A sad day at Valleygold

Well having been raised on the Atlantic Coast in Dartmouth Mass I knew what a hurricane could do.... But Oak Hill is in the Catskill Mountains so on the day Irene was to make a visit I was not to worried.

I had 10 adult goldens, 2 puppies and 2 adult boarders.... Rained all morning but the dogs were dry in the kennel building and I was cooking chicken breasts, baked potatoes and green beans. My neighbor Stan was coming for lunch so I was just setting the table. When about 11 ish the electric went out. I was busy trying to get a radio to work when Stan ran in all upset about some water... Silly me said "what water" and then I walked outside.

All the chickens were all under the back porch as it was so wet but what I saw was water coming down the road and divertying into my yard.

I have the Catskill Creek behind me but what had happen was the water was diverted up further in the creek and was coming down the middle of the village...

I ran to the kennel and let the two pups out of the covered run and then ran back to the house to put up gates to bring in the dogs.... When I walked outside the fire company was there telling me I had to leave but you know us dog people. I said "after I take care of my dogs". Once more to the kennel but by this time the dogs in the kennel were standing in there crates in 8 inches of water.

I opened the door to the kennel yard and let all the dogs loose.

Then I opened the kennel door to my yard and looked towards my house. Firemen were gone and all I could see was a road that looks like rapids. Now my dogs went out the door and took a left to the long watched chicken house. I do not want to tell or remember what happen then...

I grabbed one pup and walked back (towards the creek) and put the pup on dry land. When I went to get the second the first one swam after me... That is a golden pup for you..

Luckily for me my sons friend Lenny had put on his wadders and walked way around and showed up to help me. I asked him to be sure all dogs were out of the kennel. He found Blaze with a chicken in his mouth trying to swim back in the kennel building. He helped him get to the back where I was. Blaze came out of the water tired but on a hunt for a duck this time.

Now in the back I had a fenced in area where I breed and raise ducks. So I opened up the gate and in went the dogs (some still carrying chickens) and the race was on... Here we were safe for a while. Lenny and I watched 500 gallon fuel tanks, trees, gas container and a lot more float down the road.....

Soon a huge construction yuke (I think that is what it is called) came down the street and turned into my yard and came out to the back. The local contractor and fire company had found a way to get us out. I did leave with them (riding in the bucket with 1 dog and 2 pups) leaving the dogs chasing chickens and ducks.

I was gone about 2 hours and then was able to walk back in with the help of my grandson. My son, grandson and friends had come to my house from the opposite way and found the dogs (all but one) playing in the field adjacent to my land. One dog had a slight cut accross her nose....

They had put all dogs into the garage (which had a good foot of water in it) and then we dragged my crates from the kennel onto the concrete slab and dumped all the water out of them. The wet dogs were then placed in the crates and covered till the am.

One dog Blaze was never found. He had just turned 10 and we searched but could not find any sign of him. A very sad time but I kind of like to think he was chasing a duck and just went doing what he loved the best.

For the next month a lot of work was done to get Valleygold Kennels up and running again.

The day after the flood both sons and there friends showed up with lots of mussle and machinery and we got the runs up and useable again.

This lower end of Oak Hill got the worse of Hurricane Irene but except for Blaze we were all okay and with help from friends and family were able to fix and appreciate what we have and what we could of lost.