Record Rains

[greenasagourd]

I don't know what it is about this location, but we set one weather record after another. Last year we had the record draught. This year we've already had record lows & record highs (thank goodness those were relatively short lived).

Now this week, we've had record rains -- the two rainiest days in this area's history. Some places received more than 11". We received more than 6" at my house, my rain gauge ran over. About 9" was the norm. You may have seen the floods in the news; this system was the remains of Fay. A neighboring county was declared a disaster area. Two large apartment complexes in Charlotte as well as many homes had to be evacuated. Many vehicles were claimed by the waters.

We needed the rain as we are still considered in a draught, but this was way too much at once. Our red clay soil does not perk water well, so the massive run off caused much of the flooding. Of course, those living too close to the waterways had problems too. Thankfully, no life was lost.

I feel awful for those flooded, but the rain treated us well at our house. It was really starting to get too dry again. My landscape says thank you. We've worked on the drainage in our yard ever since we've moved in here & our efforts paid off. I'm hoping the water restrictions will finally be lifted or at least lightened. I'm hip with saving water & do my best, but I'm tired of being told 'when' I can use it.

My ripening tomatoes started splitting their skins from too much water too fast. We're just picking & eating them faster.

[NEIndiana]

GAAG, we could sure use some of that moisture up this way. Seems like the little bit that we got last night has already dried up and disappeared so I'm back to watering already today. The corn fields look horrible here. Crops all over the area are brittle dry, which is NOT a good sign. If we don't get some rain soon, all will be lost. Just a couple of days of steady rain would be perfect! How about sharing some of that??? LOL

[Bird Lover]

It's dry here too, Elaine. I've just come in from pulling weeds out front, and the soil is desert dry. I watered lightly, since we're sort of expecting rain tomorrow. If it doesn't by tomorrow, I'll give everything a good soaking & put down some mulch. I skipped it in the spring,& I've been battling weeds all summer.
Lauren, after all the landscaping you & Tommy did at that new house, the rain should be real good for all your trees & shrubs. We're on semi-restriction here. We can water our plants & shrubs, but not our lawns, & no car washing.
I just hope everyone will be safe from Gustav now.

[greenasagourd]

Sorry your dry Elaine & Pat. I know what that's like. Watering duty is time consuming & never as good as real rain. Didn't you both have a lot of rain in the spring? Seems like we all get too much or too little.

Yes Pat, my trees & shrubs loved the rain. They are doing so much better this year. I'm surprised you are on water restrictions too. Are you that dry there? We have a lot of rules with our restrictions. Today, Saturdays, is the day we can use more water in more ways at our address. This is the first Sat. in a long time I don't need to water the gardens. I have plenty to deadhead & prune though.

I'm worried about Gustav & Hannah too. They are looking ominous.

[Daylilydayzed]

Well we have good rains but we are still limited to when we can water. As I write these words , we are getting rain from the outer most rain bands from Gustav. So if you don't hear from me in the next few days it means we have lost power.