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After seeing so many soggy blog photos from other regions I was beginning to feel left out so I'll take this rare chance to share a few from my own garden. Close to two inches of rain fell over two days which almost doubles our total for 2013. There was a bit of hail overnight but no damage. The good news is most of the pollen was washed out of the live oak trees as shown below. The rain also brought down the rest of the old oak leaves which fall here in the spring.
Before the rain everything was coated with yellow pollen dust and now it all looks so fresh and clean. Except for all the debris. No damage to the agave which is mounded up on gravel for just such occasions.
Looks like a mess, but it ends the "yellow dust" season where everything is coated in yellow pollen -- cars, roofs, foliage, etc. So this mess is actually a welcomed sight.
It's been cold and windy too. The sun is out now so it should warm up soon and we can get to work.
I'm sure readers in rainy climates are bored by now so I have a treat for you. The aloe I received at a plant swap last year bloomed through it all.
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Enjoying this morning's sunshine too.
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So good things happening here lately. The rain was perfectly timed for a boost to our spring growing season.
Hooray for rain. Much as we complain about it here, most of us really do like it. I'm glad everything is cleaned up and well watered for the spring growing season!
ReplyDeleteWe are as surprised and delighted by rain as you are by sunshine in Tacoma.
DeleteThe rain was wonderful, wasn't it.
ReplyDeleteNo hail here, either. That was another good thing. We got almost two inches, too.
Now, if the cold mornings will let up, things should start taking off. Especially those weeds I still have to get out.
Love that aloe....
We do need some warm air to get things growing and blooming or we will miss spring.
DeleteThe rain was great!!! We got some hail at our house but nothing was damaged luckily- one little tomato got a little beat up but he'll recover. We covered stuff at the nursery to protect it from the hail so all was good there as well. It is cold today! At least to me.... Beautiful aloe bloom!
ReplyDeleteIt sounded worse than it was I think. Good to hear your nursery stock did well and your tomato will recover too.
DeleteLovely aloe blooms, that's one of my favorite flower colors. Your gravel beds take me back to when I used to visit my cousin in San Antonio from my childhood home in Houston, it was always so dry and desert-like, no lawns in her area. It looks super low-maintenance!
ReplyDeleteYour comment took me back to childhood visits to cousins in San Antonio from our home in Houston. On trips home to Houston I still marvel at the changing landscape and how different it is.
DeleteAfter last year's Midwest drought, I will never complain about rain again. Cold, snow, and gray days, yes. But not rain. Your first photo is enchanting! I can almost smell the rain, and it brings special blessings. The Aloe bloom is priceless!
ReplyDeleteThe drought in the midwest last year was pretty awful and had quite an impact on all of us. Fortunately cold snowy gray days are very rare around here.
DeleteWe really needed it. Wish we had gotten more, but some is better than none. Your Aloe bloom is so pretty.
ReplyDeleteLooks like more predicted next week so that's even better. Spread it for more benefit.
DeleteI'm sure you'll be surprised to hear me say this (maybe as surprised as I am!) but I felt similarly today when we had a nice downpour. We have been very dry, about half our normal rainfall to date and when I dig in the garden I'm shocked at how dry the soil is. We only received about .20" today but there is more in the forecast for the next few days. Of course I don't want it to get too crazy...
ReplyDeleteI remember you mentioning that it has been quite dry there this year and since this is your rainy season that might be a problem for some of your plants but your agaves will be happy.
DeleteYippee for the rain! I never, ever, complain about the rain. We have had too precious little of it this year. I'm hoping for a wet spring and a not-too-dry summer!
ReplyDeleteIt looks good for next week, not-too-dry is the best we can hope for around this part of Texas.
DeleteThe rain looks so different in your climate, but it is always refreshing. Hooray for washing away the pollen "achoo, snort".
ReplyDeleteExactly, the pollen was beginning to affect my gardening so it's good to have it dealt with in one fell swoop.
DeleteThe difference is the sun is always just a few seconds from appearing even on a "cloudy" day.
I must add to the chorus: Hurray for rain! We got a little less (1.6"), but boy is it welcome. It is amazing how clean and beautiful nature looks after a good washing.
ReplyDeleteNow we've had another good rain in less than a week. I hope it keeps up!
DeleteI saw it on the radar and thought of you !
ReplyDeleteThat must mean you are getting a lot more rain up there than we are. Nice to hear.
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