5-30-11 p.m

Self reliance

It is amazing to realize again and again that Genola is not typical.  From watching neighbors come out to fill sandbags, even though the flooding is not expected to come close to their property, to seeing gown men hop in a mudhole up to their waists to attach a cable to a sinking tractor.  No, Genola is not typical.

I came across another example last night of the unusual character and flavor of our town.  Self sufficiency.  This is not to say that no one helps out.  As I stated before, we have seen plenty of that!  What we came across last night was the farmer down the road - tending to the water with his sons.  Digging ditches, moving dirt, covering berms with plastic with no expectation that anybody was coming to save them BUT them.  It was their land, and therefore their responsibility.  I, for one, can sure learn a lot from them!!!

This first video is Dale Davenport.  The flooding that happened in  84/85 ended up ruining a large portion of his farmland.  This year, he and his boys have been working to make sure the same thing does not happen again.

We noticed, on our drive down earlier in the day, that the orchard road has a very long, very large crack growing in it.  We took pictures, thinking of the worries the cracking is causing in our own driveway.  When we began talking to Charles, one of Dale's sons, asked what we thought of the crack.  We agreed that it was very large.  He then mentioned that the crack was right over the high pressure natural gas pipeline that was run through Genola 5 or 6 years ago.  They have called the pipeline company a few times - here is the reply:

he also said that the crack may not be the biggest issue with the pipeline.

I think one thing that has impressed me so much is the independence and self sufficiency of the people in Genola.  No one is depending on anyone else to come and save them.  Instead, they are digging in (literally), making their own plan for the water and how it will affect their property, and doing so with a great attitude!
I took this video of Spencer - the 12th child of Dale and Jennie.  I expected some bitterness about how the water was costing them both time and money.  Boy was I surprised!!!