The Sedums (the dark red is Autumn Joy) in the photo above are the glory of my garden at the moment. Due to a lack of rain for most of the summer, things are getting a bit crispy out there. For the month of September we've only had 1/2 an inch of rain. The area is down 1 foot of rain for the year. Yet the water and sewer authorities refuse to issue a water emergency. We are under some restrictions at the moment, but they are minimal. Tonight on the local news, a reporter said that the authorities had talked about declaring a water emergency today, but want to wait longer ... until what? Until there is no water coming from the faucet and the reservoir in front of my home is a waterless wasteland like it was back in 2002?
It was that year of crackling lawn and newly planted browning lanscape that persuaded me to install a cistern to collect rain water. (We had just moved in the year before and had planted alot of shrubbery that I didn't want to lose.) The tank holds some 3,000 gallons of rainwater when full. I also have some rain barrels around for watering small areas. But I'm not watering much this year. You have to have rain to fill the cistern and though there is still water in it, I don't really know how much. So I water only those things that should be looking good at this time of year. The rest I let go since it will be dying back for the season as hard frost approaches.
This is my very favorite time of year, however! The cool nights bring wonderful sleep and though it can still be hot during the day, it isn't the endless summer blast furnace that nothing can relieve. So I sing the praises of the season even without the rain.
6 comments:
We've had gorgeous weather here too. Our rain won't come for another month or two, although we had an unusual bit of rain at the end of last week.
Happy Autumn!
Julie, it's great to catch up and I've been completely absorbed reading more about your travels, and your very thoughtful, articulate and informative reflections on what you learned from them.
Thanks too for the link to mine and to 'Compasses', which I've only just seen, and very much appreciate. Joe is only my partner in the blogging sense, in fact we have never met, though we have corresponded plenty. The blogging world yields some amazing and rewarding connections!
Anyway, I shall put you on my links now, and get here more often, now I'm back in circuit.
A nice picture of Autumn Sedum, it grows in my garden, too.
Autumn is my favourite time of the year.
http://olivia-kroth.blog.de.vu
Thank you, Olivia, for your comment. I went to your blog this evening and wanted to leave a comment but was unable to for some reason. I'll try again another time. That is a gorgeous bracelet you received!
Joan
Here via Lucy's blog. Reading this post reminded me so much of gardening here in Australia. In the summer were can only use scheme water 2 days a week on our gardens ( and then for only 10 mins each time, if the garden is reticulated). I now use the rinse water from my washing machine to water plants in the summer. Native plants and and drought tolerants species are now a greater part of gardening here.
Hello again,
I'm just about to tag you for a couple of memes! Hop over to mine if you're interested.
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