Because yesterday, when it was balmy and pleasant, the forecast for the next ten days was for no rain. My heart leapt!
A stretch of ten dry days would make a world of difference in the paddocks, which for the past few months have looked - no joke - like a scrap pile of lumber exploded in a sea of mud. Also, with ten consecutive days of dryness, long-postponed projects requiring time outdoors, like the annual 2-day cleaning out of the workshop, or putting multiple coats of paint on a dozen wooden items that have been gathering dust: such things could be done and joyously crossed off my pre-Winter list. So exciting! I could even draw outdoors every day! I can probably count on one hand the number of times I've sketched outdoors this "summer" without being driven indoors when rain started again.
Just before bed every night, I mark my calendar with tasks for the next day. Last night, I also decided to take a screenshot of the 10-day forecast, because it made me feel so happy and hopeful and energetic.
Guess what. The forecast had changed: the first three days were now Heavy Rain.
This morning I went out at 6 to start the chores while the goats could still move around without standing in rain. Hastening through the morning round, I finished a bit after 8. The rain had started falling around 7, which means I enjoyed - and I really did enjoy it! - the single not-raining hour of this absolute deluge of a day.
When I did evening chores tonight, it appeared the goats had all sheltered early, which is good. But the amount of water that had already fallen - over 3 inches since 7 AM - is making even places that are usually dry, wet. There was no chance at all of shifting any goats between paddocks tonight, and they'll be okay where they are til morning, but then what? My gosh, I don't know how long this can go on. I never could have imagined keeping animals in such conditions. I would never irresponsibly choose to keep animals in these conditions. Yet here I am.
It's disheartening, to say the very least. To bend all one's efforts to keeping animals healthy and happy, day after day, year after year, and then to fail so very badly.
According to the latest forecast, this heavy rain may stop sometime tomorrow afternoon. Maybe it will. Who knows. I am slowly getting it through my noggin that there is just no point in expecting anything but rain.
I was so hoping that you were just out of range of the latest East Coast deluge. But no. UGH. Time to build an ark?
ReplyDeleteThose are a lovely array of fall flowers...
Chris from Boise
This weather has been crazy. I'm sorry that you've been so flooded. May you dry out soon!
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry you are still having rain and getting false hope from the weather guessers. We here in Central Texas are suffering from the other end of the spectrum. We have been over 100 degrees for too many days to count this summer. We were told that the last week in September would be cooler and rainy. So far it's "cooler" if 96 is a lot better than 106. Rainy? One day we had thunder and lightening for almost 2 hours, with 15 minutes of rain. Well, a few of the plants revived a bit even with this tiny bit of dampness. I wish you could send your rain south, and I wish for both of us more normal and moderate weather, along with fewer forecasts that get our hopes up and then fail! Best to the goats and to you.
ReplyDeleteWhat a tough time you are having! I remember very well staying in TX during a stretch of 105F days, in a house with no A/C. But 2 hours of thunder and lightning, with almost no rain?! Wow. It's the extremes that are knocking the stuffing out of people everywhere. Thanks for your good wishes, Kay - much appreciated!
DeletePrayers for dryer days
ReplyDeleteThoughts of a sun shade over the paddock and barns isn't impractical to dream about. I'd have to pray for no strong winds as well.
Hope the rain stops
Thanks for thinking of us :)
DeleteOh no - how to get your hopes up and then dash them with yet more rain. It seems that it's either feast or famine practically everywhere. How I hope you get some dry days before the dreaded winter sets in with a whole 'nother set of problems to deal with.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if we'll even have "Winter" this year.
DeleteHow very sad! And here i am begging for rain. All we have had for the past two weeks are sprinkles. So sorry for your animals, Quinn, and for you.
ReplyDeleteI try not to let it get me down, but I was struggling over the state of the animals when I wrote this post. We've had many very nice days since, and I'm appreciating every waking moment.
DeleteWondering if the waters have receded yet?
ReplyDeleteChris from Boise
We've had some lovely, delightful weather, and I've been trying to make the best of it every single day. But my shoes are still caked with mud when I come in from the paddocks.
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