(AF) Need Rain Badly

This past Spring we had an enormous amount of rainfall. We had all-time record breaking floods that still show traces and memories of their destruction. The constant heavy rains also resulted in very poor pollination of our area fruit and nut trees, much to the dismay of the wildlife as Fall approaches.

Then Summer came. The rains stopped and Nature cranked up the heat.... and cranked up the heat .... and cranked up the heat. I am nearly 50, and it was the hottest summer we ever experienced here in my lifetime. We broke one high heat record after another. The rains stayed away, the heat soared, and extreme drought moved in and made itself right at home. What vegetation didn't die of water log in the spring, died from lack of moisture and/or extreme heat through the summer.

A few weeks ago it cooled off to very comfortable temps, I got a good soaking rain and all my fruits and veggies were so very happy! They began putting on new growth and some began to bloom and fruit. But it was short-lived. The winds set in and have dried everything right back out. I am having to water, water, water. It seems to be keeping them alive for now, but the wind is so strong it is drying the plants out faster than they can drink up the water!

Water . . . . . Just before that last rain I had set out an assortment of buckets, pans and tubs to catch and save as much of the rain water as I could. I used it to water with for as long as it lasted and my plants thrived! I also used the water from the dehumidifier in my house to water my veggies with and they seem to do really well with it. But it is once again so dry that there is not even enough moisture in the air for the dehumidifier to find. So I am back to watering with faucet water. My plants initially enjoy the drink, but soon after they bitterly protest having chlorinated, chemical laden water poured over them. I don't blame them.

Yesterday evening dark, wicked-looking storm clouds rolled in and I got all excited! I cheered them on and begged them to generously drop some rain down on my thirsty property. The intensely active lightening show began and the thunder rumbled and rolled so strongly my house shook and Bunny, my youngest Boxer, kept trying to get the back door open. It rained a bit but the wind was so strong and noisy it was hard to tell how much was rain and how much of what I was hearing was wind. With all the lightening, I certainly wasn't going to go out in it to see. But this morning, much to my disappointment, I stepped outside to very sad, wilted veggies and ground so dry that small dust clouds poofed around my feet with each step I took.

The high wind is still here and blowing strong with no sign of stopping. By late morning it had completely dried out all traces of last night's dab of rain and, mixed with the warm air and bright sunshine, has continued all day to further dry out my land and all that is attempting to inhabit it. Looks like my poor fruits and veggies will have to endure yet another soaking with chemically laced municipal water. Someone, please send me some rain!