Hurricane Hillary

 

        August 2023  

 Some of you have asked about our Angelus Oaks property. How did the Hurricane affect us? We have owned up here for 5 years; this has been deemed the most  significant storm recorded. Here is why..                                    

The photos here show before and after. Fred was there on Saturday night when the bulk of the water came down. He said in the evening the power suddenly went off and a freight train-like sound filled the river valley.

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Hillary completely scoured the area, destroying at least one trailer home upstream, uprooting old trees, tossing culverts, eroding highways, wrapping redwood size trees around other trees that were strong enough to stay standing and tossing boulders the size of hotel shuttle buses. Our cement mixer was heaved upwards and ended up on what was left of the wood pile. A small Jacuzzi was launched like a toy boat into our neighbors backyard 150 yards down the street. Fred's tractor grapple, small trailer, forklift attachment, extra propane tank, picnic table and benches were pitched about like toothpicks. Our artesian spring housing was broken and made unusable. The ground we used to walk on was now 20 feet deeper. All of our irrigation and electrical connections were unearthed, wires pulled from the PVC housing. housin

   

Without power and water we decided to pack out our perishables and wait until SCE can restore power. 

Before the storm we had about 150 feet from the house to the edge of the river. 

Now it is less than half the distance.      

         

These 2 photos 

are of our neighbor's previously idyllic riverside bank.

We used it for last year's womens retreat. 

The photo below is post flood. ALL of her lovely flowers and grasses and sitting areas are gone-along with all of the trees. 

 

Below is the text which Fred sent to Bodie Garside

The grapple was hiding- can you see it?

 

Cement mixer hurled atop debris

 
 

Israeli filter covered with logs

No way to get to Glass road on 7 Oaks road now

The day before, with its rainbow- made Fred wonder if Hillary was being overrated

   Then Hillary struck us a leveling blow

.Look! Lady bug congregation in spite of the upheaval

Our homes were untouched by this flood, but our hearts remember all the many work hours it took to prepare our very rocky land for the clover and choose and plant the 
.many trees we had hoped would provide shade for our friends
God has other ideas for this wild and untamable part of our property. Perhaps we will be keener on getting the memo

We thank you for your condolences. Currently the only way into our property requires a 3 hour detour over very rough roads. But once the roads are reopened: IF you want to be a soldier on the ground in helping us clear up the place please let us know- Conditions may be less than optimal, but we would be  glad for the help. yes