Isms: Views on life in rural America

It’s been a day. A Monday. A rainy Monday.

Rainy days and Mondays always get me down.

(Shoutout to The Carpenters. We sang that song in high school choir. Yes, I’m showing my age—and proud of it.)

When the flood alert for Grove Lake popped up, my first thought was to grab my camera and head for Royal. But as hail—small, sharp—tapped the tall office windows, I reconsidered. Maybe it was time to head home.

Instead, I took a detour around the north side of town to document the high water. Just past the rodeo grounds, I heard it: ping, ping, PING—hail bouncing off the car. I made a break for the g...