Well, I should say watering ban. The state of Georgia has declared a drought, and my county has a total ban on outdoor watering right now.
I can't even tell you how much time, money, and energy I've put into planting flowers and veggies this year. *sniffle* I don't want to see them all die! Of course I understand the importance of compliance, and am just grateful that my livelihood is not dependent on the vagaries of the weather.
There's been a "thunderstorm" here for the past hour or so--as in, it's cloudy and I hear thunder rumbling--but just a few spatters of rain. I'm hoping it produces a downpour before it passes over, though!
What's the weather like where you are? Do you have a garden?
Posted by Architraz Warden (Member # 4285) on :
'Tis a nice cool 107F here today (which, is in fact cooler than it has been).
We're in the middle of both our dry season, as well as our two decade drought. No watering restrictions yet other than scowling neighbors and common sense (daylight hours with 7% humidity means that pretty much nothing you spray water on will actually be able to use any of said water.)
And so far, the prevailing winds haven't brought any of the smoke from the dozen wildfires into the valley yet, though they sadly are burning up a fair bit of the wonderfully scenic Sedona area.
Oh, and since the untimely demise of my meager herb garden, I have various cacti and agave as flora companions.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
You know, I keep waiting for people to figure out that America isn't habitable south of the Mason-Dixon line, but it never seems to happen.
Posted by Bella Bee (Member # 7027) on :
Hah. Try living in the South-East of England, where they've imposed a watering ban, despite the fact that it pretty much rained every day in May. Apparently, we live in a green and pleasant desert. Posted by The Pixiest (Member # 1863) on :
Tom: The South is wonderful except for a few poison pills. I'd still be there if I was straight.
I personally prefer it to be a little warm in the summer than freezing to death in a blizzard in the winter.
Of course, the best place on earth, weather wise, is the bay area. You just have to be able put up with the politics. (and with having a mayor that's going to jail.)
Pix
Posted by airmanfour (Member # 6111) on :
It's friggin' HOT in Augusta. Even the breezes are nastily hot. I thought it rained pretty hard last week, though. I guess it all evaporated in the friggin' HOTness.
Posted by Uprooted (Member # 8353) on :
Well, as far as I'm concerned it wasn't habitable until the advent of widespread air conditioning, but it's a pretty nice place to live now! After NY and Utah winters, I'm with Pix that I don't mind the hot summers so much.
Posted by blacwolve (Member # 2972) on :
In Indiana we have all of your rain.
I'll try to talk it into heading down south.
Posted by Euripides (Member # 9315) on :
It's getting into winter here in Sydney, Australia. We have a water shortage problem here, so our water restrictions are pseudo-permanent. Luckily we've had some wet weather recently, but I'm not sure the water fell into the catchment area, which is where we want it.
I hope your garden can rough it out Posted by sarcasticmuppet (Member # 5035) on :
I'm going back home to Arkansas this weekend, and I always re-discover how very green it is compared to the deserts of Utah. Tons of new growth forests growing practically right up to the edge of the highways, and the evening humidity where you could barely take in a deep breath while you're outside watching fireflies. But they've had some really dry seasons, and it's not near as green as it used to be. Posted by Stan the man (Member # 6249) on :
We had almost 2 weeks straight of rain here in NY. An' on my way from MI to NY last night we had plenty of rain the entire way. Lots of lightning too.
Posted by theamazeeaz (Member # 6970) on :
We're having scatter t-storms all week here in NY. You can have our rain. I wanna observe some stars while it's still dark time. Then again, weather.com says there's a 90% chance it's raining right now. But I'm sitting typing this while a ccd is taking pictures of the sky, so what do weather people know?
Posted by Tatiana (Member # 6776) on :
Wow, I love the South! For me it's too cold here in Birmingham, and I want to move closer to the equator. I am amazed that anyone would spend more than one winter in the north. Snow is pretty but it should melt after one day max.
Here it was 99 today, with a 20% chance of thunderstorms that didn't materialize. We need some rain, for sure, though it rained yesterday briefly a pretty good downpour. The hydrangeas are looking all wilted still.
I hope we don't have a drought this summer. We haven't had one in a while. Actually once hurricane season gets cranked up we should get plenty of rain, so no worries.
[ June 23, 2006, 03:01 AM: Message edited by: Tatiana ]
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
Had some CRAZY rain and lightning last night. It looked like a war zone with all the lights in the sky.
I can't remember ever having a water restriction here, other than ozone days, where people are only allowed to water their lawn on even or odd days, depending on their house numbers.
Sometimes I forget the benefits that come from living in a state surrounded on three sides by freshwater. And for that matter, we usually have fairly steady year round precipitation.
As for I think Pix, it was, who talked about freezing to death in blizzards...Last summer was crazy mild. We only had one or two major snow falls I miss all the pretty snow! We barely even had a couple days below Zero with the wind chill. It was a very disappointing winter.
Posted by MidnightBlue (Member # 6146) on :
quote:Last summer was crazy mild. We only had one or two major snow falls
Posted by Tatiana (Member # 6776) on :
Exactly! Who would live up there? Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
It's amazing how non-annoying cold weather is, compared to how freakin' annoying hot weather is. Posted by JennaDean (Member # 8816) on :
I'm with you, Tom. Although the Mason-Dixon line is a little high ... I could do North Carolina, or Virginia - in the mountains. But Florida is just unlivable in the summer. And it lasts so LOOOOONG. Add to that fear of hurricanes and it's not worth it!
People who have long winters don't have it much better, but at least there's school in the winter, and the kids are out in the summer when there's lots to go out and do. Here, we have beautiful winter days when the kids are in school - and they're free all summer when you can't breathe outside unless you're in the pool, and if you have no pool they're stuck inside all the time. GRRRRRR.
Happy medium ... just south of the Mason-Dixon line. Posted by Uprooted (Member # 8353) on :
quote:Originally posted by JennaDean: Although the Mason-Dixon line is a little high ... I could do North Carolina, or Virginia - in the mountains.
You know, I lived in the DC area for years, and I can't tell much difference between the summers there and here. I mean, hot and humid is hot and humid. The winters are shorter and milder here; that's the main difference as far as I can tell. So "in the mountains" is an important qualifier.
I grew up on Long Island in a home without air conditioning. Believe me, I suffered more through those summers than I do here!
Posted by Luet13 (Member # 9274) on :
Chicago has had the perfect weather the past few days. There's been some rain, followed by humid heat, followed by rain, followed by cooling down. This has been great for all the flowers I planted. They are all looking so good and I'm soo excited watching their progress. My dad grows veggies and they are looking great too. Edited for bad spelling.
Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
Hope you get some relief soon, Uprooted. At least I hope they let you water your vegetables -- that would make sense.
(In other words, I can see bans on water lawns (frivolous), washing cars, etc. etc. - but they should let you continue to water in order to grow food).
That's always a gripe around here during droughts - when they cut back on how much we can irrigate fields (growing crops) but we see people in the city watering sidewalks & streets (while attempting to water their lawns), etc.
FG
Posted by Lupus (Member # 6516) on :
quote:Originally posted by Uprooted: Well, I should say watering ban. The state of Georgia has declared a drought, and my county has a total ban on outdoor watering right now.
That is what night time is for. Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
I sure hope you're not encouraging Uprooted to do something against the law, Lupus.
Posted by Uprooted (Member # 8353) on :
Just found out that the ban was lifted -- we're back to an odd/even days system between (I think) 4pm and 10am.
You know, Farmgirl, strictly speaking I don't know if I'm supposed to be growing that tomato and zucchini plant in the front yard (stupid association covenants). I haven't checked the rules, just planted in a spot that's not too visible from the road and didn't trellis the tomato so as not to draw attention to it. So I don't know if they'd let me do outdoor watering to keep alive plants I'm not supposed to be growing!
Most of our tomatoes and peppers are on the back deck in containers, and darned if I'm gonna let those dry out.
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
Usually when there's a watering ban here hand watering is still allowed. They just don't want sprinkler systems running.
We actually do have a watering restriction on right now but it has a lot to do with all the homes and new people moving into the area and taxing a water system that was never meant to support so many people. We had rain last night though - the thunderstorms that didn't materialize for ak did materialize up here. (I'm about 30 miles north of Bham)
Posted by zgator (Member # 3833) on :
quote: It's amazing how non-annoying cold weather is, compared to how freakin' annoying hot weather is.
I think you got that backwards. Cold weather is nice for providing places to snow ski, but they're not meant to be lived in.
Posted by erosomniac (Member # 6834) on :
I'd really like the weather to hurry up and get to summer up here in Seattle, where it's 66 degrees at 1 p.m. right now. That's great, but the mornings when I leave for work are high 40s/low 50s, and it's really starting to get on my nerves!
Posted by TheTick (Member # 2883) on :
Yeah, snow is non-annoying.
Posted by JennaDean (Member # 8816) on :
Well ... I will admit, "annoying" is not the word I'd use to describe those scenarios.
Posted by The Pixiest (Member # 1863) on :
BTW, I'd like to point out that it is currently 6 degrees cooler in my Arkansan home town than it is in my adopted home town of San Jose.
Sarcastic Muppet: Where in Arkansas are you from?
Pix
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
I hate the idea of watering lawns. Vegetables deserve our water, so they can feed us. But grass? What Thorstein Veblen said about conspicuous consumption in 1902 still holds true today.
In fact, I'm kind of anti-lawn altogether. At least the kind that we have here in suburbia, with the forced monoculture of fescue, maintained with gasoline-powered mowers, fertilizers and pesticides that are detrimental to the environment, and a shameful waste of water.
"Hey, I have a plot of arable land, and I am so rich that I not only do not need to cultivate it, I can afford big chunks of my time and resources (or I can pay servants) to maintain its lush uselessness."
Bah!
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by zgator:
quote: It's amazing how non-annoying cold weather is, compared to how freakin' annoying hot weather is.
I think you got that backwards. Cold weather is nice for providing places to snow ski, but they're not meant to be lived in.
Agreed!
Except I don't care much for skiing, so when I visit snow it's for sledding and snow fights.
Posted by Katarain (Member # 6659) on :
I'm curious... if there is a watering ban, are you allowed to buy bottled water and water whatever you want? It seems that they're trying to save the local water, but that bottled water poeple buy for drinking wouldn't apply. Does it?
Posted by Amanecer (Member # 4068) on :
Edited because I misunderstood:
Interesting idea Katarain. Sounds pretty expensive though.
And in the cold vs. hot debate, I'm with hot. Posted by Katarain (Member # 6659) on :
Yes, expensive. But you could manage to save a small garden that way.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
quote:Originally posted by zgator:
quote: It's amazing how non-annoying cold weather is, compared to how freakin' annoying hot weather is.
I think you got that backwards. Cold weather is nice for providing places to snow ski, but they're not meant to be lived in.
And since skiing is an unnatural abomination, there's no need for cold weather at all. Posted by Tatiana (Member # 6776) on :
Dag, skiing on H2O is great! Just, sheesh, use the liquid kind! It's way softer when you fall! Posted by zgator (Member # 3833) on :
quote:It's way softer when you fall!
Not necessarily.
Posted by Tatiana (Member # 6776) on :
I didn't say soft, I said softER. =) It can be really hard, but surely if it's frozen it's gotta be even worse, doesn't it?
Posted by theamazeeaz (Member # 6970) on :
When I learned to snowboard, I stuffed a scarf down my pants and wore roller blade kneepads. Falling no longer hurt.
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
We had odd/even watering days the whole time I was growing up. I never thought it was that weird. Although it probably pissed off our neighbor across the street. He liked to stand out on his lawn in his underwear smoking a cigar while inspecting the grass. Seriously. He was really obsessed with the grass, and if he found a tree brand or something on the lawn, he'd move it to our property. Oh, and he'd stare at us a lot.
He is the reason I am unable to move around a dwellig unless all of the curtains are drawn; I always worry that I'm being watched.
-pH
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
quote:Originally posted by Katarain: I'm curious... if there is a watering ban, are you allowed to buy bottled water and water whatever you want? It seems that they're trying to save the local water, but that bottled water poeple buy for drinking wouldn't apply. Does it?
A better, and more cost-effective idea is to save "gray water" -- that is, the rinse water from your washing machine and dishwater, and use that to water the garden. Also, you can divert the roof run-off from your rain gutters and leaders to a covered rain barrel, and use that water.
Posted by Toretha (Member # 2233) on :
If you're anti-lawn watering, what about watering trees?
Mind, we're in Louisiana, so this is more a consideration for us than most places, but watering trees helps keep them from falling on you in a big storm. And that aside, trees are good because they make oxygen for the air. If we can water vegetables that feed us, why not water trees that make our breathing air better?
Posted by Uprooted (Member # 8353) on :
It rained! It's still raining! The flowers are happy. And so am I, conspicuous consumer that I am Posted by kojabu (Member # 8042) on :
It's raining pretty hard in Ithaca. Want some water?
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