I know a lot of you ARE getting rain and I am happy for you.

Here, on the other hand, we're singing that children's song "It Ain't Gonna Rain No More"! We'd like rain, oh yes we would, but it isn't happening here. Last night we watched storms pop up in Texas to our southeast and east, and had a great lightning show, but no rain here. No rain yet again.

Understand that even in an "average" year, we get far too little rain in the summer months here. And, in a "below average" year like we're having this year, things can go from bad to worse very quickly.

I hate the hotter July and August weather and I try to stay inside most of the time between about 10 a.m. and 4 or 5 p.m. Yesterday, though, I was outside some in the afternoon and I didn't think it felt "that bad" outside and even said so to DH. He agreed that it felt like a "mild" day, much better than other recent days. This is the part where I think we've lost our minds....because it was 95 degrees and the heat index was 100! Oh my. If we are thinking those temperatures feel "good" and "mild", then we must be losing it.

I am already looking forward to October and cooler weather.

So little rain has fallen here that our "natural" ponds are drying up. Consequently the wildlife that frequents those ponds are coming to the lily pond in the back yard to drink.

How low are the ponds? Yesterday when we took the dogs swimming, they had to walk across the pond because it was too shallow for swimming. It probably has a couple of feet of water left at the deepest part. You can't jump from the dock into the water any longer, although our black Lab, Mrs. Jeeves, tried. She landed in the mud and wasn't happy about it! It is hard to extract your paws from mucky mud and wade out deeper where there is actually water---and maintain your canine dignity at the same time!

The smaller retention pond at the northeastern edge of the veggie garden has about 4" of water left. Several of our neighbors have only a few inches of water left in their ponds, and one expects to wake up to a dry pond today or tomorrow. Now, these are all old farm and ranch "stock tanks" that have silted in over the decades, since many of them date back to the 1940s and 1950s. Even when they are "full" they only have maybe 6' to 7' feet of water. Seeing them down to inches is discouraging.

Yesterday, too, I noticed that our creek has stopped "running" although it still has some pools of water in a few areas and that is where the fish are congregating. The last time it got this dry, we went down to the creeks with buckets and rescued the fish we could net and moved them to our lily pond. Unfortunately, having those fish in a relatively shallow lily pond attracts raccoons and fishing-type birds like herons and egrets.

And, of course, our yucky clay soil is cracking although the cracks are less than 1" wide so far. In the average "bad" summer they can end up 3 to 4" wide. I guess it is time to start watering the foundation.

I did break down and water the garden yesterday. At most, I water it deeply once a week. I used to water more often, but have learned that a lot of watering just creates excess foliage that demands more and more water. So, nowadays, I water just enough to keep everything more or less alive....surviving, if not really thriving.

I'm tired of summer and the fact that I thought 95 degree weather felt "nice" is just an indication that my mind is on vacation. LOL

Only about 14" of rain here so far this year, and that is far too little.

The only good thing is that a lack of moisture means a lack of mosquitoes here.

And, with the lack of moisture, grass fires are occurring more frequently and that is always a cause for concern. We haven't had a grass fire on our street in a couple of months, which is a good thing of course, but they really have been popping up to our west and northwest.

I used to love summer, but I am turning into such a weather wimp. I'm looking forward to fall. (One good heavy rain would make me deliriously happy!) And, I hate to complain about a lack of rainfall because I know parts of Oklahoma are way drier than we are.

We have seen the first signs of fall....at the local big box discount store where America shops the summer clothes are on "clearance" so they can make room for the fall clothing. School supplies are making their annual appearance too.

For as hot as the weather is, though, the veggies and flowers are doing quite well.

At least the temperatures are relatively mild--June felt cooler than May and, so far, July feels at least as cool as June and maybe a little cooler. It could be that our fairly low humidity makes the heat more bearable.

Dawn