Geez Louise, RAIN already!

Anyone else getting depressed by dreary, cloudy weather but almost no rain?

I'm only depressed because we're in this current %&$% drought. We need rain so very badly, and enduring day after day of moist, humid air -- tasting rain that is so close, but yet so far -- knowing that it's not going to rain even though it looks like it's going to rain. Yes, it's depressing. I am holding out hope for Sunday and Monday.

Carla

Me too.

Same down here. It might rain Sunday. It's a "la nina" year, so we'll have to wait until the next hurricane hits. Glad I put in rain barrels; last year I never emptied them, but I have this year.

I'm not worried at all about rain or too much or lack of. I have a small yard and built in sprinkler system which I use and enjoy. I do pity those of you who have acreage, crops, livestock and need the help of Mother Nature to maintain. It's not like having heat or cold that I can't do anything about.

Ann

In the Dallas/Ft Worth area, we do have to worry about rainfall and the lack thereof. Most areas are under some watering restrictions. In Rowlett we've been at Stage 3 since last spring, which means I can only water the lawn one day a week. We need all the rain we can get, and then a bit more. Boooooooo to La Nina!

Carla

I'm not worried about watering the yard. It is the folks around the lake here that provides water to a lot of folks. It is 2 inches from not being useable and there is no other water source available for these people. One of which is my Daddy. I also wonder what will happen if there is a major fire in the area. Where will the departments get the water to fight the fire. Some of them have rigged up pumps to draft water out of the ponds if they can get to one close enough to the fire. It is a scarry situation in our area.

We need rain badly with the first priority being people.

We got really lucky here in SA and received 6" of wonderful rain last week...but the tease continues! Lots of humid clouds here as well....

Melanie

well kids we got the rain...but i SO want to be out in the YARD grooming it !!!! my plants are loving it....but those plants that i can't put out yet....ie (coleus- bouganvilla)( because of a potential freeze that will probably show up in april ) are screaming to get outside!!!....i will try to send rain your way!!!

No rain in east Texas, fire danger is HIGH even with everything turning green. I am horribly choked up from the pollen. It is bad without rain to wash it out of the air. I think even those that currently have ample water need to be more aware of water consumption. It is a reality that we all will have to face in the near future whether it rains or not. The population has grown too quickly with no eye toward conservation.

Topics like Xeriscaping and this have been drawing my attention lately http://davesgarden.com/place/t/695908/ Something we all need to consider and I would even more so if I was a city dweller. It is not an unending supply of water for some.

pod...you are so right...; this community has really helped me to think smarter about resources...or lack of them; hope you guys get some rain soon:)

Hi.. Sticks ~ I am glad you got rain and will hope for no more serious freezes in your area.
Larissa ~

Not me. I say send me more. I love El Nino winters......we've had an unbelievable amount of rainfall this winter.
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/702837/


=) Debbie

We haven't had rain yet either. Come on rain.....There is a chance all the way thru next weekend.

We sure could use more here in Dallas -- on all fronts -- not only for the green things growing, but for the water levels available for household bathing, consumption, etc.

My garden wouldn't mind a little boost of Mother Nature, either, though it seems to be coming on very well on minimal watering from me. (Only once in the past three weeks.)

I guess it's hard for us in the rain prone areas to fathom how much the rest of the state suffers from the lack of rain or water from other sources. Many of us are so spoiled since we can just turn on a switch or faucet and out comes good water. But here in an urban area we can't even consider xeroscaping because of the HOA's. (I think they can read our minds and mentally tell us "Plant lots of greenery and grass so we can make money selling the water, etc., etc.) I didn't mean to be flip at all and I hope y'all didn't take my remarks as such. Sorry for stepping on toes :>((

Ann

I love El Niño years, too. Our pastures are green right now, but after 2 years of damaging drought, we need to renovate and re-seed the pastures. I was surprised at how quickly the weeds took over. We had a lot of native grasses as well as Bermuda planted. It's almost like starting from scratch again. SOOOOOOOO, come on rain!!!! What's so disappointing is that the rain is now predicted for tomorrow.

Almost all of the newscasts out of Austin have aired warnings about the dangers of low water crossings and flooding. The last storm took 4 lives. Our low water crossing can be very dangerous. At times, we've gotten stranded on the ranch where we live, without a way to get out. I don't take chances, but my DH does.

Well, I've been waiting for rain here for the past few days.
Don't mind the overcast skies as much as I do the humidity,
and my poor Australian Shepherd can't stop panting, he's so
uncomfortable. I've got to have the A/C on just so the poor guy
can breathe without hyperventillating. Time for a shave and a
haircut !

Plantladyhou ~ Please, no ~ I didn't mean to offend. I am passionate about water as I lived in a state that owned the water rights in the early 70's ~ Arizona. I can only imagine their problems today with the masses of people that now live there.

I hate to see it coming but feel it will be inevitable for all of Tx and the problems are exacerbated with the drought as well as the swelling population. Just hope we all look with a cautious eye on the water futures. Sorry to be offensive. pod

This message was edited Mar 26, 2007 11:36 AM

well yall another day of rain here.....it has been a good rain season for us...not too much ...not too little..i do anticipate mosquito problems very soon tho...we are never this wet this early...sending good thoughts to you there!!!

Good thoughts are here!... No rain and 100 % humidity but I enjoyed my first hummingbirds, saw many butterflys and got lots done...

Send some of that rain over this way...I want to see more rain lilies bloom! =)

well it is raining buckets now....in fact they are have started warning about flooding...yikes, i wish i could just pipeline it to you:)

I know what you mean--rain in Texas usually means a deluge of epic proportions, never a happy median. And that includes the Houston area too. Ya'll hang in there and stay safe.

We are enjoying general rains in our area for the first time in nearly two years. The gauge at the ranch had 1.5" (actually the neighbor's gauge did as one of my horses has a thing about taking the tube out of rain gauges and we found the tube on the ground) and the one here in town had an even 2" at 7:00 tonight. There's a lot more rain on the radar, and after it fills our tanks, we will send it your way.

It misted here off and on today while I feverishly worked to clean out a huge flower bed and get stuff fertilized. It managed to wait till just after sunset before it started raining. It's so nice when the rain cooperates.:) I really had a very productive day. Even planted garden phlox and cannas.

No rain in the DFW area as yet, though they say we have a (depending on who you believe) 70-90% chance of getting some rain today. I will continue to wait and hope.

Let me say that I don't mind the water restrictions one bit. I just wish that more cities would require them. For instance, Rowlett (which gets water from Lake Lavon) went immediately to Stage 3 last spring and we're still there. But Dallas (which gets water from Lake Ray Hubbard) is only under Stage 1 restrictions. Most of my neighbors let their lawns die last summer, but folks in the Dallas communities were happily watering their lawns whenever they wanted. It's insanity. But the drought did compell me to take out a big chunk of my backyard last summer and convert it to flowerbeds. And this spring I'm planting only heat/drought tolerant plants.

A bit of rain would certainly perk everything up and perhaps wake up my still-sleeping Lantana. So I will keep my fingers crossed that the big line of storms to the west of the metroplex will somehow magically turn to the east.

Carla

Loonie1 ~ RE: your comment about the erratic watering restrictions... Thank goodness the Lord looks after the weather instead of the politicians! : )

Just started raining here in New Braunfels - at my work anyway. Hope I get some at my house!! :-)

Luckily I got this Louisiana Iris 'Jacaranda Lad' before it starts here. They have loved all this rain. This is not my favorite of LA's; but the is some honor in being the first, I guess.

Beatiful iris Dmj

Thanks--its not my favorite variety but it is first this year.

I'd be happy to send someone these t-storms we're having today. Have been hearing about tornado warnings, hail, flash floods, etc. Geez!

Denton and Tarrant counties are getting hit HARD. I am seeing rain on the north and east sides of Dallas, and am hopeful (fingers firmly crossed) that that big band of green on the NOAA website does indeed come straight through this area. My plants will be so happy.

Carla

Well, we did get quite a bit of rain, but I just took a walk around the yard and saw no damage, so I'm thrilled. DH said the rain gage had 2 inches. Not sure if that included yesterday, but I think it must have.

DMJ some of the La iris from last years RU are just about to bloom. I can't wait. I think it's Kirk Strawn.

If you got it from me it wasn't--I don't have that one. Unless it was one of the unidentified bunch I have. I'll post you picks of my unknowns too. Some of them are starting to bud up too. If there is a fall RU close by I can give you some for sure. I just really hate to disturb them this time of year. I've started a thread over on the Iris forum for them--but only have one blooming now. I hope all these buds don't beaten by that storm over here tonight. I have alot of them ready to pop.

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/705912/

I don't know if ya'll want me to post some on the Texas forum or not. Also have a bunch of species rain lilies about to bloom (and several that already have) I could post those over here to let ya'll see how they perform in Texas. =)
Debbie

Debbie, you have some really nice iris. I remember you gave me some last year, but they are not up now. I had planted yours in the back yard.
The others I have in the front yard never went dormant. They stayed green all winter. Are they supposed to freeze down and come back?
Are you talking about bringing some La iris and rainlilies to the RU?

Rain lilies I can do to the spring--no problem. LA's will have to wait until fall. They actually grow over the winter--LA Iris go dormant (I use that term loosely now) July-Sept.

Ok. Rain lilies would be great. Thanks.

Look at the trade list and let me know--I also have a lot of others, some enough to trade, others to "hot" to trade.