Persevero – Our week in a nutshell

110 1/2 or 111 degrees — which ever you choose, either way it’s hot!

In addition to the rare extreme heat, an odd sight here in the hills — it’s brown!

A dry pond.

An almost dry spring.
This is what a severe drought and extreme heat does to a normally abundant flowing spring. Several times this week it completely stopped. Do you know how many drips it takes to fill up a spring tank? or how about this math problem…. Do you know how many drips it takes to fill up a spring tank when you factor in the leak in the pipe under the old farm house?
The answer is that a spring tank does not fill up with a water flow of “drips” and it definitely doesn’t hold water with a leak under the ol’farm house that spills the water faster than what it drips or doesn’t drip in. In addition to the drought, the leak caused a set back for us this week, but my husband was able to remedy the leak problems. Now, the drought problems aren’t so easy! So what this means is that we have been out of water!


As if being out of water isn’t a big enough hassle, the pig is out again. Eventually, he was lured back home with a scoop of corn. After he is contained, we head to the creek.

We go to the creek to pump water into several 55 gallon barrels.

We learn the ol’fashion art of hauling water by hand.

After hauling water, as well as pumping water up from the creek, we finally had enough to water our animals and put the rest in the spring tank.

Some have more fun at the creek than others.

In the triple digit heat, the creek water was cool and refreshing and allowed us to ponder the great simplicities of life. It is amazing what being forced to gather from the great outdoors will do to ones thoughts and beliefs.

Back in the yard, the men siphon out the water into the spring tank.

The creek water is put into the spring tank and we continue to ration our water usage until we get rain. Over the week, the guys went to the creek several times to get water.
In summary:

• It was a long week, but a memorable one for sure. This week we learned how blessed we are to live across the way from a big creek!
• We learned to live with less, sometimes not so graciously and with a few tears.
• We learned we are a spoiled bunch of people and have no idea of real hardships.
• We learned that young boys can work very hard and learning practical life lessons are some of the most important educational accomplishments. These are things they don’t teach you in school!
• We are thankful for real friends and neighbors!
• We learned that it can always get worse.
• We pondered many things this week, but most of all we became all the more firm in our belief that God is Sovereign and His will and plan are many times not ours, but always best for us. Even in drought, our faith is strengthened and we see His gracious hand in allowing us to experience a difficulty all the while meeting our needs like He promises He will do.