On the news last night (TV) they anounced that Indiana is on a water ban for everything including washing cars, fines will be efective imediately, the reservours and lakes are so low it is getting dangerouse, we have not had rain since the last week of May, and temps are from 90 to 110 every day. I have been taking my pots inside to water them.

That is terrible! I can see washing cars is not essential but taking care of living things (including plants) would seem to fall under a different category....
I hope you'll get rain soon!

Doris, I sure hope relief comes soon for you and the rest of your area. Maybe now I can convince you of the wisdom of a rain barrel I've now got three and want two more, but since we are having our normal afternoon rains I don't or wont need them for awhile. We got an inch yesterday and it's raining hard now, hope it blows your way.

Jim

Well Jimmy rain barrel would be empty. anyway the fair starts tomorrow and it ALWAYS rains then, mainly the parade night which is Sunday so we are all praying for RAIN

Really, Jim. hahahaha.

Hi.

I have a friend who lives in an extremely rural area, North of Montreal (Canada). At the end of each and every summer, their well runs dry for 3 or 4 weeks. They have to rely on bottled water. They get 5-gallon bottled water delivered 2 times/week, about 25 bottles at a time. She showers at the gym after her morning workout. I couldn't live like that, but she positive loves her area.

When cooking vegetables in bottled water, she doesn't add any salt to the cooking water. She will tell you that salt is not good for you. I'll tell you salt tastes GOOD. We don't see eye to eye on many topics, but we remain good friends. When the veggies are done, she gets them out of the water with a strainer. When the cooking water is cooled sufficiently, she uses it to keep her plants alive. In other, less dignified subjects, flushing the toilet is only done a few times a day. It's often a case of Saran Wrap over the bowl and Captain Febreeze to the rescue. After a flush, the toilet's reservoir is then filled with bottled water until the next flush. At a scant 1.6 gallon/flush, a 5 gallon bottle only gives you 3 flushes.

At the risk of repeating myself, I couldn't live like that. Give me my gurgling small pond, or large exhuberant fountains like the Bellagio's in Vegas, or huge ponds covered in Victoria lilies like Fairchild's botanical garden, or a view of the sea from a cruise ship's balcony (water everywhere but not a drop to drink; let's order cocktails), or rain falling sideways in Florida, but don't cut off my water.

Take care, all.
Sylvain.

Take care,all.
Sylvain.

I've lived under severe water rationing years ago in Calif. It's really tough and those of us who are gardeners suffer when our plants are dying for water. It got really ugly with neighbors turning in other neighbors if they didn't have dead plants. They didn't need to see you water them or know where you got the water, they just called in complaints if everything wasn't dead.

I'm so sorry you are going through this.

Doris , If you are in Marion co you can water your vegetable and flower gardens and trees less than 5 years old with a hand held hose , according to the Indystar.

I haven't seen anything about a water ban up this way. They did mention that Indy was restricting water but that's it. Hope your plants make it.

Where is ''up this way''

South Bend

...nor in the Fort Wayne area. It must be that municipality.

So sorry you're dealing with restrictions, Doris. It's really sad this year. I don't even like to drive away from home anymore, the sight of all those dead summertime fields of corn and beans is depressing. I feel so bad for the farmers. I hear tractors all the time now, I believe they might be tilling it all under.

chelle said:...nor in the Fort Wayne area. It must be that municipality.

So sorry you're dealing with restrictions, Doris. It's really sad this year. I don't even like to drive away from home anymore, the sight of all those dead summertime fields of corn and beans is depressing. I feel so bad for the farmers. I hear tractors all the time now, I believe they might be tilling it all under.

you are right they are plowing the corn under, some are de-tasseling but there are no ears, they are feeding the stalks to cattle.
Maybe this is the weekend for rain, our fair started yesterday and the parade is Sunday, seems it always rain on parade day. praying for it this year.

Wow, I just looked at Weather.com, and it looks very bad for the USA, 60% of the country is in drought conditions.

But much worse is West Africa where people are starving from the many-years' drought there. The Congo and other central areas are having little rain when there is usually lots. This is really frightening. Hungry people go to war.

Please don't starve, Doris. I can send you some food!

My pool is overflowing, it has been raining all day..... I'd happily send some your way!

Thank you Malissa and Hetty, I appreciate the thoughts, I am stocked up on food, praying for rain, and since the fair parade is Sunday maybe we will get it, but so far none reported.we have been given permission to water plants and veg. gardens but no lawns, cars, or pools

That's good news, Doris!