Whatever Floats Your Boat

Most of Wisconsin has been hammered by rain over the past week. And while the calendar only reads June 13, we've already surpassed the rainfall record for the entire month! With more than half the month to go, one can only guess what the new record will be.


While some communities are cleaning up massive flood damage, I have been lucky in that the only standing water I have to deal with, is in a lower part of my yard. It's a good size puddle, but far enough away from my house as to not cause any concern.




Since I don't have ponds in my yard very often, I thought it would be fun to take advantage of the situation, and float some boats. By scrounging around the house, I was able to fabricate five simple sail boats. All it took was some extruded styrofoam, strip wood for the masts, and scraps of thick paper for the sails. I also attached lag bolts underneath for additional weight. Here's the entire armada. I'm kind of fond of the sail made from a McDonald's "Happy Meals" box.


The boats floated very well, and with a light breeze in their sails, they took off rather quickly. Here's Jack chasing after the first two.


You have to admire the survival instincts of ants. As soon as I put the boats in the water, dozens of ants sought refuge on dry, higher ground. Kind of creepy, but interesting nonetheless.


The fun continued for quite awhile. And although Jack is wearing boots, it didn't take long before he was wading into deeper water, rendering the boots worthless.

Boys will be boys.

This photo represents exactly how I want to remember this day...

It won't be long before this temporary pond is completely dried up with the grass returning to its normal state. But each time I cut this area with my lawn tractor, I'll think of Jack standing in knee-deep water, directing his armada through calm waters and conquering armies of ants.