Hi Seeking - we're in Sonoma County (one of the seven counties designated as disaster areas by Arnold). This rain storm(s) has really been something - the little creek that runs near our house came up over its banks - for the first time in 20+ years. I have been walking the creek bed for the past few days and am amazed at how very swift the waters are running. We got caught on the 101 on Friday night (coming back from seeing Cirque in SF) and had were diverted to off roads because the freeway was underwater. Our yard is a swamp, the pool is overflowing, and I'm getting pretty cranky with all this rain. And frankly, today was not much better. It wouldn't hurt my feelings one bit to have the rain stop. I wish I had thought to take photos; thanks for yours.

We got stuck on a flooded road between Petaluma and Bodega Bay on December 27. Someone (and it wasn't me or the three dogs) was driving too fast in the rain and barreled around a curve and right into the pond that was the road, where our car immediately stalled out. After what seemed like a long time but probably wasn't, the volunteer fire department pulled us out and eventually AAA sent a tow truck. Since I'm from Texas where you do NOT drive into water or you might die, I was terrified, but it could have been much worse. During the hours we spent in the cab of the tow truck that day and the next, we listened to the radio communications about cars in Napa and around the area that were completely submerged. Lucky no one drowned.

Then a couple of days later, a giant oak tree, top-heavy and apparently weakened by the rain, snapped and fell over down the block, pulling electric and phone lines down with it and causing the street to be closed to this day. It made a huge rolling boom that shook the house, and we ran outside in time to see a transformer explode in fire and sparks. I couldn't believe that a six-foot diameter hunk of wood could break in two like that. But no one was hurt and it didn't crush any houses or cars. What a week it's been!

Oops, sorry this picture is so big.

How scary, truly unbelievable. Is drier weather being forecasted? I'll be keeping you all in my thoughts.

Yikes! Wooderlander, Seeking I just showed your pics to DH who needed an attitude adjustment about a few inches of standing water in our garage - home to the new stove and dishwasher.

DM suffered a power outtage from Friday to Sunday.

The good news is we'll be cloudy but dry for the rest of the week.

Oh my. This year is starting out as one of extremes, isn't it? My state is on fire, and it's 75 degrees. seeking, send us some of that water, will you please?

I have to admit my first reaction to your photos wasn't "Look at all that water!", but instead "What gorgeous country!" Northern California is now on my list of Places On The Way To Heaven.

I don't know how many of you believe in this kind of thing, but Kathleen, any time Sylvia Brown is on Montel Williams' show, she'll watch her. She's absolutely uncanny how accurate her predictions are. Last week she did her predictions for the coming year, and said that this year will be even worse than last year for natural disasters globally. I pray that she's wrong, but she predicted the disasters in the gulf from the hurricane season this past year. Having emergency supplies around wouldn't be a bad thing, even up here.

To all of you who are experiencing the devistation from the floods , mudslides, and firestorms, you're in our prayers.

Thinking positive thoughts to all of you in harm's way!

Amazing pictures.

PM24

I went home at lunch to watch the news and they were showing the 28 foot waves at Half Moon Bay. Just incredible!

I added some pictures to the link above.

Tomme, I hear ya! I'm so glad we finally got some sunshine today. I hope it holds for a while!

Wooderlander, WHOA! How terrifying (and infuriating in the case of the driver of your car, LOL). I'm so glad you escaped unscathed - every week we read about someone in the area who ended up in an irrigation canal or something and died. I have even gotten a little paranoid about it and have been trying to figure out how I would get the kids out of my van if we ever ended up in water. I really don't know and it is such a horrid thought. And wow, that tree!! It's a miracle no one was hurt and no houses or cars were crushed.

pauline, thanks for the well wishes!

bunglogirl, I *hate* power outages. How did you get through 3 days of it? Thankfully, we never lost power. I can understand how your dh feels - I get annoyed with anything that disrupts my routine, but then you get some perspective when you think about hurricane victims or the miners' families.

pecanpie, what a sweet thing to say! It really cheered me up to read how you found this area beautiful. You can come visit whenever you want :)

Bill, thanks for the prayers. We get this kind of thing periodically and hey, it's California. If you don't have a flood year there are plenty of other disastrous possibilities :) I do hope the prediction is wrong, but from what I've read of the scientific experts' comments, I'm afraid Sylvia Brown is probably right.

proudmama, thank you for your thoughts! We're all just fine and quite lucky to actually be able to enjoy the spectacle in comfort.

jerzeegirl, those waves are amazing, and even more amazing is that the surfers have been flocking to them. That's nuts!!! Well, it is to me, anyway.

I appreciate everyone's comments very much and hope you are all safe and dry. I feel overly dramatic posting pictures of our little flood when so many others have experienced events of a magnitude I can't even imagine.

seeking advice, pecanpie is right, your area is "heaven". We were on vacation there in 2001 and thought all must have been right when God created it. The scenery just takes your breath away. Unfotunately, we had to cut our vacation short because we were there on 9/11. We had to return to New York to see if everyone was all right.

Bill Vincent, Sylvia Brown is one of my favorites. Unfortunately, she is too accurate. New York City is one of the places she predicts a hurricane this year.

A hurricane in NY could be absolutely tragic. Here is a study that puts it in perspective.

Here is a link that might be useful: Hurricane in NY