Weather

The past many weeks have been very hot and, rain-wise, very dry.  We had such a lovely, nice, cool spring that everyone here at least, thought we’d have a nice mild summer. 

No such luck.  About the second week of May, we went from cool mornings and mild evenings with regular rain TO hot, dry but humid days and nights. 

This morning I was awakened by a 6am text asking for help identifying a flower.  No problem – the beep beep boop text alert interrupted a dream heading toward nightmare.  It was time to get up. 

And, by the way, I was semi-successful in identifying two flowers – one was a Protea

The other, the computer didn’t like any of the things I could come up with.  Oh well.

That done, I walked outside …………

Now, yesterday we had rain (yea!).  We haven’t had any rain in several weeks so everything was happy (me too).  We actually got about an inch of rain at my house.  I’d have been happier if we’d have gotten a couple or 3 inches but beggars and all that.  Anyway, by evening, it was actually pretty nice outside.  I hesitate to say cool but at least not sweltering hot. 

   ……. walked outside and walked into a hot wet blanket!  Ack!  It was so hot at 6:30am and so humid it was difficult to breathe.  You know I live in the gulf coast plains – I’m used to humidity but, honestly this morning it was like breathing hot water.  Awful!  I had to look at the calendar – yep, just June.  Just the middle of June, not even officially “summer” yet.  Sigh.  It’s going to be a hot time in the old town. 

So now I’m wondering what will attract the rain to us. 

Weather lore doesn’t help much when it comes to attracting rain.  It can tell us when it’s going to or not rain, like –

"When cows are lying down in a field, rain is on its way" 

“When the dew is on the grass, rain will never come to pass.”  Well hell, if that’s true we might not have rain again for a long time.  There is always dew on the grass here!

Oh – how about this one –

"St.Swithin's Day if thou be fair, 'Twill rain for forty days no mair; St. Swithin's Day if thou dost rain, For forty days it will remain.". 

St. Swithins Day is July 15 so we’ll have to wait on this one.  Actually, I don’t like either choice – 40 days with no rain - ick – we’ll dry up and blow away.  Forty days of rain just might find us all watching for the Ark.

No help there.  Wait!  I have a rainstick!

    is made from any of several species of cactus. The cacti, which are hollow, are dried in the sun. The spines are removed, then driven into the cactus like nails. Pebbles are placed inside the rainstick, and the ends are sealed. A sound like falling water is made when the rainstick has its direction changed to a vertical position in the belief it could bring about rainstorms.

You know there’s something else that attracts rain.  Leaving the car windows down.  I’m pretty sure that’s what caused the rain yesterday!

Take care