Rain!

After watching the last three storms go around us, we finally have some rain at this little place here. 

Yesterday was quite hot and humid; temperature according to my Suburban at 2 p.m. was 99 degrees.  In the evening, storm clouds began to build, and as dusk fell, we could see something off to the north that looked like it might resemble a coming rain.  But yet, it didn't come.  Before bed, I took a shower to cool off, then because the house was so stuffy, I ended up going outside where there was quite a nice breeze.

In a sort of free form poetry sounding way, here's the notes I wrote down when I finally came back in the house:

10:30 on a summer night
sitting in a white plastic chair
in the middle of the front yard
enjoying the breeze
no lights except for
the storm to the northeast.
No thunder, all is quiet
other than the leaves rustling in the trees
calm, relaxed, refreshed.

This morning, that storm finally rolled in around quarter to six.  Lightning, big cracks of thunder, and rain, blessed rain.

Since then, we have had waves of rain off and on through the morning.  At 10 a.m. the sky is no brighter than it was at 6:00.  Not a one of us is complaining, we need a good day of steady rain.  Things have been very dry here.  The USDA was in our state several days ago examining crops and I believe declaring a state of emergency for our farmers.  Hay yields are down; it's been thirty days since my own hayfield was cut, and yet it has only grown back to ankle deep so far.  Cornfields look parched and like the corn is dry enough to cut for silage (a September event, normally) even though the ears are just now starting to form.  Yesterday at the Ag Expo going on at Michigan State University, DD2 and I overheard several dairy and cattle farmers saying if we didn't get a significant amount of rain this week, they would have to sell cows next week because they couldn't afford to buy the predicted higher priced feed and hay in order to feed them all this coming winter.

I hope this rain today is enough to help somewhat. I know what it feels like to worry about the increased grocery prices this drought will bring; I know I have been worried about the fate of my own small crop out in the garden, I know that second cutting off my hayfield is looking like a maybe now instead of a sure thing. With no second cutting, there definitely will not be third. I have all ready had to tell one of my hay customers that no, I will not have any more hay to sell to her this year, I barely have what I need for my own animals at this point.  My heart goes out to those whose livelihood depends on the weather, those crop farmers and livestock producers who are wondering if they will have enough yield to pay their mortgages.