Last evening we heard thunder, then we saw lightning all across the sky! Turned off the computer, just in case, and got ready for a gully-washer. Well, it wasn't as much as expected, but at least it wet the sidewalks. Today, we're hoping the storm doesn't pass us by.
I was looking thru photos of the garden last spring/summer and things just haven't bounced back..or... are gone forever. I bought a few things to fill in blank spots, but I'm not spending a lot on anything but foundation stuff this summer.
Hope you get some rain today!!!

It"s raining here. I hope it eases the drought.

Weatherman says 60% late tommorow and Friday. I hope it's enough to soak in this time.

It's hailing at the lake...but not a drop here. So discouraging, but I'm not going to complain after seeing the flooding in other areas. The only time our lake property flooded was when they decided not to open the dam flood gates...even after residents pleaded with them. I guess the lesson was learned and that hasn't been a problem since...but it was a very costly mistake...especially for those who didn't buy flood insurance, as we're on a constant level lake. We're on a peninsula and the water came from two directions. Our house was spared but the riding mower and Jet Ski were ruined, as were the things stored in the bunkhouse. We had a pile of junk 6 ft high in front of our fence line. Funny thing is...we didn't miss any of it once it was gone......
I'll just go out and water tomorrow!

Horntoad, I still have the blue-eyed grass you gave me from the RU in Houston. I finally set it in the little upper part of my pond...still in the milk carton planter it was in. It's doing just fine, but I think maybe it would be happier in soil...just hard to keep everything moist in this drought.

Sandi, for some reason I found some blue-eyed grass in the backyard this year. It's doing just find growing up against some cedar roots (of a tree that we cut down a couple of years ago). You could probably put it anywhere and it'll do just fine.

Mine didn't come back. I need to go find some more, maybe this weekend.

Well, I think I'll plant it in ground then, but around the back of the pond so it gets some water.
Looks like we just might get a little rain later today. I think I'll wash my car, just to seal the deal!

I got really excited yesterday! Even took some pictures of the rain!

You guys are funny. Reminds me of us here in the high desert. It's a really really big deal when we get rain. Everyone is giddy. Hope is lasts for you or comes back real soon.

Lilannie...that looks like the two inch rain we usually get here.....a drop every two inches! I'm not complainin'...but...it's like walking into a sauna outside now that the sun had come out. I'm still excited about the rain tho!!!

Susie... we used to live in Tucson and I remember the monsoons.
We have friends that just built a house in Huachuca. They had to have someone come in and cut all the grasses down around the perimeter of the yard because of fire danger. I just don't remember fire being a problem in Tucson. Of course it's been years since we lived there and there's probably lots more homes now.

Hi Sanda,
Seems the monsoon seasons have waned a little. I came to PHX in Dec '93. That Spring/Summer was had a fabulous monsoon. Nothing comparable since.

I think the population of Tucson is between 800,000-1,000,000... not sure. When I moved here from San Francisco I think the Tucson pop. was around 700,000. There is a problem with water resources from what I understand. Probably a drought issue, not a usage issue, though they should go hand-in-hand.

In reality, water resources, storage, availability is/can be considered in jeopardy just about everywhere. Even in the flooded areas along the Mississippi. Drinking was has been in jeopardy.

...And here they keep developing more subdivisions that divert more water, and wonder why our lakes are drying up.

It's interesting that we are under watering restrictions to conserve...and...because we're using less water, our bills are less. That means our rates have to be raised because we aren't paying enough for water treatment, etc. Hmmmm???

Good point!
I once read an article in the WSJ presenting the argument that our water delivery infrastructure is too big and too efficient allowing more water to be delivered to us faster and in more quantity. Think of the "rain forest" shower head and the shower fixtures that allow 6-7 heads to operate at the same time. That takes a lot of water and water pressure to be delivered quickly... so it can quickly go down the drain.

Well, you've just given me a good reason to no longer be envious of friends with those rain showerheads! (but they are cool looking).....
BTW I've enjoyed reading about the solar panels on your new Cubit. I'm afraid we'd be too old to recoup our investment to have them installed at this point. And...we have hellacious hail storms each spring....

Haha! I was looking for a reason to not fork out $600 for a shower head, too. Too much water waste, bottom line.

Thanks for checking out "Energy & Power". It started it out of personal interest in this issue and eventually thought I'd share the interest in the form of a cubit... so we could all learn. Your region may not be able to use the solar panels some other regions use. I'm of the belief that an individuals solution to energy efficiency/low carbon footprint is going to be a regional solution. Think of how diverse the terrain and weather are in the U.S., alone. Fossil fuel may be the universal solution but it's a finite resource... we're running low and with China and Brazil ramping up consumption... it's going to deplete quicker and at an increasing $$$ rate. Supply and demand. Still looking! Interesting stuff.

We live in a part of Austin that used to be in the boonies. 'Had a grocery store and a few other conveniences, but had to drive into Austin proper for anything else. We even had private garbage pick up that consisted of a pickup truck that took all day to make the rounds in our subdivision. We've grown into a little community of our own, with shopping, theatres, and two libraries (we used to have to pay Austin to let us use "their" books).
My point is...I can go days without leaving this little part of the city. Everything I really need is right here. I think this is the future.
There's a new colony out at the old Austin airport, where the homes are closer together, people can walk to parks and shopping. It's the right track...but most of the homes are still expensive. It's an enclave like the neighborhood where I grew up...corner grocery, you could walk to "town," everyone in the neighborhood knew each other...and their kids. I think we're trying to/need to get back to that sense of neighborhood. Yes, we're in a subdivision...but Austin has swallowed us up. Now we're about to be part of the big city.
Gee...I just reread this and I forgot....we have a lakehouse that's 60 miles a way and we run up there all the time. I guess I'm just another one of those soapbox hypocrites. oops

Well, The important thing is to be sensible about conserving. Just to not be wasteful. Driving to the "mall" just to walk around would be wasteful by my judgment.

Sandi - we had solar panels installed a few years ago. Our system was turned on a whole 6 weeks when we got that MONSTER hail (the grapefruits) and it cracked one panel. Most panels are rated for up to 3" hail, and it's rare to get any larger than that. Now I just need to get a rainwater system (I'd like something fairly large and would probably need a pump) which would help with the pool DH has in the yard.

Susie..my DH would consider it a good day if I just..... "walked around the mall." 'Coming home with shoe boxes from Nordsrom's he would consider wasteful!!! I don't do it much now...but I used to spend a lot of time and money in the mall. Wasted a lot of money too... Just boredom, I think. Only child off to college, DH traveling for job....

Carey...I wish we'd have put in a larger tank for rainwater, but I had a hard enough time convincing DH to even consider the one we have (300+ gallons, only because it fit in the bed of the truck). We priced tanks all summer one year. It turned out the Tractor Supply out in Dripping Springs beat all the other prices .....BUT....you have to have an idea of how to ssemble the system.
And .....did your insurance cover the hail damage to the panels?