Ohio River Valley

You wake up to the beautiful sun being hidden away in the clouds like a stolen topaz hidden in a sack. Remembering the flooding yesterday, you are anxious to get out and take pictures. When you get out, you are kind of disappointed. The flooding has receded more than 4 feet overnight. It's good news for locals, but you don't get to take pictures of it at its crest. You walk around the truck stop and take pictures. You spot some fish swimming in the parking lot. You try to get a picture, but they dive under. When you ask someone about the fish they tell you that they have pictures of some. They are catfish and carp. If only you could get a picture of someone fishing in the parking lot.

Your dad drives to the other side of the freeway to eat at a Denny's. Your dad has to fuel so you walk around and take pictures while he is filling up and parking. You fist walk out front to the road and take pictures of the tiny drainage ditch that isn't there anymore. The little creek that runs under a bridge here is above the bridge's bottom. The back parking lot for the semis is half flooded. The parking lot is much more flooded and the water it much more cloudy than the water at Petro. The propane pumps are inaccessible.  You can see where the water level was the night before on the concrete pillars and garbage cans. You leave your camera in the vehicle and go into the restaurant to eat. You have a waitress that is very friendly. You converse about the flooding and the fish in the parking lot across the street. She explains that the flooding occurred because it rained for a full day the day before and caused the pond to flood. You order a meal to share with your mom, pancakes and eggs and a quesadilla. Your dad orders a breakfast skillet. But your sister the weird one of the bunch orders a pizza. The food is very tasty. The pancakes are fluffy and flavorful, unlike some. They have cinnamon drizzled over the top which just adds more sweetness and extravagant flavor.

Leaving with a full and satisfied stomach you walk out of the restaurant and notice a beautiful American flag postcard. You mostly never buy postcards except this one grabs your attention with its patriotic beauty. The sign says it's only 35 cents, which is a decent price for a postcard. You pay for it and walk back out to the vehicle. When you get outside you notice clouds have moved in. They are big, fluffy ones. As you climb in you can feel the change in the atmosphere. It is going to rain. You hit the road before the rain hits.


After you leave all you see is flooded farms and beautiful barns. The waters flood the fields and buildings. The murky water is a silent killer that destroys the crops and buildings. It is sad to see the pending struggles of families. Their struggles brought on by one day of rain.


You see the destruction until you get to Pennsylvania, which is protected from the floods by the hills and mountains. After you pass over the border you see beautiful pastures and green hills absorbed by trees. The beauty is illuminated by the blue sky. Behind you you can see a storm following. The dark gray mass lurks in the western sky like a robber outside a cafe's door waiting until the lights go out.


You stop in Breezewood, PA to take a break and eat dinner. You play a game of billiards with your mom. Of course she wins and you still have three balls on the table. Then you play a game of air hockey with your dad. The air comes on and the puck drops onto the table. You get the first point. Then your dad realizes that the felt is gone from both mallets. This causes both mallets to stick to the table. You both play on. When the game ends the score is 7-5, you won. You have to brag a little about your victory. But you don't overdo it.When you get back outside it is almost dark. But you notice some beautiful cars. The BMW i8 is one of your favorite cars. You go over and look at it and it makes you want one more. The cars' sleek bodys are silver with blue and black accents. A price tag it taped to the window of one. The car is $70,000. The price sours your wants but not the cars appearance. You leave the beautiful cars for the sake of sleep. By now it is dark and you are tired. You climb into your soft, comfortable bed. You don't even notice your face hitting the pillow.