Meuse flood at Consenvoye

Another grey day - but with the temperature a slightly warmer 09C and, for once, no wind we took a drive over the ridge of the Meuse Heights to Consenvoye.  As we came out of the forest at the top, we could see in the distance more water than usual.

We went down to where the Canal Est and the river Meuse join and fields that usually hold contented, grazing cows were flooded in all directions. Those fields, already water-logged were completely filled with flood water for miles.  But at least the flood plains had been left for that purpose - and not built on!

A splash of brightness from catkins

The owners of these weekend and holiday caravans must be heaving a sigh o relief!

We then drove to Sivry alongside the flooded fields to the cut in the canal where the water was higher than usual but contained while, across the boundary, the river told its own story.

On the soggy ground at the back of a small farm a goose paddled through the mud, while pygmy goats chose the wet grass at the front of the building.

The whole area has had so much rain this winter which is not over yet with more rain forecast.

On our return around midday the sun did break through fitfully but soon disappeared behind the seemingly never-ending grey clouds.  However there is hope - catkins in many places are a welcome sight as are the few daffodils starting to show in our little strip of garden and at least we don’t have the worry of earthquakes, tsunami warnings, mud slides, avalanches, forest fires and all the other dire things around the world in a turmoil of climate change or the upheaval of man-made disasters. We count our blessings.

Daffodils growing on a bed of snails!