As I write, the sun shines brightly in a serene blue sky. It's hard to imagine that just 48 hours ago, Hurrican Irene was dumping almost 10 inches of rain on our beloved Adirondacks. Our little town of Keene Valley and neighboring Keene were hit hard with flash flooding as small mountain streams and rivers became raging monstrous torrents.
As one of my friends put it, "The river has gone mad!"
Thankfully, the Snow Goose experienced NO damage. Seriously! We didn't even have a TWIG that need picked up afterward. It's like we were in a bubble with devastation on all sides. Roads washed out, mountain mudslides, huge trees blown down, homes and businesses flooded....
When you're in the middle of a storm, you really have no idea what's happening outside your home. You do what you have to do, but the whole time, you're wondering how your friends up the road are faring.
We had guests from Singapore and NYC as well as other guests on the way. As conditions worsened, the Keene Valley Fire Department phoned to tell us to keep everyone IN the inn. At one point, all roads were closed around us! Our guests who were enroute ended up spending the night at one of our "sister" inns in Elizabethtown! (Thank you Ron and Gail!)
It is impossible to describe the sound and power of the river. It ROARED ... churning and frothing with huge chunks of debris and whole trees flying by as if shot from a cannon.
Wayne ventured out to check on our elderly neighbor who lives next to Deer Brook. This is what the bridge looked like!
It was obvious that he wasn't getting out! Wayne helped him and his cat hike down through the woods to our house where they spent the night.
Meanwhile back at the ranch ....
Folks were getting hungry! Since no one was allowed to leave, the Snow Goose had to open a restaurant for the evening. Thankfully, our kitchen was fairly well stocked and the power stayed on so we could cook!!
Our Irene Dinner Party - Shepherd's Pie, Cucumber Salad and Peach Blueberry Crisp. We had so much fun and the guests bonded in a way that only happens when you're stuck together for hours! By the end of their stays, they were exchanging emails and taking group photos to remember their adventure.
The next morning, we awoke to a changed world. After serving breakfast, we headed out to see what had happened to our town.
One of the hardest hit areas was the Valley Hardware (KV's version of a Super WalMart!). To understand what this store means to the valley you need only to look at the photo. Dozens of townfolk worked throughout the day dragging out and cleaning merchandise and shoveling inches of mud from the floors.
Another view of the hardware store - truly inspiring
Other shops and homes were flooded as well. Our hearts felt heavy as we drove through town and made our way to the neighboring town of Keene.
This photo (borrowed from a Facebook posting) shows how a tiny brook turned into a river sweeping right down the main street of Keene.
Our favorite coffee shop ...
The Keene fire department lost half of their building to the savage flood. Meanwhile, the brave men and women from both Keene and Keene Valley's fire departments worked feverishly to rescue people trapped in flooded homes ... some from their rooftops!
This area was hardest hit. One family has to use a ladder to reach their home as the brook-turned-river clawed away their entire yard and driveway.
Piles of debris lay in almost every yard.
While these scenes in the two towns are sobering, perhaps the most devasting economic damage lies to the east of us ...
Route 73 is the main corridor from the "Northway" to Lake Placid carrying supplies and tourists into the area. Several portions are severely washed out causing the route to be closed for possibly weeks.
These photos are taken about 1 1/2 miles east of the driveway of the Snow Goose!
As you can see, we ain't goin' nowhere in that direction!
In addition, many side roads are closed because of bridge collapses. This bridge in St. Hubert's was just replaced this spring.
The State Highway Patrol are everywhere and not too happy about me taking photos, so i kept my distance!
After our photo tour, we wanted to find a way to help our friends and neighbors. My first thought was, "These people are not stopping to take time to eat!" So we worked with the community church to provide some food.
On the menu for our second Irene Dinner Party was Sloppy Joes, Hot Dogs and Spaghetti along with some donated pies, bread, bean salad and watermelon. The girls were a big help both in the kitchen and walking through town inviting people who were working in their yards and homes.
Some of the people who came to dinner. Unfortunately my camera battery died at this point, but we continued to serve at the church until about 7:30 pm and then took the rest of the food down to the hardware store where people were still working. All in all about 60 people ate!
I do ask for your prayers for Keene and Keene Valley as well as neighboring towns of Jay and Ausable Forks. Not only do we have a huge mess to clean up, but we also face economic uncertainty in the weeks ahead. With limited access to the area and many popular hiking trails closed due to extensive damage, we may have cancellations resulting in lost income when we need it most.
We are hoping that people who've made reservations will realize how much their planned visits will bless this hard-hit area. There are still many ways to enjoy this beautiful part of the Adirondacks which we are so privileged to call home.
Thank you for all of your prayers, notes and even phone calls (one from Toronto!) to check on us. We are doing great and looking forward to a productive and abundant September and October. Blessings!!
One of my favorite discoveries was the beautiful little beaver pond behind the girls' school
The walkway built through the marsh feels like a bridge leading to a mystical land ... and I love the sound my shoes make on the wooden planks.
Usually the snow here is so fluffy and dry that it won't pack. This snow was perfect for building a snowy friend.
And then the sky darkened and it seemed as if the branches of the trees glowed from within. This iridescence lasted only about two minutes, but thankfully, I was in the right place at the right time. And my camera batteries were charged!
The most photographed barn in the ADK's - and no wonder with such a glorious backdrop
And so my dream came true. I was able to cut handfuls of bright, cheerful flowers whenever I wanted!
Yes - I was standing right in the middle of Route 73 ... passing through the heart of Keene Valley ... at rush hour ... on the Friday ... before Labor Day. No - I wasn't the least bit worried about getting run over. 
When life gives you mud .....
