Gully washer!
It hasn’t rained like this since May. Yep, May. After months of drought, my little patch of Austin is finally experiencing what the southwest Austin bloggers have been happily reporting since the weekend—rain!
A thunderstorm this morning dropped 2 inches of rain. (Is there any happier feeling in the summer than seeing 2 inches of water in the rain gauge? No, there is not.) And a few minutes ago, another gully-washer hit, causing water to pour out of my undersized rain barrel into the dry creek. But this precious water isn’t wasted. The dry creek funnels it into the rain garden under the cedar elm.
A light rain is still falling, and the garden looks bent and dripping—a lovely sight! Not only that, we’ve had temps in the upper 80s for the last couple of days as this weather system has swept in from Colorado.
A few more days of this and I might just make it through the summer.
All material © 2006-2008 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
It’s amazing how green the garden looks, especially in that last picture. Now, don’t get all greedy, send some my way. It’s kinda dry here!
I’ve had a few plants brown up on me, but the salvias, grasses, and agaves are tough old plants. Plus, I do irrigate as necessary. If this rain keeps up, I’ll send rainy thoughts your way, Carol. —Pam
Yay for rain in your neighborhood! It’s been raining steadily here for about an hour, but I can see the sunny edges of the rain clouds and bright blue sky behind them, so I suspect it’ll be dry enough for me to go for a walk in an hour or two. What with the being stuck inside most of the summer while the Death Star blazed, I’ve been getting more than a little stir-crazy!
The Death Star—hah! So true! I know what you mean about being stir-crazy in the summer in Austin. —Pam
Nothing like a good rain to perk things up. I have seen things that looked like they wouldn’t make it and then after a rain, they look as good as new. Watering just doesn’t have the same effect.
I don’t understand it but I have to type most of this without being able to see what I am typing. It goes behind the banner on the right.
I’m sorry about the commenting problem, Eve. It’s a bug in the system, I guess. I keep meaning to have my computer guru take a look, but we just haven’t had the time. Thanks for making the effort despite the problem. Feel free to insert paragraph breaks as needed so you can see what you’re typing. I love to have your comments! —Pam
Pam, that is indeed a beautiful sight! I stood at my bedroom door for several minutes last night and watched the rain fall. I’d forgotten how much I loved rainy nights!
Yippee for rain! I’m glad you’re getting some rain too, Cindy. —Pam
I’m so happy to hear about the rain. It will breathe a breath of life into the fall plants.
Just what I was thinking. I’m watching for MSS’s oxblood lilies. —Pam
Wow 2 inches in one storm. That is great!!! Still no rain here. Waiting patiently though(-:
It’s all feast or famine regarding rainfall in central Texas, Cindee. That’s why we have so many flash floods. Hope you get some rain soon too. —Pam
Pam, I certainly didn’t get a gully-washer here at the house, but at least I did get some gentle rain. Not enough to run off of anything…it keeps seeming to skirt around south Austin. It’s always amazed me in this town how differently the weather is from north or south of the river. I’m glad to see you got enough to take a picture of! And yes, I’m with you, I feel like I can make it through the rest of the summer now. It’s amazing what a bone we’ll settle for when we’ve had nothing to eat for so long, isn’t it?
Robin
It IS interesting how rainfall varies across the city. I often feel that central Austin gets more than southwest Austin (my in-laws live there), but not this time. Freeze patterns vary greatly too. Enjoy your bone, Robin! —Pam
I almost didn’t recognize what rain looks like! Please send it north east to Tennessee! We haven’t had any significant rain this August.
I feel your pain, Dave. I hope you get some rainfall soon too. —Pam
Oh, how nice. We’re at least a couple months away from anything like this in California. I’ll be watching the weather forecast with an eagle-eye come October. I like to treat myself to a massage the day of the first rain.
It’s a dry-climate phenomenon to celebrate the first rains, isn’t it? We usually get an occasional summer thunderstorm in summer, but not this year. It’s been a long, dry summer, so these rains are doubly welcome. —Pam
Your garden looks lush and happy. It is a good feeling when it gets watered the natural way. We are in the middle of a drought here so I am a bit envious.
Yes, it is a good feeling to know the garden is getting a much-needed drink. I hope you get some rain soon too, Chigiy. —Pam
I’ve gotten 3 1/2″ today, Pam. My 5000 gal. rain water cistern is full once again. Time to start putting the fall vegi’s in the ground, better late than not at all.
How I envy you that huge cistern! We got another inch of rain yesterday afternoon, for a total of 3 inches. Yea! —Pam
I know how happy you must be about the rain. We have had thunderstorms rolling in every 10 to 14 days which has kept the garden on life support. We were hoping that Tropical Storm Fay was going to bring us rains this weekend, but alas she has changed her path. I think it is bizarre that we wish for storms and hurricanes (weakened of course) to help with rainfall deficit. I only hope she brings rain to areas that need it.
We often wish for hurricanes too, Les. If only they could not damage the coastal areas as they bring much-needed rain to the interior of the state. —Pam
Boy, do I envy you right now! The weather keeps dry here, even if the temps have dropped a bit.
Cooler weather is a blessing too, but I do hope you get some rain soon, Gintoino. —Pam
Pam,
I’m so glad to see you got some rain. As my old boss use to say to me. ‘Youngun’ don’t nothing make flowers grow like God’s water.” Then she would send me to the parking lot in the pouring down rain with buckets to catch it for her African violets.
Isn’t that a hoot? Rain does seem like manna from heaven. —Pam
All of us Austin gardeners must have been taking the same picture yesterday of water in our rainbarrels. But it is the most pleasing sight I have seen outside in quite a while.
I second that, Bonnie! I’m having some touch-up work done on my house’s trim, so I really shouldn’t be wanting more rain (the house needs to be dry for them to finish). But I do! —Pam
Fantastic, I celebrate your good fortune and can see that your garden looks relieved!
Thanks, Gail! I’m as relieved as the garden. —Pam
YES glorious rain…not a thunderstorm (which freaks out my dog) but a day filled with sweet steady showers what a blessing my rain barrel is overflow too…should have gotten a bigger one! Keep digging and taking beautiful shots of your garden!
I should have gotten a bigger barrel too, ELK. But it’s nice to have the little one filled up again. —Pam
I know that wonderful feeling-we got a downpour last Thursday after two months of almost no rain. We slept like babies on that cool Thursday night! Your plants are all looking great. My agave attenuata pup i got in San francisco in April is looking so lovely, I think that’s also one you will like.
A. attenuata is lovely, and I’d love to have one. How nice that you were able to pick one up in San Francisco—and what a lovely city to visit. —Pam
Rain after drought smells so good! You can almost hear everything sigh in relief.
Including every gardener in Austin! —Pam
Yay! The pictures even look cool and refreshing… glad to hear you’re getting both drought and high temperature relief, Pam.
By the way, when Carol’s done she can send “your” rain due east. I could sure use some here.
Our rain seems to be done, so maybe it’s moved on to Carol’s garden and then, I hope, on to your own. —Pam
It was so awesome to have 2 days of almost nonstop rain here in CO. The plants look so happy right now, and it’s so nice to walk barefoot on the cushiony soft ground. Plus, what a pleasure to pull weeds and actually get almost the entire root.
hip hip hurray for rain!
I believe it was some of Colorado’s rain that we recently enjoyed here in Austin. Usually our summer rains come up out of the Gulf of Mexico, but your rain brought a lovely “cool” front with it. So thanks for sharing! —Pam
It’s been raining like that for most of this summer over here. And for some strange reason (I don’t know why) my answer to your question *is there any happier feeling in the summer than seeing 2 inches of water in the rain gauge* is somehow slightly different. As in a world of yes! 😀
Yes, I can see why your happy feeling would derive from a dry rain gauge rather than a full one, YE. I hope you dry out soon and enjoy some summer sunshine. —Pam
Hi Pam, your rain has me torn, feeling very happy for you Austinites, but feeling ever more sorry for us in the Southeast who look to the skies and weatherman for relief and see none. Even the forecast for Fay misses us completely. There are no systems that seem to be able to come across from southwest to northeast that can graze us with a few sprinkles. Sigh. But we do feel glad for you, not just for the rain but for the cooler temps too. Fall is just around the corner.
I completely empathize with your plight, Frances. Our drought may not be over either, despite this welcome respite. Here’s hoping for a nice, slow rain across the southeast. —Pam
Finally! HURRAH!~~Dee
You said it, Dee. —Pam
What sweet relief. I can almost hear your garden sing out thanks.
And a few days later, each plant is putting out fresh growth or buds. —Pam
After a busy week with company, I’m playing catchup. I’m so glad you got rain! I love your pictures of the rain soaked garden and the rain barrel! Beautiful!
Thanks for stopping by and sharing my rain joy, Robin. —Pam
Since May? Your plants look great! You must put a lot of time into them! We haven’t had rain in about 4 weeks and I’m already read to throw in the towel!
Well, yes, but when you love plants, it feels like time well spent. Using plants that are native or well-adapted helps tremendously. They don’t require that I water every day or even every other day. Plus my garden is several years old and well-established, which makes it easier to keep up with.
I think every gardener feels like throwing in the towel in late summer, especially in the hot South. But then fall will come, and we’ll remember how fun gardening is again. Until then, happy digging! —Pam
I’m JEALOUS!!!
I think I am taking dry weather with me wherever I go!
Flew into NYC two fridays ago, circling the airport because of thunderstorms. By the time we landed, it was dry and crisp -rain in the forecast never materialized! It was supposed to rain every day that I was in NYC, and not a drop dripped!
Sheesh!
What does a desperate gardener have to do to see rain?
Go to Austin, it seems!
Cheers to you, Pam, and to your refreshed garden…
Thanks, Germi. It’s funny—we were in NYC earlier this summer, and it never stopped raining. I wish I had brought it home to Austin earlier, but at long last we’ve finally had some precious rain. Now I want more! —Pam
Woo hoo!! At last! I am doing the happy dance with you as we got some in Colorado too. Everything has perked up. We were right there with you on the long drought just not as hot. Enjoy the after effects!
I am definitely enjoying the refreshed garden, and I’m glad you’re having the same in Colorado. Ahh! —Pam
What a wonderful sight to see the rain pouring down on your garden, Pam. Thanks for sharing the joy. I hope you get more of the precious stuff!
Your garden does look thankful 🙂
And so am I, Kerri. Thanks for stopping by. —Pam