Friday October 8th
It rained! It rained all night much to our astonishment and I know this because I was awake every two hours. Listening to the rain while in bed is somehow very comforting and reassuring. This morning the oak trees are dripping water, the mountains are breathing a sigh of relief. A heavy mist hangs over the canyon while the sun tries to break through the cloud cover, a tiny glimpse of blue sky sits at the edge of the clouds.
It hasn’t rained here in more than one year, the mountains are brown instead of green, anything not watered is dead or almost dead, including deep rooted plants that survive almost anything. To have rain, a soaking wet hillside, trees that are celebrating today, is a miracle. We were beginning to wonder if we were ever going to see rain again, let alone have enough water to drink. Anyone who says climate change isn’t happening should come and live in our house and experience it for themselves.
The ground is squelching underfoot, every plant is still dripping water and the low hanging clouds have finally forced the sun away so a perfect morning to find my old Ugg boots and do some work outdoors. The gravel paths that I made this summer are sprouting nasturtiums that need to be plucked out of the ground and put into pots. Some of the succulents, now top heavy, have broken off and I have a plan for the newly planted agaves. Years ago I dug the agaves up and potted them to give to a friend who lives in the desert but never arrived to take them away. They have grown, will continue to grow into vast cactus machines but are now planted at the foot of our hillside. A succulent bed scattered among them will bring these creatures into the landscape, albeit out of immediate sight. Who could have imagined a better morning!
