Drought Graph for Texas, and could we be in for another dust bowl?
http://blogs.chron.com/sciguy/archives/2009/03/are_we_headed_t.html
U.S. Drought Monitor bears this out for Texas
Oh Randy, why did you do this to me (LOL).
We can't even plant the crops this year..................I sent the site to my brother so he can be depressed, too.............
well, at least there's not another dust bowl forcast..but yeah..not shaping up good
That is our only livelihood............when the farmers can't plant, it is disastrous..............
I know...we have rain forecast for next week, so hopefully the pattern will start changing.
You pray along with the rest of us for rain............hope you are right about next week......
"South-Central Texas (climate division 7, including Austin and San Antonio) represents the worst area at present. The past six months are the driest Sept.-Feb. on record and the second driest six-month period for any time of year." We have been in drought conditions for at least 2 or 3 years. 2007 was the last time we had enough rain for spring wildflowers to flourish. No rain here since I do not know when. Even when it "sprinkles" (not even measurable) in other parts of San Antonio, our area receives nothing. No wildflowers popping up again for at least the second spring ... sigh. :o( I for one am really worried and especially praying for the farmers and ranchers.
Maybe if we all scheduled a rain dance on a specific day and at a specific time and people all across the state joined in, the weather pattern might change. Hmmm ... During another drought period, I did rain dances everday for 2 weeks. Then we had 18 inches of rain in a 24 hour period.
I don't know what area we are but I am north west of Corpus Christi and the farmers can't plant. I don't even remember the last time it rained.
Count me in for the rain dance
this is very disheartening...
I was just reading about the first great depression(many are calling the current situation the second great depression) and would you know that what made the great depression so bad, was because it was coupled with the dust bowl!...then, after that: the war!
oh, good grief...well, they say history repeats itself...
I've certainly been praying for things to go better. :0)
Let's all keep daily prayers going that lots of rain is in God's will and to pray that our economic situation all over the world will improve for all lives.
gessiegail you said it so perfect in your post. You brought my attention back to remembering it being His Will. The things I tend to forget. Thank you. You could not have said it any better.
Yes, I like riding on the front of the bike better than the back seat, too! ^_^
Then, reality hits me!
good thing the hose is still working good--these "banshee" springtime winds are just sucking the moisture out of the plants.
=)
We have never had winds like these in south Texas ...........has been years since everyday winds average about 40mph. I spend everyday with the water hose on the front porch trying to help give life to so many plants. Even the plants outside in pots are wind damaged big time. (The jatrophas have flowers but no leaves from the winds whipping them off..........same with hibiscus)
I sure hear you, dmj!
not quite that bad here--its always really windy in the early spring here. but at least it was an 83F kinda wind.
Debbie
I lived in Houston for over 30 years and you are right. Your wind is nothing compared to south Texas wide open black farmland areas.
they were a bit stronger on Sept 13th
;)
I will dance for rain. Or stand on my head for rain. Whatever works. I try to visualize it sometimes. I still remember it. Along mankind's history on this earth, it seems like our greatest frustration came when severe droughts happened. That's why earlier civilizations always had ceremonies and rituals to bring rain and end droughts. They always needed food and that depended on rain and other weather-related phenomenon.
here's one for you Randy--beings as you live in Houston, you understand this kinda stuff
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMiboQ0i-ng&feature=related
Wow!
Yes, where I work at CO downtown we have the ASD screens...aircraft situational display..oh my..there is a little airplane icon for every airplane in the sky..it's packed!
chemtrails are real common in Houston
the purpose is not as obvious--weather manipulation or crowd control--what ever mood they are in that day, I guess
This was a couple days ago from my back yard in Mont Belvieu
Here is a jet coming down to land in George Bush Intercontinental.
I did not realize they pass over every few min. It was heck trying to point and just shoot as I could not see them on the little screen. lol
well you did a really good job--it would have been gone by the time I made all the adjustments to the camera--lol
=)
lol I pointed and shot....I admit I had to crop a few times to make it big enough to see. :o)
dmj I have been drooling over some of your posts. Your flowers are so beautiful. I would love to see your yard one day. I hope to be at CS RU so I hope to see you there. I would love to see pictures of come of your crinum. I have milk and wine and Ellen bou----- not sure how to spell and my something Harvey is not light pink it has a lighter stripe than milk and wine....Now I am whining :o(
Sorry I guess I should throw a crinum in the air and take a picture so it belonged on this post about the planes and drought. hehe
I'm sure its ok with Randy--he likes crinums too. Not going to CS but am going to the East Tx RU. Let me know if you are ever out on the west side of Houston.
=)
I want to go to that one to. I have become such a recluse since my DH passed but hoping I can make that change. It is a hard step as I talk myself out of going for anything. I hope one day to just drop everything and fly out the door to come see you. Thanks so for the invite. I love Randy's get togethers. By the way Randy is there a date set yet?
Plus found a great guy and he ask me to marry him. Hope he is moved here soon as he hears a lot about all of you and can't wait to meet everyone. I met him on the internet and he came for 8 days last year. I picked him up after Randy's gathering I was late to in July. I can't wait till you all to meet him. He is a big a clown as I can be. :O)
Congrats Sandy! Still on the rain watch here--I can't believe Houston is this dry...not a significant rainfall since around Christmas here. I'm worried about all the large oaks--my red oaks are completely leafed out and the live oaks are already shedding their leaves (a little early, hope not due to lack of rainfall stressing them)
Debbie
Oh Debbie I know what you mean. The tall pines here were twisted off at the top from a tornado from Ike. I believe the few years of being behind on rain weakened everything and now the hurricane damage Has made the damaged ones weaker. I hate that as insects thrive on weak trees and plants.
I don't know if anyone has ever read that a bad drought causes rodents and insects to reproduce to such increasing amounts. I read that years ago when the Haunte Virus was killing people. It is from dried rodent poop being breathed in. It is so hard to believe the people that die from it.
Thanks for the congrats. I am so happy as he is so extra sweet to me. And loves to work in the yard.
Blessings,
Sandy
No, I haven't set a date, there are a few things standing in the way and may not have it in July this year. I wanted to have it on the first saturday to coincide with the Heights First Saturday http://www.heightsfirstsaturday.com/ that connects all of the businesses and art galleries, nurseries with free trolley. First Saturday in July is 4th.
June, I'm turning 50
We just may end up not having one this year. I'm already tired from a warm winter, and helping Wayne last weekend with an open house at zone9tropicals. I may need a plant vacation this year!
I understand Randy. I need a Hurricane Vacation. It is not an easy job to get all the stuff ready and you are a wonderful host so I think you deserve a vacation. Tell everyone I said it is ok. :o)
Open houses are a lot of work and so are plants. I think after a while burn out could happen especially when it becomes work. I know 2 Hurricanes in 3 yrs has made even plants seem like work to me. When you have to keep replacing them there is no time to enjoy them. My neighbor sold their home and the new guy put in new windows. So I ask for some of the old ones. I wanted to build plant boxes to start seeds but too much clean up to do. Maybe next year.
The drought makes this heat worse also.
Sweet Dreams,
Sandy
Well, we have severe droughts, not hurricanes. I think both will be worse in the future. Mother Nature will have her say about what we've done to the Earth. And we'll be begging for mercy. Sorry...but sometimes I feel like something is coming. And just hope I'm wrong.
I'll take a prolonged drought over another Ike any day.
As long as we can water enough, I suppose drought can be tolerated. I'm just afraid we might not be able to one of these days. I only have memories of one bad hurricane that I can remember somewhat clearly. It was in 1949. I must have been about two and a half. After the hurricane (and probably tornados, although I can't be sure of that) had passed, we left our house in Pasadena when the water flooded our house and then we waded through that murky snake-infested flood waters to a shelter. At least my parents, sister and my brother waded. I was carried. That trip to the shelter kind of stayed with me all these years. The rest of that memory has faded away somewhat.
I won't forget Rita or Ike anytime soon. Rita DH was alive and we left. I remember him and my friend thinking I was crazy as I drove 146 towards Galveston and past Nasa Rd 1 took a right and headed as far west as we could get. When I called my friend to tell her where we was for her to meet us she could not believe we got so far. But everyone headed the opposite of us. They were all stuck in traffic. No Gas for miles and the shopping strips were ghost towns. We had to stay in a parking lot the first night and it was 107 not counting heat index during the day. We did end up in Austin at my Now ex DIL best friend with them.
But for Ike I was not catching a bus because I am disabled or any other reason as I have 2 dogs. And I decided I would not leave by myself. I won't stay again. At 3:30 in the morning I called my fiance in Baltimore and ask him to turn the TV on as we just lost all power even street lights. He told me looked like we were in the eye. I told him the wind sounded like a train. It took me 2 days to realize what I said. We were in a tornado. it twisted the tops from pine trees it did not snap them. It is still horrible as I have had no help.
Here is my neighbors house right next door. This pine was 52 inch diameter it is amazing that it was laid so smooth on the roof. It did cause 16 leaks and alot of damage but at the size of it it should have went thru, We will survive but I won't stay again. I have to beg borrow and steal gas. And 2 big ones in 3 yrs is awful.
But the drought is horrible as our farmers need their income to survive and we have not had a reduction in food since the gas was so high. Now it will be worse. But I probably said too much as that is not a subject to be talked on here. But I feel the effects of both.
I talked to my insurance today. Homeowners not wind and hail. I locked myself out and had to break a window to get in. I ask if the rates were increasing and they said yes so I turned the window into my glass coverage. I figured I was paying the increase. It is mandatory for Chamber co to have wind and hail insurance so they will both go up. Grrr ok enough of that. I feel for everyone as all these national disasters flood, freeze, drought, Hurricane are horrible.
Linda I know what you mean about feeling something bad is right around the corner. I would move but I only owe 17,000 on my home. So praying the next 20 yrs quiet of Hurricanes and the drought break soon.
Blessings,
Sandy
Sandy--I just got my renewal from AllState, it actually went down not up.
The going thru it part doesn't bother me--my house is solidly built and only 16 years old; I actually slept thru most of it because I was exhausted from boarding up my house and helping neighbors board up.
Its the afterwards part I can't handle again--Roof shingles peeled off to the plywood (although that shouldn't be a problem now), soffits and eaves bowed and warped, gutters hanging at precarious angles or torn off completely and in neighbors yard, sheetrock interior roof leaks (at least mine never caved in like most of my neighbors did), your brand new 7' wooden privacy fences all down due to neighbors backyard sheds coming off their foundations and slamming into them (and they can't be just propped back up and have any structural integrity), A 15 year old massively custom made wrought iron arch actually bent and mangled from the weight of the vine on it, mildewed house paint and the need to repaint, etc.
I just can't physically, mentally, spiritually, or emotionally handle dealing with it again very soon--and all the contractor's and insurance adjuster's on top of it all.
Our trees held up really well because they were all only medium sized--actually all my plants came thru really well. I only lost a peach tree that pulled itself out of the ground, a tecoma stans shrub and one small tropical hibiscus.
Well. our prayers for rain may have been heard. We see some wet stuff. My fingers are crossed. :o)
Wow! Nothing yet here. The sun is out now.
I'm near the medical center in SA and we're not seeing any rain yet either.