When the ground reaches its saturation point, we usually experience a few plumbing problems and other indirectly related issues, like the loss of electricity. Today our road was closed, but our tunnel was still standing, and we were safe and we had a warm house to be in. Not the case for people on the other side of the globe today where an 8.9-magnitude earthquake hit Japan.

Tears came to my eyes as I watched farmland and high tunnels being swept away by the fast-moving tsunami waters. My thoughts are with the Japanese people whose food supply will be seriously affected by the earthquake and tsunami. China and Japan precede us by decades in their innovative farming practices using high tunnels. Because of Japan's lack of land for farming, they've increased food production using high and low tunnels in ways we can only hope to mimic here on the other side of the planet. Of course, the East's inventive practices in agriculture go back thousands of years.

Our troubles seem so trivial now. The waters are quickly receding and the next 7 days are supposed to be sunny and dry. Just watching the power of the overflowing creek and the unstoppability of moving water on a minute scale here in the valley reminds me of the bigger picture and the forces at work in nature.

You can usually stand and fish under the bridge. Not today!

The creek's bank is usually on the right side of those trees looking here as though they are in the middle of the creek. The field was flooded, but the waters were slowing draining and by sunset, more than half of the water had receded.

The area flooded here is where neighbor kids set up forts and play paintball in the summertime.

By the end of the afternoon, we were able to drive down the road. Here in the 2nd image you can see the end of Clarks Valley Road closed off from anyone entering. Here's a list of other roads closed in the Central PA Area.

Check out our videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nJUs5jYnxA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4nTwISTrpw