I don't remember the last time it rained in my garden. It has to be going on four weeks now. Everything is suffering. I don't mind that the grass is brown, I think we've cut it twice since the beginning of July. At least we are saving on gas. I don't even mind that the vegetable garden is pretty much dust right now. The deer ate most everything before we went away for a week, and then they did a pretty good job finishing it off while we were gone. Raccoons or other varmints have been breaking open the pumpkins and winter squash and eating every bit, presumably for the moisture inside. There are just a few things that have survived all this, mainly some herbs, the eggplant, and one tomato plant. Given that we rely on a well for our water, there is no way we could keep a big vegetable garden watered properly in this lack of rain, so having just a few things to water has been a blessing. But all the perennials throughout the property, there is no way I can water them as they need to be. I try to give everything a good drink, twice a week. But even the coneflowers are curling up and dried. I may be starting with more of a clean slate than I anticipated next year. It just makes me want to cry.
This afternoon we watched the radar show rain coming across from Ohio, a nice line of green. But it now appears to be breaking up before it will get to us. We will be denied again. This lack of rain had me thinking about the history of rain dancing in this country. The Cherokee tribe would perform rain dances both to induce precipitation and to cleanse evil spirits from the earth.
Please enjoy this music and perhaps rain will be forthcoming.
Rain Dance Flute Song
Buckeye Candy
15 years ago
14 comments:
I so feel your pain. I was almost to the point of tears this weekend, but I woke up this morning to the sound of a slow steady rain. I hope you wake up to the same.
Oh what a huge bummer. All your work, gone to drought and varmints. I wish you a better gardening season next year!
- Karen
http://greenwalks.wordpress.com
The rain hasn't visited us very much either. We got a a few drizzles courtesy of Fay but we need more! Only .16 of an inch. I hope some finds you garden as well!
It is SO heartbreaking to watch your garden dry up. Watering doesn't work even if we could water it all. I hope the rain dance works for you soon! Thanks for faving me!
I also feel your pain. It's been very dry here too. The grass in our front yard is completely brown and dry. I don't mind it too much because I don't have to mow. But I would love some rain for the rest of my garden, lol.
Nancy ~ Thanks for visiting and your good thoughts.
Machelle ~ slow, steady rains are the best, aren't they. You can just stay inside and know your garden is getting what it needs.
Karen ~ Thanks for the good wishes. Gardening can be so frustrating sometimes, but for some reason, I can't stop.
Dave ~ Yes, .16" is not too much is it. I hope you will get some more soon.
Tina ~ You're right, watering yourself, no matter how much, just isn't enough. And you are welcome, you have such a terrific blog and are such a nice person, how could you not be a fav!
DP ~ I hope you get some rain soon too! I'm with you on mowing though, I don't miss it.
Cindy, I do hope you get some rain soon. You can water the plants, but it's still not the same as a good soaking rain. For the first time all summer we have gone over a week without much rain, and I can already see the difference in the perennials.
Enjoyed the video--imagine how difficult life was for the Native Americans or even the pioneers when there was a drought. They couldn't just hook up a hose to a spigot!
Did it work? I hope so, this drought is spreading and worrying me to no end! Good luck!
Gail
Rose ~ I think we often take our modern conveniences for granted. Both the Native Americans and Pioneers were stong people.
Gail ~ No rain yet :( I hope you get some soon as well. The drought is worrying me too.
We have had a bit more than we need lately. Now we are getting all the rain left over from Tropical Storm Fay. It has been raining for two days and nights. We do have moments of Sunshine though and right now it is Sunny. But I just heard another storm named Gustav is out there. That is a little scary this time of year. I hope it goes away. We don't need the rain and we sure don't need a Hurricane. : ) I wish I could send some rain your way.
Eve ~ I keep hoping we get some of Fay's remnants. Perhaps on Wednesday. I agree though, no hurricanes. I'll never forget Ivan and the terrible flooding everywhere, including Pgh.
I hope you get some rain soon, sounds like you've had it worse than us. Supposibly we have a chance of showers all week. I like your rain dance flute music. :)
Racquel - Thanks for visiting! I think we are supposed to get rain Wednesday. I hope the weather people are right this time!
Cindy, do you have my email? It's dreambit1 AT gmail DOT com... take out the spaces and put in the symbols, of course... anyhow, I sympathize with your poor thirsty garden and also with you, watching it suffer--that is SO hard to do! I have some ideas about dealing with drought if you want to drop me a line.
May you be rained upon gently and long, soon!
Cath
Post a Comment