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Saying Ahhhhh…..

June 2nd, 2012

Yesterday it drizzled sweet refreshing rain on the gardens of Chiot’s Run all day long. It had been three weeks since our last rain, my rain barrels coughed and sputtered last week and I was forced to use the sprinkler for the past week since temperatures were in the high 80’s and 90’s.

Here in Ohio we never seem to have a perfect spring, it’s either too cold and wet or too hot and dry. This spring is tending towards hot and dry, not great for all the brassicas in the garden. Looks like I’ll be getting some button heads on some of the broccoli because of the heat.

It’s funny how keenly aware of when and how much water fell the last time it rained. I have to laugh when I talk to someone who doesn’t garden and they complain about how much rain we’ve had this spring, when I know it’s been one of those really dry years.

Do you find yourself noticing different things as a gardener than other people do when it comes to the weather?

10 Comments to “Saying Ahhhhh…..”
  1. Kathi Cook on June 2, 2012 at 6:54 am

    Yes! Just last week we were leaving for a long weekend and I woke up to see it had rained all night. I was thrilled and told my husband. Now I knew the garden would be ok for the weekend. He said “oh no, the roofers didn’t have a tarp on the cottage roof!”. I was so happy for the rain I forgot he told me that he noticed the roof wasn’t tarped completely that night. Oh well …

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  2. K.B. on June 2, 2012 at 8:53 am

    It finally rained here too – and a nice, long, soaking rain, unlike the downpour they got north of here (some Toronto subway stations flooded!).

    And yes, I find gardeners have a different take on the weather – one cousin was complaining yesterday about the rain, and I was tempted to tell her that if she wanted no rain, then she could pay my water bill ;)

    Reply to K.B.'s comment

  3. Chef Debbi on June 2, 2012 at 12:34 pm

    It amazes me how many people go around daily without noticing the weather or planning events, trips etc without checking to see what might be upcoming.

    Reply to Chef Debbi's comment

  4. goatpod2 on June 2, 2012 at 1:50 pm

    Yes! My Dad had to water his gardens several times last week but were thankful for the rain we have gotten.

    Amy

    Reply to goatpod2's comment

  5. Maybelline on June 2, 2012 at 3:25 pm

    You KNOW I do.
    It’s a different beast here.
    Rain?!
    Ha. Rain pretty much ends in March or April and won’t return until November. Most of the western states have a keen appreciation for rain/water. And working in the water trade, I am in tune with the weather conditions but do notice when others gripe about the rain or would like to have water in the river as if there is a magical tap to open and fill the river without any cost.

    Yes. I believe I notice more than most others.

    Reply to Maybelline's comment

  6. daisy on June 2, 2012 at 3:31 pm

    Oh, yeah. I cherish every drop we get. And when our rain barrels are full, as they are now, I feel rich.
    Hope you get the rain you need soon!

    Reply to daisy's comment

    • Susy on June 2, 2012 at 11:55 pm

      Yes rich indeed when my rain barrels are full to the brim and then you’ll find me trying to find containers to catch any of the extra.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  7. Cheryl on June 2, 2012 at 9:22 pm

    I think I notice the weather – period – when I garden. Life is busy and when I’m just going to the store for groceries and not concerned about the new life trying to take root in our backyard I think I totally miss that it rained or has been sunny for weeks. We had a thunderstorm the other day and even though it set of the tornado sired I was thrilled – my poor plants would be getting real rain!

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  8. Marcia on June 4, 2012 at 12:28 pm

    Gardeners are definitely more in tune with nature’s cyles and the changing weather. I get weird looks when the smell of flowers is pungent in the air and I declare happily that it is going to rain. Flowers release more of their smell when they feel they will soon get rain, otherwise they hang on to their water and smell less.

    Reply to Marcia's comment

  9. Aaron Gardener on June 4, 2012 at 5:51 pm

    Before I started gardening, I saw rain as a nuisance.

    Now I see it as a Godsend.

    One of the gardening supplies I hope to buy this year is a rain gauge so that I can keep track of exactly how much falls.

    In the absence of an actual gauge, I’m using an old plastic whipped topping container.

    Last night, we were supposed to have strong storms and I could hear the rain falling when I went to sleep, but this morning even though the ground was wet, there was barely any water in the container. So I knew that the storm had been all hat and no cattle, so to speak.

    I don’t have any rain barrels yet. Just started gardening a couple of years ago and haven’t gotten any so far, but I’m definitely trying to water less this year and only putting in plants that can survive the heat and drought that are par for the course in Middle TN summers.

    Reply to Aaron Gardener's comment

About

This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.

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