Thursday, April 11, 2013

The Rain that Brought Spring

Despite the warm weather and sun we've had, nothing has really been growing. There has been an important missing element: rain.

It's been really, really dry. I appreciate this when it comes to walking around outside without sinking into muck. And I'm certainly not complaining about the smaller amount of laundry when I'm not changing Cubby out of soaking, muddy clothing every time we come in from playing outside.

The plants, however, have not been so pleased. I've watered the hotbed a few times, so the lettuce sprouted, but it hasn't been growing. I planted some peas awhile ago, which have still not sprouted. The grass has just been sitting around all brown and dead-looking, which not only looks depressing, but means that the sheep have been eating nothing but hay and getting kind of pissed.

After a few days of the forecast calling for rain and seeing nothing but clouds with nary a drop of precipitation, it started to rain yesterday. And it's been raining on and off since then. Cubby has been through three pairs of pants and socks today; the rain barrel is full; and everything has received a thorough soaking.

Even though we haven't seen the sun yet, the effect of the rain was immediate. When I look outside now, I see green where there was only nasty, tired-looking brown just a couple of days ago. The crocuses gave up and the daffodils opened up overnight. I found the first bunch of ramps in the hollow today. The magnolia buds are just starting to split and show peeks of the white blossoms that will bust out any day now.

Spring has really come to Blackrock. And all thanks to the rain.


4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Now we know what they mean when they say "Spring has sprung".
Beth

flask said...

what the honk?

i don't know exactly where you live, but i think you're in upstate new york somewhere and not honkin' alabama.

spring?

really?

the masons had to cal off work on my chimney on account of TOO MUCH ICE.

the ground is white.

i would not complain, but the ski hill is closed.

Lindsey at NW Backyard Veggies said...

Dude. Do you want some of OUR rain?!? Because it's getting a little much out here.

Our moss is growing moss.

I can't even mow the lawn b/c it won't stop raining long enough for me to huff and puff trying to start the mower and actually get outside.

Our snowpack is 120% of normal. I'm not complaining. I just need to mow my knee high grass before it starts looking like we live in a vacant lot.

Yay, Spring!

Daisy said...

I'm still wearing boots to dredge through the muck in my small city backyard, we had an ice storm three days ago that nearly shut down the city and did shut down the schools, but somehow I'm making progress (in my mucky boots, of course) in building the berm that will have the trench that will become an asparagus patch.
Whew.