7.02.2024 The aftermath of The February Monsoon.

 ~o~

 Wednesday 7th 36F/2C. A cooler, breezy day with possible wintry showers or sunshine. I'll see how it looks later before committing to the museum.

 The DMI rainfall totals for the last two days. When an average for a whole month's rain fell for a normal February. My own area in South Fyn enjoyed somewhere around 50mm.

 6.00 64F/18C in the room but feels colder. Up at 5.00 because I was already wide awake. Too dark to see anything outside. A distant neighbour's numerous lights have only just come on. I was hoping for reflections off the floodwater. Just to give me an early warning. In case I need to get out the Wellies. Or start building an ark!

 I turned out my own lights but still can't see anything. The floodwater may be in the shadow of the new drive embankment. Despite the steady flow down the drive my house must be two meters above yesterday's flood level on the back field. 

  The final drainage ditch. Viewed from the road via telephoto lens. New embankment on the right.

After all the rain the ground was liquid in many places yesterday. As was the surface of the new drive. The sand-based gravel is now heavily potholed despite the very light traffic. It will need a hard cover of chippings to have any hope of longevity. I have been fighting the same battle with my own stretch of drive for a quarter of a century! It is not even mine to own. As it belongs to the neighbour.

 Reaching the drain, where the run-off from the entire area disappears into a pipe in the ground, is very difficult. A new 40cm plastic pipe carries the drainage beck [and any floodwater] under the new embankment. Then joins a ditch beside the embankment on the other side.

 The invisible grill lies underwater at the far end. At the foot of a second embankment at right angles to the main one. Which forms a potential dam several meters high! A total stoppage could be disastrous! Even risk the embankment giving way. 

 Due to the curvature of the sloping sides I cannot even see the flooded ditch from close up. Let alone reach it. The soil is so soft just I was sinking over my ankles. So I have to walk right round to the other side and traverse a rutted and puddled field to get anywhere near. Still nothing to see under the deep, brown water of the ditch. So I can't tell if I could improve matters with a rake. In case the grill is partially blocked with debris.

 8.00 35F/1.7C. Overcast breaking into plates of cloud and feeling cold. Woke from a nap to light the stove and check the flooding in daylight. The water has increased in area and the woods are flooded. No obvious danger of reaching my raised garden level. The trees are prone to falling when the ground is wet. 

 I had better get ready to drive to the museum. Dressing warmly will be a priority. 

 13.00 40F/4C. A sunny morning. Back from the museum and lunch over. I was loading and trundling wheelbarrows full of fallen leaves. Wet and heavy from lying on the ground under bushes. Which have all been pruned down to the ground. The millstream nearby was a fast moving, brown torrent. 

 The greenhouse was showing 90F/32C when I arrived home. So I opened all the internal doors to share the warmth. It was 64F in the room after the stove had gone out. It should be good conditions for a ride this afternoon. Not sure where to go yet. No too far though. Given the relatively new Brooks B67 saddle to cope with.

 13.30 A little more cloudy but ready anyway.

 15.30 Returned from a meandering tootle around the lanes and villages on my e-bike. I looked in three shops. 28km total distance. I was beginning to feel the saddle at 10km. It felt very cold when I was heading into the wind. So that I had to remove my fingered gloves when it became too cold. To put on my split finger mitts. Even then my hands were getting cold after a time.

 The countryside was very beautiful in the sunshine. Though with large areas of the fields flooded wherever I went. I must have seen a dozen birds of prey altogether. One was even sitting on a lamppost in a village. Others were calling and soaring. The greenhouse is still 80F warm from the sunshine. 

 Dinner was poached eggs on toast.

~o~