June 26, 2016 Before and After

A quick day trip to Covo on a humid 90 degree Sunday produced good results. We discarded the bigger sticks and logs lodged against the bridge so Jeff could transport the remaining mulch to nearby trees. Before and After photos show the change. 

The photos below show the difference between the height of flooded corn and the plants outside the flood plain. Hopefully, there is still plenty of summer for the corn to recover.

Creek still flowing 

Someday these trees will form a towering entrance to the covered bridge

Summer flowers 

June 23, 2016 Clean-Up Day

Dan and Jeff spent a day cleaning up all the debris and staking trees that were bending over from the wind. They also elevated and improved the lower tee box.

June 20, 2016 Raging Waters - After the flood

Record setting rainfall, a reported five inches in 35 minutes, caused the nearby Plum River to overflow its banks. The raging flood waters left a path of debris along the creek, but didn't harm the covered bridge foundation. Found: large cut firewood logs, a metal garbage can and part of someone else's wooden bridge. Swept away: the metal cages we put around creekside trees a few weeks ago.

The good news is the rock dam held up and created a nice little pool for wading with my friend Patty from Phoenix.

The water also flooded corn on either side of the creek. See the path down the middle. 

June 6, 2016 Future Covered Bridge: Land and Water-Scaping in Progress

View of the road leading to the future covered bridge with the trees in cages instead of tubes. Hopefully, they will grow as well as the other trees on the property and create a pretty entrance.

June 5, 2016 Day of Surprises

What started out as a chilly morning turned into a sunny day. Good thing we took our time over breakfast at Molly's in Mt. Carroll so the weather could warm up. Our task was to take the tubes off the trees down by the covered bridge and replace them with cages, spread mulch and protect the lilies. We did a drive around in Darth Gator to check all the tree growth and admire the hillsides blooming with wild daisies.

Surprise #1 - Nita has been part of Covo for the entire ten years. She was a good farm girl and we will all miss her and hope the Voellinger family will enjoy seeing her waiting "in the hills" every time they enter the lodge.

Surprise #2 -While retrieving the chairs and wooden table top that had flown off the upper tee box into the grasses, Deena spied not one but big black snakes (who knew we had snakes in the grass?)

Surprise #3 - After a brief rain, an amazing rainbow, then a double rainbow and the faint glimpse of the rainbow at the opposite end.