Drought Relief

Laurie reports that we’ve had over seven inches of rain this past week. She has four rain gauges at her house across the road from us. We have one rain gauge that sits atilt on a cedar fence post. I trust Laurie’s reading far more than ours by the sheer number of her measuring instruments.

Cracks in the garden soil have closed. Grass that had hunkered down for lack of water is growing again. The eggs Dennis gathers are dirty from the hens’ muddy feet. There’s a puddle in the driveway that doesn’t disappear. It’s a drought-breaker.

Spider season is starting here. This one photographed on a piece of barn siding didn’t seem to mind the rain at all.

From now until the first freeze we will be waving our arms as we walk around outdoors, knocking down spider webs that span our pathways. Ones I call Stripey-Legs especially like to build their elaborate lairs across the outside doorways, in windows, across the deck and patio. Stripey-Legs is quick and agile. 

Here’s a different kind of Stripey-Legs seen from its underneath side, head down. If I let my eyes go a little out of focus the abdomen becomes a droll Humpty-Dumpty face. He seems to be leaping off that wall with his arms in the air.

The rain brought great relief and I feel like having a little fun.

Copyright 2013 by Shirley Domer