George,

Thanks for the prayers, and thanks for caring! Yes, it did rain....a whole, glorious 1.05" in our rain gauge this morning. While an inch of rain may not seem like a lot to some folks, it is a huge amount for us, especially this year.

So, we're up to almost 17" of rainfall recorded at our local mesonet station in Burneyville, but at our house we've had about 1" more than that, so about 18" here so far this year. I realize that doesn't sound like a lot of rain, but we're grateful for every drop that falls.

I'll write more later....I need to run back outside and splash in the puddles before they soak into the ground!

Dawn (from southern Love County where we are greedily hoping for more rain to fall today)

So glad to hear it, Dawn. It was a bit dry here until we got 5.5" over the 9th and 10th. Then today I left to go to Tahlequah at 2 pm. Headed home at 3:30 and ran into rain at the Adair Co line. Got home to find 2.2" in the gauge and DH chomping at the bit because he got rained out as he was cleaning out the chicken pen for othe next batch of chicks to arrive next Friday.

But at least we got some stuff planted this am where the corn came out. Planted lettuce, turnips and beans. Still need to get beets, carrots, spinach and radishes in.
And maybe parsnips and rutabagas. George is this a good time for parsnips as well as rutabagas? ANd where does one find seed of either locally? Am I going to have to order online? Dorothy

Dorothy,

The rain was wonderful. If we get another couple of inches, I think I may plant some cool-season fall crops after all. If I do, though, I'll have to cover them with some sheer row-cover type fabric to keep the grasshoppers out.

Although we have had grasshopppers in great abundance since early spring, the birds have pretty much kept them under control. At a wildfire last week down in some Red River bottomland near Thackerville, though, there had to have been 8 to 10 BIG grasshoppers per square foot, and I fear they will migrate to our local veggie gardens as the native grasses and forbs go into cool-season dormancy.

Do you have any Tractor Supply Company stores near you, or something similar? I noticed about a month ago that our local TSCs in Ardmore and in Gainesville (Tx) had seed in for cool-season crops like turnips, rutabagas, beets, cabbage, spinach, radishes, lettuce, broccoli and chard. The local farm and seed stores always have more for fall planting than the big box stores.

I wish our rain gauge had 5" of rain in it....or even 2". And, yes, I am greedy.....no matter how much rain falls here in the next few days (if any), we need more, more, more to salvage the gardening season. It is amazing how much an inch of rain has already greened up some of the grass, veggies and flowers (in areas that have had some irrigation this summer). The dryland pastures that haven't had irrigation even have a slight tinge of green today. Of course, being in the mid- to upper-80s and lower 90s this week instead of 100+ has also made a big difference. We also have some humidity now (yea!).....on our hottest, driest days recently, our afternoon humidity was dipping down to about the 15-30% range for a few days, and that is too dry (hence, the fires).

I bathed and walked all 5 indoor dogs (well, 2 old ones stay inside all the time and the other 3 only come in at night to sleep) today, so I got to take a good look at "the neighborhood" and everyone's places look greener today. Most of the dry ponds didn't hold any water, but I am sure that 1" of rain soaked into their dry, cracked bottoms. Our creek did have a few inches of water in it, which is great, because previously only a couple of deeper "holes" in the creek still had water and fish.

My lily pond, which we deliberately built so I could grow water lilies and other water garden-type plants, is now the home to dozens of small fish rescued from the drying-up creek by DS. It also has become quite the haven for frogs, turtles, dragonflies and other water lovers. So, of course, it is now attracting raccoons, herons and other "fishers". I hope they don't tear up the water lilies too much since they are one of the few flowers blooming in spite of the drought.

My puddles have dried up, but the garden looks MUCH happier. Some morning glory, moonflower and black-eyed susan vines that were on their last leg look about 500% better today.

Dawn

Rutabagas: I think there is time. They are like turnips. I haven't tried them for a couple of years, and I'm new enough to Oklahoma, that a fall garden is a new adventure for me.

Parsnips: don't even try. They have to go in EARLY in the year, while it's still winter, if possible. I planted mine on January 13, this year. They are looking great!

This rain has certainly helped me with the garden. The weeds were taking over due to the combination: 1) George couldn't keep going so well with all the heat, & 2) the soil was hard and difficult to work while it was so dry. & 3) the weeds didn't seem to mind the heat and drought!

Yesterday I managed an incredible (for me) amount of cultivation and seed bed preparation. It was hard to stop, since temps were so mild and the weeds simply... come out when pulled or cultivated! Still, clay & rock is clay & rock, and I needed to pace myself a bit.

Will continue to pray for rain for Marietta. It would be so great if the weather patterns would shift enough for ponds to fill up again and some pasture to grow, to help ranchers going into the fall and winter. I want also to hear that Dawn has a great fall garden!

George

PS. Dorothy, if you need parsnip seed for the winter, let me know. I can share some of mind with you. There's plenty of time that you could swing by sometime when you come to Tahlequah.

Dawn, did any of this rain get to you? We had rain all night long. My rain gauge is looking very full....

Lisa

Lisa,

Well, the straight answer is yes, we got rain. But, here's the more complicated answer.

It started raining here at about 4 o'clock Sunday afternoon, I think, (oh, it was so very long ago) and it has been "rainy" virtually ever since. So, you'd think our rain gauges would be full and overflowing and we'd have flash floods and all that.

But, no, this is severely rain-challenged southcentral Love County.....the Bermuda Triangle of Oklahoma, where rainfall disappears before it hits the ground.

Our "rain", and I use the term loosely, has been barely more than a fog or mist for 98% of the time. In the first 24 to 36 hours, we accumulated 3/10s of an inch. (sigh)

However, now that it is on its' third day of misty, foggy, drizzly junk, we now have accumulated a whopping 3/4s of an inch.

You know, Lisa, it makes me want to just stand and bang my head against the wall! What, oh what, does it take to make actual rain pour down from the sky??????

And, just to make it more fun, parts of Jefferson County, which is adjacent to and just west of Love County and is normally about as dry and miserable as us in times of drought, has had at least 10" of rain in the last day or so. Ten inches!! Not all over Jefferson County, I think, but at least in the Waurika and Ryan areas.

Our stupid (normally I like it, but it isn't bringing us any good news) NWS weather radio went off and woke us up TWICE last night, once at midnight, and then again several hours later, to warn us of flash flooding in Jefferson County. THAT is a cruel thing to do to people who barely have any rain puddling in the yard!

I have to laugh, or I would cry. I keep saying "This is the rain we've been eagerly anticipating for at least a week?"

My rain gauge hasn't overflowed a single time this entire year, although it might have been half-full once in March or April.

The skies ARE much darker today, so maybe this will be OUR day for rainfall. I'd truly love to have an overflowing raingauge. And, I'm not terribly greedy. We don't have to have 10" like parts of Jefferson County.....I'd be happy if another inch of rain fell, and ecstatic if 2 or 3 inches fell.

Having said that, this week's rain plus the rain that fell earlier in the month almost has our August rainfall up to the "average" mark. So, maybe our drought is ending. Still, it will take 10" to 12" to get back to where we ought to be and to put substantial water into the almost-empty creeks and dried-up, or nearly dried-up, ponds.

The cooler temperatures have been heavenly--when do we ever get a prolonged cool spell like this in August? A lot of my flowers are perking up and going back into bloom.

If another inch of rain falls, I'll start planting fall veggies. Oooh, I hear thunder and that makes me hopeful.

We're going to Durant to see Kristine and her dorm suite and take her to lunch....it is a tradition. She moved in on Sunday and we always go over to Southeastern a couple of days later to see how cute her suite is once she's moved in and has everything put away AND to go out to lunch AND to make a run to the store to pick up any vital necessities she finds herself without. Also, we have two boxes and two bags of stuff she "forgot" on Sunday. LOL

I hope while we are in Durant that it pours like mad here in Marietta. And, if it does, I'll let y'all know.

So, loving the cool weather, and appreciating the rain, but hoping God sends us more, more, more. I want overflowing rain gauges too!

Dawn

Looks like you finally got some good rain if you are close to the river bridge. If you missed this one, then you ARE in the unluckiest spot in the area.

Dawn, I was so hopeful that you had gotten lots of rain, when I heard that parts of southcentral Ok had 8-10" earlier today. Still hoping it comes your way.

George, thanks for the offer of the parsnip seed, but I went online Baker Creek and ordered some. Then walked in to WM today and found brussels sprouts and rutabaga seed on an almost empty rack. My local feed store was out of beet and carrot seed last week, but said they would have more tomorrow so I will pick that up, along with spinach. The turnip and lettuce seed I planted Friday right before 2" of rain is up already and I am eager to get more stuff in the ground.

Dawn, I never have to wonder where to put my fall garden because 3,000sq ft of our 5,000sq ft garden is empty by August 1st every year and sometimes earlier. Where the potatoes, peas and corn come out the late stuff goes in. This year though we spread clear plastic to solarize 1000 sq ft in hopes that next year we can raise scab free potatoes and rootknot free okra. Dorothy

Scott,

Well, I'm about 9 or 10 miles north of the river bridge and a mile or two north, so maybe I am not exactly in the unluckiest spot in the area. Were you driving across the bridge in today's little rain shower?

While we were in Durant and Sherman today, it apparently rained a bit more here.....almost doubling our 72-hour rainfall from .75 inches to 1.35 inches. So, that's better, right?

That rainfall, in combination with other rainfall received earlier this month, gives us a little over 2" for the month and 19" for the year, so I am starting to think we live in the rain forest. LOL I really AM starting to think the grass will grow again (it is greening up) and we may have to mow again soon. I don't think we've mowed the lawn around the house in about 3 or 4 weeks 'cause it isn't growing. The front pasture has only been mowed twice this year, once in early April, I think, and once in early July. The pasture grass is about 2" to 3" tall and still mostly brown, but with a little tinge of green.

I'm watching the evening news and the local forecaster insists we have more rain, perhaps heavy rain, coming overnight, so I'm hoping. Of course, I am still waiting for the 2" to 4" they've been promising for 10 days now. Well, now that we're at 1.3", the 2" sounds attainable.

Apparently, if I want to have an overflowing rain gauge, I'll have to go out there with a pitcher and fill up the gauge myself.

Scott, do you have any idea how much rain you've had this year? Go ahead and tell me how many feet of rain have fallen at your place, and I promise not to cry or curse.

You know, considering how little has fallen here.....it looks pretty good, now that 2" has fallen in the last 2 weeks.

We're under a flash flood watch, which I find amusing. We have about one or two minor incidents of flash flooding per year where a few low water crossings flood, and maybe a house or two.....who knows, maybe tonight is "the night", but I doubt it.

I have eagerly checked the back pasture several times the last few days to see if the native rain lilies have bloomed yet, but so far, nothing. I miss the zephyranthes and hope to see some flowers yet.

Dawn

I'm glad you got an inch! I hope more heads your way.

Tonight my gauge reads 3.5 inches (most of which fell overnight), so if you add in the .5 inch earlier, that's a total of 4 inches, plus the 2 inches earlier, I figure my little spot of OKC has had 6 inches for the month. Which is good, but is not the record breaker the weathermen are crowing about up here since my little piece of earth didn't get that extra 3 inches that apparently only fell at the airport ;)

The weather graphics look likes there is a bunch more coming before its finished.... I'm enjoying not having to turn on the a/c and not having to water, but the drizzle was starting to get to me today :)

Lisa

The 7.6" that we got in August brings my total for the year to over 45". Most years I would consider that a respectable total for the year, although we got 62" in 06 most of it coming in late summer and fall. after that drought during the winter of 05 and 06 when there were so many fires. (My daughter and son-in-law are volunteer firefighters so I am very aware of the amount of fires in the area.) It will be interesting to see what this year's total comes to. In the meantime, Dawn, a lot of us are still praying that you get some rain. Dorothy

Hi All!

Well, still waiting for more rain, and I do see some down around Dallas that might make it up here around the Red River in a few hours. Most of tonight's rain down in Texas has veered west of us towards Wichita Falls.

I DID find 8 or 9 rain lilies in bloom tonight while we had the dogs out running around for their "puppy playtime", but the blooming rain lilies were in the front pasture and not the back.

Lisa, We're enjoying not running the A/C or water hose too. The drizzle does seem a bit depressing, but I keep thinking of those days (just a couple of weeks ago!) when it was 106 and felt like 116 and the air conditioner wasn't really keeping the house all that cool, and I decide I can live with the drizzle. (smile) I wish I'd had HALF your recent rainfall, but I'm just happy to have any at all at this point.

Dorothy,

I THINK we may have had over 40" once since we lived here, and DS was younger then and we were busier with all his activities, and I don't think I fully appreciated that wet year as much as I should have. (Who would have known such a wet year would be so rare here???)

Sixty-two inches???? That's TWO great rainfall years for us!

I remember 2005-06 as if it were yesterday, and hope we never repeat it! For the first 8 or 9 days of August '08, it looked like we WERE repeating it, but then the county implemented a burn ban, and the rain began to fall, and everything got better quickly.

The two-plus inches of rain we've received in August have begun to revive our parched pastures and landscapes. I hope enough rain falls that the ranchers can get a late hay cutting in the fall, AND also get the winter wheat planted and growing.

My flowers are REALLY perking up and looking happy after a cool, drizzly week.....but my feet are tired of being wet. If it rains any more tonight, and the ground is still wet tomorrow, I guess I'll wear my boots instead of tennis shoes.

And, I don't know about the rest of y'all, but I have a feeling that summer isn't really through with us yet, and I'm kind of dreading the return to more "normal" temperatures.

Just in case anyone wants to look at Mesonet rainfall data, I've linked the main page below. Just click on the word Rainfall under Mesonet Data at the left and you'll get today's rainfall on the map (as recorded at working Mesonet stations) and a menu at the right that let's you click on different phrases and see rainfall accumulation by day, week, month, etc. It is pretty interesting....and rainfall totals for various places in OK are all over the place too, with lots of high totals and low ones and everything in between.

Dawn

Here is a link that might be useful: Mesonet Rainfall Data

Dawn,

I noticed this morning on the radar loop I check regularly that the rainfall was really coming down right on the border where the Oklahoma part goes furthest into the Texas part. BUT, the rain was heavy for only about 5 miles into Oklahoma and was then falling apart into light showers by the time it got 8 or 10 miles into the state. It happened that way for about an hour based on the loop. I'm betting that 5 miles to your south they got at least 1 inch and likely 1.5. Sorry.

Scott,

We drove to Durant and took Kristine to lunch in Sherman. When we left here around 10:30 or so, a slightly heavier drizzle was falling. Then, after lunch, Kristine and our DS headed back to Durant and we shopped in Sherman for a while before heading home. We came home through Gainesville and were delighted to be in a band of rain in/around Gainesville (from somewhere east of Gainesville and then north to the river). Of course, that band of rain stopped right at the river. Wouldn't you know it? We headed right up I-35, but the rain either stopped or veered off in another direction.

It's OK. Now that two inches of rain have fallen this month, and about 19" for the year, I am back in a good mood, feeling more positive about most of the garden and I surviving the summer after all, and am feeling hopeful that a fall veggie garden is a realistic project.

I know I'll NEVER have your rainfall here....not in our wildest dreams, so I am able to be happy with significantly less. If we finish up this year with 30" for the year, I'll be a pretty happy camper, and it is a realistic possibility. We've already had enough rain that, even if no more rain falls at all in 2008, at least it wouldn't be the driest year ever.

And it's not all about the rain. What made July and August so very, very difficult (and parts of June as well) was the combination of little rainfall, low humidity and very high temperatures and heat indexes. We can handle the low rainfall as long as the temperatures/heat indexes stay somewhere below 100.

Dawn