Rain swollen streams, that is. This morning, thunder rumbled and crashed around my bedroom high in the trees. Soon, raindrops pounded against the skylight. Two hours later, as I drove ASW and Bear to school and myself to vote, big fat drops still splattered and plopped against my windshield.
Rain, glorious rain. As I took these pictures, I breathed deeply, and the air smelled like pure, cold oxygen. Normally, this month brings gray days filled with more ice and snow, not rain. Although it’s the shortest month on the calendar, it can be the longest in the year for gardeners. For those of us who live in fear of drought, rain in February is a big event.
While we were getting ready, Bear asked me why we had thunder. She doesn’t like the loud crashes and bangs, and much of April and May she spends in our bed, not her own. I explained that it was very warm yesterday (78 degrees; we broke a record,) and a heavy duty cold front slammed into that warm air. Thus, we had thunder. She gave me her most knowing smile and said “Or, God was sending us our guardian angels for protection, and when he does, it makes a lot of noise.” Oh.
According to the Cooperative Observer Site for the National Weather Service, Guthrie (i.e., central Oklahoma,) had an average rainfall of 36.09 inches for the years between 1971 and 2000. That sounds like a lot. However, native Oklahomans know most of the rain occurred during the months of May (5.48) and September (3.63) with June and October being a close second and third. The summer months in between are nearly dry, except last year, when we had 13.09 inches in June. That’s why you see soaker hoses snaking through many of my old photos. I now know better and move them out of the frame or cover them with mulch, but they’re still there. My hope for this summer is to get a sprinkler system. I’m going to take bids soon and see if they fit anywhere within my budget.
We normally get 1.85 inches of precipitation in February. So this is a double blessing. We didn’t get our usual snow and ice, and we received rain. Of course, there’s always someone who doesn’t enjoy the precip. Check out these longhorn cattle I snapped as I drove to the little Baptist church where I cast my vote. It’s out by the Lazy E Arena, and they are probably owned by the ranch. Taking shelter under some trees, they don’t look too thrilled. I wouldn’t be either if I had to stay outside.
Those cattle are such handsome creatures.
Hi, Dee! I love the longhorn cattle. I don’t think that’s anything I would ever see in Mendocino, but I’d like to! I saw a buck with long antlers the other day. That’s probably as close as we get that I know of! Kathryn xox
Glad you came by to see it! You know, Kathryn, I love California. Your blog reminds me that I need to get back there sometime.~~Dee
Wow – it may be a creek but that red stream sure is impressive, Dee. I’m glad you got rain and wish we did, too – the plants in Austin need a good washing – all their little pores are clogged!
We used to head to a basement when the sirens sounded in IL, but there are few basements here. Adding a safe room during the remodeling process sure sounds like a smart idea.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Hi Annie, the water does get to running out here. All that sand doesn’t hold it back.~~Dee
Glad to hear you gotten rain. We got a little then snow. It snowed today as well. Its all gone again. I don’t mind the snow whenever it melts the next day.
My Mom always told us kids when we were younger, that God’s wagon hit a pot hole. When it Thundered. I love the red river.
Curtis, what a cute story your mom gave you. I hope you get something other than ice soon.~~Dee
Don’t you just love the red dirt. I’d never seen anything like it until we moved to Oklahoma.
I adore your site and will be back to visit:)
Aunt Jo, thanks for the compliment. It’s nice people like it. Yes, I used to lust after dark chocolate brown soil, but now, I love the red.~~Dee
June of last year gave us water….IN MY HOUSE…just 3 days before my son was born.
Oh, dear, that must have challenged you. Is that why your son was born three days later?~~Dee
Your pictures remind me of home!
The other day we got a snow shower with thunder and lightening. Odd.
Valerie, I’m so glad that my photos remind you of home. We get those thundering snowstorms too sometimes. They are weird.~~Dee
I love the red river photo! I can empathize with your appreciation of rain. We seem to perpetually live in a drought here in Texas, with exception of the highly unusual summer we had last year. But now, we, too, are falling behind already. And, like MSS at Zanthan said, we need it here to control the pests in the garden, too.
Yes, Diana, I’ve noticed that the hotter and drier it is the more insects we get. Stubborn ones, like grasshoppers. Hope you get some rain soon.~~Dee
Love the lovely red creek. We had rain with hail, thunder, and lightening tonight. There was so much hail on the deck it looked like it had snowed. We needed the rain so much. We have had horrible grass fires over the last ten days. Grateful.
Deb, Glad to hear you got some rain after the wildfires. We’ve had a lot of fires here too. I see the burned patches everywhere.~~Dee
Oh my good friend Betty in OK stopped by your site above. She is a dear, dear woman, I just love her.
We just had some REAL bad weather here but we are all fine. I feel like the cows as we were huddled in the hallway playing dinosaurs with the boys until the storm passed.
I can’t believe how red the wate is!!
The Park Wife
PW, I’m glad you’re o.k. I’ve spent a lot of storms in the hallway. When we remodeled, we built a safe room closet in the basement.~~Dee
Loved your pictures and your story. I live
in Edmond, just south of you. We were
getting a sprinkling of snow, but it seems to
have quit.
It won’t be long until all our little plants,
shrubs and trees begin getting leaves and
flowers. Next month is the first day of
Spring (March 20).
I have visited your site a few times before.
I can’t remember where I found your site,
but I’ll keep coming back.
Betty in Oklahoma
Hi Betty, you remind me of a Betty in my Edmond Iris and Garden Society. She speaks just like you write. So glad you’ve come to the site and thrilled you’ve commented. Thanks. It is almost spring, and I’m so grateful.~~Dee
Glad for the rain, Dee, hopefully not any tornadoes like they’re having in the southern US. (I’m amusing myself watching CNN and the Super Tuesday analysis. Better than watching the snow!)
Hi Jodi, No, no tornadoes this time. We’ll see how May goes. I hope the snow stops for you soon. Spring will come.~~Dee
I can see why your blog is named Red Dirt Ramblings. Our Sedona soil is red, and I’ve seen some in Colorado that comes close, but I think your soil is even redder, by the looks of the running river! It’s really stunning.
Our rainfall is running above average right now. It would be nice if it kept up–we’ve been in an 11 year drought–but even if we got double for the year, it wouldn’t bring us out of it. They say it would take about three years of above average rainfall to declare an end to the drought. Here’s hoping.
Aiyana
Aiyana, thanks for stopping by. I really enjoy your desert blog. I’m going to pray that your drought ends. You all really need the rain. We’re caught up from last year’s monsoon, but we’ve had multiple drought years before.~~Dee
I seem to be having message problems today – take 2.
I’m glad you’ve gotten some much needed rain. I’ve never seen a red river – I thought that was just poetic license. It’s oddly beautiful.
MMD, they always look like that during and after the rain. The soil makes them truly red. If we get flood waters, the creeks and rivers churn, and we get pink foam.~~Dee
I love the red river – I can certainly see why rain makes such a big difference for you. What a gorgeous bird bath. The colour is my favourite one.
The longhorns all gathered together reminds me of the way cattle here bundle together during a storm.
When I was a child, I hated thunder. My mum used to tell me the angels were bowling overhead. It must have satisfied me because I got over my fear to now love thunderstorms.
Kate, that’s funny. I told Bear the same thing your mum told you. I thought the longhorns were an interesting site that I don’t see that often. The “red river” is actually a creek by my house. It just looks large because of the rushing water, I think.~~Dee
Wow—you have an amazing site. I loved the pictures and your style of conversation writing. I felt like I was right in the scene with you. I have lots to learn from your blog. Thanks for sharing and visiting my site. I’ll be back often.
You have a connection to your soil they way I connect with mine! We both love our roots!
Thanks, Anna, I’m blushing from your praise. I love writing this blog. I get to share info and plan the pages. It makes me very happy. I hope you will come often. I enjoyed your blog too. I do love living here.~~Dee