Seriously, you can’t make this shit up…
You really can’t make this stuff up.
Not that long ago, we were sandbagging and doing everything we could to keep the river from taking over our yard.
Fast forward to this summer…
Steve is driving the Bobcat down to the river, scooping up water, and hauling it BACK to the yard because we’re desperate for rain.
Mother Nature has quite the sense of humor.
One year she’s trying to drown us.
The next she’s making us haul water home by the bucket.
At this point, we’re just waiting to see what ridiculous plot twist comes next. 😂🌧️☀️#lakelife #wisconsin #drought #makemoney #beyourownboss
Living through the drastic swings in nature’s moods is a humbling experience that many of us in rural and lakeside areas come to expect—but it still manages to surprise. Recently, I faced a similar challenge as described here with my own property near a river. In the spring, relentless rains pushed the river way beyond its banks, forcing us to build sandbag walls just in time to save our yard and garden from being submerged. The work was exhausting, the stakes high, and the worry constant—every day was a fight against nature’s force, a race to hold back the river. Then came summer, and the irony was almost too much to bear. Instead of clearing water, we found ourselves hauling it back from the same river to keep our plants alive through a stubborn drought. We used a small loader like a Bobcat to scoop and transport water buckets full of river water back to our parched yard. This shift from defending against floods to desperately seeking water highlights a harsh reality for those of us dependent on natural water sources: the weather doesn’t just fluctuate—it can flip spectacularly from one extreme to the other. One lesson I've learned through this rollercoaster is the incredible resilience and creativity it demands. Tools that once helped fight the flood now helped maintain life during drought. Plus, it’s a vivid reminder of why sustainable water management, rainwater harvesting, and drought-resistant landscaping are becoming essential practices. Sharing these experiences among communities who live near lakes and rivers, especially in places like Wisconsin where seasonal weather can be wildly unpredictable, helps prepare and inspire others. Nature’s humor is sharp—but so is the spirit of those who live through its challenges. As this story shows, you really can’t make this stuff up when Mother Nature is writing the script!