Friday, August 28, 2009

Amber Summer Lawns


Growing up on the east coast, like most kids I had lawn cutting jobs all summer long. Back there we would have heat waves that would be broken by thunder storms. It rained there during the summer and the grass would grow.

Here in Oregon it is different. It usually stops raining on the 5th of July and doesn’t start again until October. This year we even had a dry spring. We had little rain in May and June. It was so dry that my honey crop suffered this year. Without moisture there is little nectar. My harvest this year is less than a quarter of my normal crop. Normally I’d have stacks of boxes of honey frames; this year only six boxes.

The thing about the dry summers here is that all our lawns look like straw by the time August comes around. On the good side is you don’t hear many lawn mowers at this time of year. The down side is the fear of a wild fire. I was visiting a friend in that lived in a development that was surrounded by a dry field. A little fire started by the road where I suspect someone tossed a cigarette. The breeze drove that fire down the field faster than a human could run. There was a house at the end of the field that exploded into flame when the flames got within 20 feet of it. I was amazed.

Soon we will be getting some showers that will ease tension around here, but I looking forward to the rains that will return color to the grass.

8 Comments:

Blogger Beth said...

Our lawns are looking very lush and green with all the rain we’ve had this summer. And as much as it’s been a disappointing summer in terms of so much rain, I think I prefer that to a dry spell from July to October.
Hope there are no more fires...

4:45 AM  
Blogger Donna. W said...

Missouri has received regular rains all year, so far. Very unusual.

5:17 AM  
Blogger JustRex said...

I'm looking forward to putting the dang mower away for the winter. One more time should do it, I think. Then of course, I have to locate the snow shovel and the ice chipper and make them handy. Snap!

6:12 AM  
Blogger The Guy Who Writes This said...

Beth, The summer of 69 was the same weather. You aren't old enough to remember the heat and the rain of Woodstock.

Donna, sadly you lost an entire cutting of hay due to the unpredictable nature of rain in your state.

Darev, I'll cut the last time in early December and the first time in February.

5:52 AM  
Anonymous Ginger said...

I love all the seasons in Oregon...but last winter made me put my "let it snow" signs away after two weeks w/o power, phone, you name it, we didn't have it...except lots of snow. Now that we have had such a dry and HOT summer, I am really looking forward to some "normal" weather (dare I say rain w/o flooding!) Mother nature, gotta love her, but she has a strange sense of humor :)

6:30 PM  
Blogger The Guy Who Writes This said...

Ginger, You folks do everything big up there, be it floods, snow, corrupt school superintendents. That the Jewel way.

5:49 AM  
Anonymous Ginger said...

Guy..don't forget barns! Gotta have a bit of faith..things are lookin' up around here...cross our fingers :)

10:55 AM  
Blogger The Guy Who Writes This said...

Get it done before the first BIG snow.

12:17 PM  

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