As Pure As The Driven Snow

It really does give that impression when you see it. My whole mood has changed. The smell of petrichor is in the air, with it’s heady freshness. I am filled with hope and the expectation that all will be better now. Finally…FINALLY, we have enough precipitation to qualify as …rain.

Thirty-four days without measurable precipitation. This is Nederland, folks— we are not used to this sort of foolishness. We now have a record, a record of dubious import. Must we now be proud of this statistic. Rhetorical.

Well, I shouldn’t complain, we have had moisture now. Of course I was hoping for a frog-strangler; however, this is what fell from the heavens and I must make do with that.

It was hot and humid at the lottie this morning, so we came home early, not as early as we should have, but still. It was cool in the house and tea was beckoning. It did not take long to acclimatise and feel a sort of calm relief. A respite from the punishing heat and humidity that blew up today.

Today my Bride began removing the dead Limnanthus from under the blueberry bushes. I dead headed the rose bush and pruned the first lilac. We gave our garden and the garden of the neighbour lady water, not being able to totally trust the weather forecasts.

The greenhouse Toms were suckered and had some branches removed.

Mr Magoo dropped by to inspect the courgette plants.


We picked another multi-strawb.


Here is the distal end of the fruit:


What a year it has been! I think the plant knows that it is going to be removed this year, and it is bribing me with these fused specimens.

This years’ experiment with yet another sweet-tasting pea that can be eaten shell and all…without pesky strings. It has taken us a long time to find it as we have tried all sorts of “sugar and snow peas”, but none were this good. It is called “Sugar Bon”.


Can you tell it is coming up on suppertime?

Have a good rest of the day, and enjoy your gardening where you can.

 

That is a very very very long time without rain for your countries. Everyone must be breathing a huge sigh of relief. I'm so sorry to hear it has been difficult. That is a tough stretch.

How did your canal fair Sjoerd? Does the water maintain it's level for watering?

 

Eileen, I could have been those plants. You probably heard my cheers from all the way over here as well…muffled as it was.

Mel— the canal is full of water and that is what we use for all things except things we eat raw, like strawbs. We bring water from home for those. We don’t need a lot of water for them because the very thick mulch layer keeps them cool and hydrated.

 

Sjoerd great that you had some rain at last. When i have to water my plants with tap water it doesn't do the same as rain water.

 

You are completely right Loggie— it doesn’t.
All my water butts are empty too.
The main thing in the case is that it is about strawbs and I want to use clean water for them.

 

Sjoerd yes you need clean water for your strawbs, until last week my water butts were empty too. Love the foxglove, it's such a pure white.

 

Just outta curiosity …What’s a water butt?

 

A water butt is a barrel or some such receptacle in which one can collect rain water from a down-pipe, for instance.

 

Sjoerd …thank you … that makes sense … we just call them rain barrels … I googled it and found a site from England called them water butts.

 

That's great Pacnorwest, it's good what you can find out with googling it.

 

Logan… speaking of googling…Our power went out and isn’t it always an eye opening experience when access to the internet is disrupted.
Also keeping up with current affairs, news and weather. I have to admit it always makes me feel a bit lost without the internet.
I consider the sites I use daily as friends I visit with on a daily basis as a major part of my day.

 

I didn’t know you didn’t call them water butts. Thanks for the info.

 

.
Ok that was a LOL moment..

 

Pac—Chuckle.