Dry

It has been two weeks since our last rain and I would not have believed just how fast everything has dried out. We had become spoiled I suppose because we had regular rain over the first three or four months of 2012. Then it began to taper off and now it seems to have stopped altogether.

Looking at the ten-day forecast, there does seem to be a chance for rain this week, but I am not hopeful. Well, that's not quite true. I am certainly hoping, I'm just not counting on it.

The combination of a lack of rain and temperatures in the mid-90s has really done a number on my garden. Everything looks parched. I spent the day today moving the sprinkler around, trying to provide some moisture to the worst-looking areas. The problem is that the entire half-acre yard is quickly becoming the "worst-looking" area.

Running the sprinkler is not good for my water bill, but it certainly makes the birds happy! They flock to the sprinkler's spray to cool off and to take their baths. Every time I go to move it, about twenty or so jays, doves, cardinals, and robins fly up into the trees and wait to see where the spray will appear next.

It is so hot out that it's difficult to do much actual work in the garden. Consequently, the weeds are getting the jump on me again. Isn't it amazing that no matter how hot and dry it gets, it never slows the weeds down?

The dry weather doesn't seem to be affecting the evergreen wisteria either. It is in full bloom now. Perhaps it thinks it is a weed!