Wishing for rain!

As bad as it sounds to some folks, I have almost been wishing for a tropical storm to hit the Bayou.  Don't get me wrong..I do NOT want a hurricane just one of those ground-soaking systems that dumps a bunch of water with very little wind.  It has been a dry end of summer here like some many other places across the country. I know there have been some terrible floods elsewhere but I do so wish we were not so dry.  It is "crunchy" dry.  With each passing day, it gets worse.  The leaves have already started to fall from the trees..not as pretty red and orange lawn ornaments but rather as the crispy, dry ground covering that makes it a fire hazard.  Even the grass is now dying.  Each step causes a crunch.  I try to water the garden but it is a losing battle and I feel bad stopping short of watering each plant in the yard.  I can almost hear them begging for just a drop.  It breaks my heart. The vegetable garden is now down to six bell pepper plants and a few herbs.  The flowers..well, I have no flowers any more! Even the drought-hardy zinnias have given up trying to survive!   Summer always seems to end this way..with me wishing for rain.

Ms. Ez and I went for our usual hike but with the steady racket of our footsteps all wildlife fled far before we ever had a chance to see it!  I stopped long enough to listen to her footsteps in the dry leaves.  Yep!  That old dog sounded a lot like a herd of wild buffalo dragging their feet through a dry cornfield!  Poor Ezzy!  She was bewildered why no squirrels were waiting to be chased!  They heard her coming from a mile away!

With all of the leaves down on the ground and the fire hazard they create, I suppose I will be pulling out the lawnmower tomorrow!  I can at least cut them down to a mulch which might help a bit.  Raking four acres or so seems to be a bit overkill!  Besides, if I rake and bag, what in the world do I do with the billion or so bags of leaves?  I will cut!  With all of my complaining about the weather, there is one bright side!  It has been a good bit cooler early in the mornings.  With the temperatures hoovering in the low seventies, I really do not mind pushing that lawnmower!  It is good exercise!  So...as my cousin, Bill, says..."Up and atom!" and I will be bright and early!