A Rainy June

I'm not a weather expert, so I never know whether Ohio weather is just that variable, or if we're seeing an El Nino or La Nina, or if it's climate change making a difference. All I know is that our weather is absolutely unpredictable. You've often heard me say that someone seems to put up a dome over our town every summer, which stops the rain from getting to us. Well this year, they forgot to put up the dome. Boy did they ever! We're way above average in Ohio and much of the Midwest, to the point where some farmers weren't even able to plant.

It's been hard for me to be grateful for the difference, because of course I wished for a normal amount of rain, not a deluge. I plant drought tolerant varieties mostly because I hate dragging a hose around my garden. They might not be so happy this year. I already had a container garden that literally drown itself for lack of drainage. It's not like me to buy a container without a drain hole, but I fell victim this time.

Of course there are plants that seem to be enjoying the extra rain. You know the weeds are loving it! The only good thing about that is how easily they are pulled from the soggy ground.

I am starting to see butterflies and hummingbirds, which always make me smile. I've even gathered a few monarch eggs and caterpillars to raise indoors, although I have yet to see an actual monarch butterfly. I find that quite odd. Obviously they've been here!

The rainy weather often prevents me from enjoying my after dinner veranda time. I know, it's a patio, not a veranda. But hubby likes to think of it as a veranda, so we treat it as such. After dinner, we go out with books to read, cold drinks, and of course my camera. Many of my favorite shots have come from veranda time.

I wish that I had thought to record the contents of my rain gauge over time. Sure, I can get precipitation amounts from Weatherbug, but I never believe those numbers. You see, I want to know the rainfall at my house, not the airport. Next year, I'll start doing this.

It will be interesting to see if the rainy trend lasts throughout the summer. We've had a few wet years, but we usually have dry summers. This has topped them all. I'm sure the lawn and trees are grateful, and they're certainly greener than green. But I wonder if that green will last all summer long. I know for sure I'm appreciating the fact that I don't have to drag that darned hose around.

Let it rain, I guess, but maybe with more moderation?