Rainwater flowing out of the gutter into the rain barrel.

Dark skies

Momentary relief this morning! The sky darkened, and a rainshower that lasted all of two minutes wet the dusty garden. I was hoping for more but am grateful for even a little bit of rain. At least it filled up the rain barrels. (It’s amazing how little rain it takes to fill a barrel, as it gets funneled off the wasteland of the roof.) I use the rain barrel by the container pond to top off the pond every day or so. Since it’s nonchlorinated water, it doesn’t harm the goldfish in the pond.

The patio and surrounding beds after the rain.

OK, this is what you’d expect plants to look like after a rainshower. Here are pavonia leaves, wet with rain.

And here is what the orchid tree nearby looked like. It’s as if its leaves are waterproof, having neatly shed the rain. All that’s left is a mercury-like droplet of water, cupped in one leaf.

Turk’s cap in dappled light as the sun comes out again.

Zexmenia

This is a wren’s nest that had been built in a small watering can. I noticed that the nest seemed quiet lately, so I peeked in and found it empty. I pulled it out, impressed by how thoroughly the wren had filled the can with her woven nesting materials: grasses, leaves, oak pollen stems, Spanish moss from a wreath on my front porch, and one cellophane wrapper carefully tucked into the bottom. She raised at least three chicks in this comfy abode.

I’m keeping my fingers crossed for more rain over the next couple of days, though the chances are low. The sun is already out again, but the garden is still glistening.