The Rain Barrels

When I tell you that we have had another dry summer, I am not kidding you. Last time we checked, the rain deficit was standing at 18 inches. That's 18 inches of rain that we need to get just to come out of a the severe drought stage and into the plain old ordinary drought stage. We have rain barrels set up at the back to catch what little rain might fall. Mac was threatening to load them on the back of the truck and go wherever he heard that rain might be falling. He said we could be like the storm chasers, only instead of looking for tornadoes, we'd look for rain. He said we could park beneath underpasses and the rain that flowed off the bridges would fill the barrels pronto. I told him the men in white coats would be more apt to pick us up. I love to watch a storm, always have. I think I get it from my Grandpa. He liked to watch storms. I remember once standing on his front porch and he was holding my hand and we were watching a cloud begin to form a funnel. My heart was beating a mile a minute. It wasn't fear though. It was excitement. I was to young to know that the storm that was brewing could kill. I know now. But I can't help but still have that shiver of excitement when a storm comes.

This morning we were anticipating that Fay, the hurricane that wouldn't quit, was going to bring us rain. Poor Florida (and I so hope that my friends there have survived without much damage...) was hit at least four times by her contrary self. The rain barrels at the back of the porch needed to be completely emptied and the flower beds needed watering, so that's how we spent the morning. Emptying and watering. Preparing for what is to come. Because we know that once this rain goes by, it may be some time before we get another soaker. And a soaker is what we need. We haven't had a real rain in months. The usual April rains failed to materialize, and June was no better. And so the ground, dry and hard, repels the water at first, which causes flooding in areas. If we hadn't dragged that blamed hose from garden to garden we wouldn't have anything to show for it. It was hard work. But for now, we'll hope the rain barrels fill, the ground grows soft and supple again and Mac can stop planning on being a storm chaser! I'm to old to start another career.