A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor

Minnesota Floods
Saturday, April 12, 1997
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We're having floods in Minnesota.......

It's been especially rough in the Red River Valley, between Minnesota and North Dakota --- the Red River flows north, which is not a good idea for a river, because the upper river is thawing while the lower river is still frozen solid, so every year they get a flood and this year there has been bad flooding combined with a blizzard ---- we're talking to Mrs. Deeanna Brower up near----

SS: Hello? Hello----

GK: Turn your radio down, Mrs. Brower.

SS: Okay. --- Couldn't hear you with the sump pump going.

GK: You've got the sump pump running in the basement?

SS: Got two of em. Two of em going.

GK: So how bad is it up there, Mrs. Brower?

SS: You mean here?

GK: Yes.

SS: Oh, it's not that bad.

GK: No?

SS: No, no. It's not that bad.

GK: I heard that a lot of people were without power.

SS: Yes, that's right.

GK: You're without power?

SS: That's right.

GK: So the pumps are working off a generator---

SS: That's right. Got the generator going.

GK: So you're in candlelight or kerosene lanterns----

SS: We've got both. Candles and lanterns.

GK: What about heat?

SS: We're burning wood in the fireplace.

GK: Isn't it cold in the house?

SS: It's not bad. Forty-five. You wear a sweater, it's not bad.

GK: Now, I heard that a lot of farm places up there are surrounded by water--- you're on the farm---

SS: That's right.

GK: Is your house surrounded by water?

SS: Right up to the back door.

GK: So --- you have firewood in the basement?

SS: Nope, basement's full of water.

GK: So what are you burning, Mrs. Brower?

SS: Well, I been breaking up this old dining room table for firewood.

GK: You're heating the house by burning furniture?

SS: Never cared that much for it.

GK: Do you have animals?

SS: Cows --- yes.

GK: Are they okay?

SS: They're fine.

GK: Are they calving now?

SS: Yes----

GK: How do you get out to see to them?

SS: They're all up here in the house.

GK: Your cows are?

SS: We've got a lot of extra bedrooms with the kids gone.

GK: So they're fine----

SS: Everything's fine. It's not that bad.

GK: How about food? Are you running short on that?

SS: No, no. Got plenty. Got pasta, got canned soup, got a whole freezer full of stuff.

GK: How about the cows?

SS: We've been feeding them linguini.

GK: I see. And they like that?

SS: Spinach linguini. It's not that bad.

GK: So you and your husband and the cows are going to just sit it out together, huh?

SS: No, he's not here.

GK: Your husband's not there?

SS: He's in the barn.

GK: I see.

SS: He went down there after we drove the cows up to the house.

GK: I see.

SS; He was checking to see if there were any more, and then I guess the water got too high for him to come back.

GK: Well, how is he?

SS: He's okay.

GK: You're sure?

SS: He's fine.

GK: Is there anything to eat there?

SS: Silage.

GK: He's eating silage?

SS: I tried to float him a Tupperware dish with linguini in it but the water is flowing the other way.

GK: I see. So he's eating silage. What does silage taste like?

SS: It's not bad.

GK: Okay, thank you very much.

SS: It's like cole slaw.

GK: Thank you, DeeAnna Brower, from the Red River Valley.

© 1997 by Garrison Keillor