RAIN!

[MadHound]

I know, I know, some of you have far too much rain coming down, but for those of us out here in Missouri, the rain we're having this morning is a blessing. After last year's drought, we had nowhere near enough rain over the winter to recharge the soil and aquifers. Sure, we had some decent rain over the spring, but that shut off at the end of April, beginning of May, and we haven't had a drop for over a month.

Crops dying in the field, animals desperate, the ground concrete hard and cracking wide open like it was August, not May or June.

We've had rain chances over the past month, but even when the radar would show rain right overhead, it simply wasn't hitting the ground.

But today, this morning, rain fell, fell like a blessing from above.

Hallelujah, we have rain.

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. I thought I was dreaming when thunder woke me up

What a great feeling when I realized it was raining.

[magical thyme]

2. No rain for us....finally! Interesting timing probably not a coincidence

We had a drought in April, which ended in early May. Since then, we've had maybe 1 day of sun/week, with rain, fog and clouds the other 6 days.

We were scheduled for more of the same this week with Sunny Sunday predicted, then foggy Monday and chance of showers the rest of the week (which for the past 6 weeks or so has consistently turned into deluge).

At the last minute, the forecast changed. Sunny today (high clouds will burn off shortly) and tomorrow, chance of showers pushing back. I think we've headed back into drought mode. Just came in from mulching the veggies to hold onto the water I gave them last night.

They've been hanging by a thread due to cool temps with excess rain....

[MadHound]

5. I'm so glad I decided that we didn't plant a garden this year

Decided to give the soil a break, let it go fallow this year, and till in plenty of manure. I doubt that I would get much from it this year.

We've essentially been in a drought since last fall. Yeah, we've had a few good rains, but not many and simply not enough water. Plus, it has been hot. We really didn't have a winter, just a late fall followed by a quick spring supplanted by summer. We had temps in the nineties back in March, and many times since.

Hope you don't get into drought mode like us, it's no fun. This year is the first time I've had to water my fruit trees before June.

[magical thyme]

8. we normally have dry weather around this time of year

and I think our aquifers are ok. Not a lot of snowpack, but plenty of rain.

I'm slightly less afraid of drought right now than another summer without sun. The summer before last was horrible. Local strawberry farm that usually was posting for help this time of year instead posted that their strawberries were all picked.

In fact, everybody's strawberries just rotted on the vines. Crops were very poor. We only got a single cutting of hay, and for many farmers that was really only a half cutting, since many of their fields were too muddy to cut without ruining them (and losing their tractors).

Veggies are so expensive up here that growing your own makes a significant dent in the food budget.

Personally, I need a decent summer to get my mare finally started under saddle. She's been on the back burner for a couple years too many. It's now or never, and for her sake it's got to be now. A horse that can do a job or 3 (I'm hoping to also get her pulling a cart or buggy or something) has a much better chance at a good life than a pasture ornament or broodmare in these times.

[malaise]

3. I was looking at the satellite last night and said

your region was in for some serious water. Enjoy!

[MadHound]

6. Already been out and splashing around like a kid,

Might have to do that again, and again.

[Scuba]

4. Very dry here in east central Wisconsin. Horicon marsh the lowest I've ever seen it. This is...

.. an important breeding area for geese, ducks, herons, egrets and other waterfowl, plus about a zillion other little guys.

[Liberal_Dog]

7. We Are Supposed To Get About An Inch Of Rain

today and tomorrow.

It has been fairly dry here in Ky so far in 2012.

[AllyCat]

9. We needed this rain badly in Wisconsin too!

[Grins]

10. Please accept your fate...

It's all part of "God's Plan". You are obviously being punished for your sinful ways, starting with that damn bust of that vulgar, gelatinous mass, Rush "America's Junkie!" Limbaugh.

Pat Robertson told me so.

[AsahinaKimi]

11. It never..

[lastlib]

12. So glad to see it, too!!

Our blackberries will probably ripen now. I couldn't believe we were actually seeing berries start to turn red the first week of June!! Very welcome!!

I'm out east of of KC, MadHound--where are you?

[MadHound]

13. Mid Mo area,

General Columbia area.

Yeah, my blackberries are turning red as well, and my apples and pears are way ahead in fruit development.

[kag]

14. Could you send some to Colorado!?

We have an enormous fire raging near Fort Collins with no containment in sight.


http://www.dailycamera.com/ci_20831039/high-park-fire-colorado_wildfire

[Lochloosa]

15. 17.5 inches at my house since Memorial Day. Florida needs all the rain it can get right now.

The Florida Aquifer is seriously depleted.

[Aerows]

16. It rained so much here on the Gulf Coast

That I thought we were going to float away. Friday - Sunday it rained in a torrential downpour. We even lost power for several hours on Saturday because of the storm. We got the monthly average of 5 inches on Friday alone!

Hopefully that will head your way and to everyone else that needs it