPLAINT, AND HARSH WORDS FOR INTERNET PROVIDERS WHO CAN'T SEEM TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.

JUST WANTED TO MENTION THE "ANNUAL EVENT" IN CASE THINGS ESCALATE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE AND THE CURTAIN FALLS ON INTERNET CONNECTIVITY.

ACCORDING TO OUR WEATHER PREDICTIONS, THE MISSISSIPPI WILL FLOOD AS IT HASN'T IN YEARS.
I'M SURE MOST OF YOU HAVE SEEN THE FOOTAGE OF THE TERRIBLE FLOODING IN MISSOURI AND ILLINOIS. 

WE LIE SOUTH OF THAT, SO WE SIMPLY WAIT TO SEE.

IT'S VERY STRESSFUL ON WILDLIFE WHEN THIS HAPPENS.

THE UNPREPARED SQUIRRELS ARE HARD-PRESSED TO FIND FOOD OUT THERE.
THEY MUST TRAVEL THE TREETOPS TO GET TO DRY GROUND.

MANY SMALL ANIMALS HAVE TO "SWIM FOR IT".

AT NIGHT ONE CAN HEAR THE LOCAL DEER HERD SLOGGING THROUGH THE FLOODWATERS OUTSIDE, HEAR THE LOCAL COYOTES HOWL MUCH MORE THAN USUAL BECAUSE THEY CAN'T FOLLOW THE DEER, A RATHER EERY SOUND, AND A BIT SAD.

WHETHER WE SEE DAYS, WEEKS OR A COUPLE MONTHS OF THIS DEPENDS ENTIRELY ON TEMPERATURE AND ICE ACCUMULATION.

WHEN THE TEA ROOM GOES "DARK", THIS IS WHY.

MAY YOU ALL BE WELL...AND ABOVE WATER.