Monday 18 January 2010

raindrops keep falling on my head

As I write this post, I'm looking out the window at a dark and stormy summer day with a steady fall of rain pelting my garden. I'm only in my second year of gardening in Melbourne, but I cannot tell you how wonderful it is to have "average" rainfall. Almost every other season I've been gardening has had below-average rainfall, including this winter when we had only 67% of average rainfall and I had to go out and water the garden a few times. Water the garden. In the winter.

But this spring and summer has been an absolute blessing. Sure, November broke records for being the hottest spring on record. Sure, last week we had a night that tied for being the hottest night on record in Melbourne. But we've gotten rain! So far every week or two I've gotten 10 or even 20mm in the rain gauge. Sure I've still had to water my garden. But you know you've been in a drought when having "average" rainfall is something to celebrate. And it's been downright bizarre to want to go out and work on the garden but I can't because this strange liquid is falling from the sky. Oh and in case there are any water wowsers reading this, my household has met the government-recommended 155 litres per person per day, so I'm no water waster.

The rain's now stepped up to a brief downpour with a touch of hail.


This sound is absolute music.

3 comments:

PJ said...

I am loving this rain, absolutely loving it! Even better on watering days because it means I get to sleep in! Being a balcony garden in Summer here I have to water every day, but it is amazing just how much water you can save around the house! I know households with no garden who eclipse the 155 a day and it appauls me (not that I tell them, I should, but I don't like confrontation ...) Hope the garden loves the weather too!

everydayG said...

To think that it was only last Monday that we were struggling through 40 degree plus temperatures... I woke up this morning freezing, with the knowledge I could sleep in and not water the garden. I love those mornings.

Unknown said...

And don't the plants SO much prefer rain to other watering!