Some Late Summer Rain

It is the latter part of Summer when you get to Labor Day weekend.  September 1 is just about a day away.

When got up this morning there was thunder in the distance, and as I went outside to investigate I saw the lightening; but there was yet, no rain.  We need the rain.  Plants are drying up without water.  The grass is brown or turning brown from the intense heat we have had for several days.  Things just do not live for long without water.

Just a few minutes ago, around 6 a.m. we received a bit of rain.  It was a grand blessing to hear the pebbled dew of heaven falling on our roof top.

The blessing for today.  One blessing for today is the rainfall we have received.

~tim

Summer Heat Has Arrived

Summer time has always been my favorite time of year.  When I was a kid I looked forward to it because I would be out of school, and there would be hay to rake, bale, and haul to the barn.  At that time we used what we called square bales, thought they were really rectangular.  That is right I, as a kid, enjoyed preparing the hay and hauling it to the barn.  It was hot, and hard  work.  It was better than school :).

Up to this point we have had a really mild Summer.  The temps have been cool for Summer.  One morning in July; at least here in our valley; the temp was 48 degrees.  In the past few days the morning temp at my viewing has been upper sixties, even in the seventies.

Three days ago the high temp here in our valley was 100 degrees, the day following was 101 degrees, and yesterday’s high was 102 degrees.  There is something about this valley that makes it hotter in the Summer and colder in the Winter than surrounding areas.  I love it here.  Enjoying the Summer.  I guess I always have and I always will.

We do need some rain.  So thankful to the Creator for the rainfall we have received this year.  Every drop is a blessing of heaven.

The Summer Heat has arrived in along the banks of Flat Creek.

-tim

Blessed with Rain

As I sit at my computer this morning the lightening is flashing, the thunder is rolling, and rain is falling.  We received the blessing Saturday evening too; and received about one inch of the blessing.  During a rain break, I went and checked my bucket and there was another inch plus a quarter in the bucket.

Saturday July 20 made 5 weeks since we had received any significant rainfall.  Now the drought has been broken.

Now the rain is continuing.  There is only One who is worthy of thanks, and that is our Creator; our Maker; our Savior, and our friend.  Thank YOU Lord.

-tim

Needing Water

Well we were blessed in the Spring with a good amount of rainfall.  The Creek came up a bit, got washed out, cleaned up, but never rose out of its banks.

Now, however, is a very different story.  We have not had any significant rainfall for several days now.  It was June 15 when it last rained.  We had a great rain amounting to 2+ inches.  It was a blessing.

This morning before the sun was over the hill I went out and watered everything with a garden hose.  It is not as good as rain, but it does provide moisture for the plants.  I hope I did not wait too long to water  the trees I planted a year ago last Spring.

Praying for rain.  Thank you Lord for sending it.

tim

Blessed with Rainfall

I have been told that all of last year here in Southwest Missouri we received all of 10 inches of rain, and no more.  Also that since January of this year we have been blessed with over 14 inches of that sweet dew from heaven.  All praise to the One who gives it on the just and the unjust.

Just this past Thursday, April 18, we received over 3 inches.

Awoke this morning, a little later than usual, to a ground covered with frost, and 29 degrees.

Thank YOU Lord for YOUR bountiful blessings.

Second Anniversary

Just to get right to the point.  Today marks the second anniversary of my wife Madge and I moving into our new home.  We are still enjoying the home with which the Lord of all has blessed us.  The Creek is still rolling by, though this past Summer with the extreme high temps, and the drought caused it to drop considerably; and with recent rainfall it has now risen much above drought conditions.

The other day I went and cut some cedar logs for the “legs” for a back porch on the house.  I am planning on building a porch which measures 8 feet by 8 feet.  That will give us a fairly large porch in the back in order to have more room for the door the swing open, and to sit out back on the porch; if we choose to do so.

Thank you LORD for Your many blessings; and today for our home.

-tim

Early Fall

It has been a week now that the Autumnal Equinox occurred.  We have received a little rainfall in the past week as well which is a real blessing.  It has, however, been quite some time since there has been any water flowing over the banks of Flat Creek.  It has been at least one and one half years since the Creek flowed over the banks.

With the rain we have received our yard has needed mowing, and  I have mowed some of it, but not all.  I am back to pushing a twenty inch push mower to mow my nearly three acres of grass.  That is hard to keep up with, especially when you have other things needing done.

I am thankful for the green grass.  It was such a drab to look across our yard and only see brown, dead grass lying on the soil.  The trees I planted and the “Rose of Sharon” shrubs, as well are doing well.  At least some of the trees are doing well.  I planted eleven poplar trees, and only six are surviving.  All twelve of the “Rose of Sharon” shrubs survive.  I watered them every morning during the century degree weather; which was nearly every day for a month here in our valley.  I watered them everyday even when it was not in the hundreds of degrees.  The tallest trees are about five feet tall now.  From maybe two feet to five.  Those that are five feet; at least two of them were cut back due to dog damage, yet they have out grown the others.

It will not be long and it will be Thanksgiving.  I try to make each day a day of thanksgiving; and I fear there are days I fail to be thankful.  May there never be another.

-tim

Refreshing Rains Have Come

I guess you could say that it is that time of year for rains to come.  Nothing, however, is for certain here in the Southwest Missouri Ozarks area.  We have, however, been blessed by God with some nice, easy rainfall.  Easy meaning there has not been a whole lot of runoff which would be filling creeks, and ponds; which we also need.

I finally got away from Flat Creek for a while  yesterday.  My wife and I went to the Queen City of the Ozarks – Springfield, Missouri for two of our grand children’s Birthday parties.  Jonathan, our oldest grandson turned 14; and Caitlyn is about 9, I think.  Of my grandkids ages I am not real certain with some of them.  I mean when you have been blessed with 12 of them… you know what I mean.

Anyway, it is good to get the rain.  We were driving down Interstate 44 yesterday as it was coming down pretty good there.  I am thankful for the rain.  There is more on the way.

-tim

The Produce of a Hurricane

I am not sure if Isaac was ever really announced as a hurricane or not; however, we are sure benefitting from the storm.  It has been raining since before I got up this morning around 3 a.m. and before.

It is a wonderful blessing.  I pray the people along the coast were not harmed, and that everyone benefitting from the rain realizes the blessing that it is to so many.

Thanksgiving belongs to the One who gives all good things to us.  He is the Lord of all.  Thank YOU LORD.

-tim

I can see Green…

It has been some time since I looked out across the yard and saw green in it with the exception of the new trees growing.  The grass is brown.

Last night we were blessed to receive about one half inch of rain.  As I was walking around the yard this morning I could not help but notice green sprigs of grass coming up.  I had not even seen that in the previous one half inch rain we received a couple of weeks ago.  Today green sprigs of grass are shooting up all over the yard.

We still need more rain, but I am so thankful for the rain we received.  Thank YOU Lord Jesus.

-tim

Blessed with some Rain

As I sit here at the computer writing; it is raining; with some lightening and thunder. It sounds almost like Spring.

Yesterday evening  I was watching the evening news, and I heard a noise I had not heard in a while.  It was the sound of rain hitting our house.  It was coming down pretty hard, and it came down for at least five minutes, and maybe ten.  I looked out the window, and it only appeared to be raining on us and to the North of us.  There is still a need for a good general rain, and it will come.

It was a blessing and a reminder that there is more coming.

We must remember that rain is a blessing from our Creator; and it is given for our crops, for our health, and reminder of the wonderful graces that He gives us each day.

Thank YOU LORD.

-tim

Feeling the Heat?

There have been record setting temps, or near record breaking temps for the past 15 days or so; and it does not look like it is going to cool down for at least another week at least.  I told my wife, Madge, yesterday, “I thought we left the desert in California when we moved back here twelve years ago.”

The way our grass looks is dead, not dormant like it gets in the Winter months, but dead.  I am working on getting us an irrigation system of sorts, so we can use the Creek, and get some things growing and green again.  I found a shallow well pump on Craig’s List last week, drove to Springfield, and bought it fairly reasonable; at least I think so.  Now I need the pipe for the syphon end of the pump, then electric wire to reach, and water line to get to the sprinklers.

Anyway to the topic I started.  For the past two days it has been 114 degrees at our house.  That is right: 114 degrees.  That is pretty near desert temps.  Last year we had one day that reached that temp, but this is twice that.  Though I like the heat of Summer much better than the cold of Winter; I think I could stand a bit of a cool down; and much rain.

It will rain one of these days, and we will get so much many will be asking, “When is it going to stop?”  Looking forward to the rain coming.

Hope everyone stays cool, safe and healthy.

-tim