Dust, a Dead Fly, Some Rain

Everyone here has a rain gauge out, possibly two or three, and always strategically placed so that nothing blocks the rain. The gauges stare up, persistent and unblinking, waiting. Who knew you could nail hope to a fence post?.

When we discuss rain, which we do regularly, even when there has been none, it is always specific. There will be mention of 'how' it rained. As in, "Good thing it came down soft; a hard rain would've just run off this dry ground." The other thing that you need when discussing the rain here is an amount. A really specific amount. It isn't enough to say, "Wasn't that a nice little downpour last night?" unless you can back it up with, "The gauge showed seven tenths." It isn't unusual here to measure rain in hundredths of an inch. 

In India, around 400 B.C. they put out bowls to collect rain and used the measurements to predict expected crop growth, and these numbers were used as a basis for land taxes. I would like to try that system again. I'm guessing we wouldn't owe much in the way of land taxes, since our bowls would always be empty.

It's been two and a half months since the last rain at our place. It is the driest fall many of the old timers can recall. The ground is so hard in places that the drills can't penetrate it to plant the wheat. Meanwhile, the tractor lifted such a thick brown fog of dust that Joel had to run the windshield wipers to brush the dirt off, so he could see. 

This past weekend finally brought a change. We had clouds, fog, lightning and thunder, and a little rain. A little relief. It settled the dust, and stopped corn harvest for a day or two. In the last light of day it sent everyone walking across their yards to check their rain gauges.  Ours had some dust settled in the bottom, a dead fly, and near as I can tell, about twenty six hundredths, but I lied a little and told everyone we had three tenths.

 

Comments

[Lex]

Have to get a rain gauge now. Don't know how I have lived so long with out one!