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01 September 2011

Irene Flood Update from Tarpaulin Sky's Vermont Home Base

Christian now has a real computer again and will try to answer your emails soon. Thank you for the many kind ones you have sent. We're OK, both E & I, and the cats are also fine. Our house was surrounded by water but did not flood inside, which feels nothing short of miraculous. The bad news is that the damage to our land and out-buildings is pretty extensive, as is the number of things, both personal and business, that were lost down the river. None of which was covered under our flood insurance, we have been informed.

We filled some orders this morning and will continue to do so. You may continue to order directly from Tarpaulin Sky or, if we are out of stock for a specific title, from Small Press Distribution (or Amazon, if you must). Tarpaulin Sky Press is able to honor present contractual obligations, but is unable to commit to any new projects at this time. Please do NOT send review copies, or reviews, or submissions of any kind.

Some photos follow. --Best, Xtian



Prior to Irene, this was flower gardens and vegetable gardens and lawn. Several trees are missing from the upper left corner of the photo, where you can see river. The little building in distance, center, used to sit about 50 feet to the left of the stone well.


This little building floated about 100 feet but was stopped by a silver birch.


Christian was able to remove some things prior to the flood, but the waters rose too fast to get everything. The river took about an hour and a half to jump the banks and to travel inland about 100 feet.


Free table.


Free printer.


Free mud.


Can't tell from the pic, but the mud inside the buildings is sloped/slopped at a depth of about 2 feet. Not sure if you've ever tried to shovel mud, but heavy is the word.


Gives you an idea of the water line. The angle is off, however--the debris on the tree is about eight feet high.


Back woods.


Backwoods installation #1


Backwoods installation #2


Phlox.The only flower that remains visible above the new dunes. Odd, too, given that the sand swallowed an entire young pear tree not more than twenty feet from the phlox.


All trees must be dug out, or they will die.



On the river, about twelve feet of root base.


 On the river #2