Got a paddle?
Jordanne joked the other day that she thought she saw the animals lining up two by two! Glad someone has a sense of humor because this rain is turning streets into rivers!
Over the last four days we got just as much rain we normally receive for the entire year. 12" fell (yes, you read right TWELVE inches) here on the urban homestead leaving the grounds soaked and saturated. We aren't out of the woods yet. Keep those boats and paddles ready! An even wetter & colder storm is expected today and tomorrow, then another chance on Saturday!
La Nina my foot! Folks are calling this a historic Pineapple Express with storms piled up from one side of the Pacific to the other These series of storms are shattering rainfall records and turning the LA basin into one giant mud puddle.
Of course, we rejoice at the prospect of so much liquid sunshine but then again so much at one time really doesn't help us except to fill up the dangerously low reservoirs - they are saying that this should help ease the drought!
Being in such a dry climate, it's a challenge to doing chores and picking produce around the urban homestead. Not set up for so much rain all at once!
Wet jackets, socks are strewn on top of doors. The living room''s been turned to a make shift laundry room.
The critters, especially the cats are going a little stir crazy. Romping around the house like they've taken an overdose of catnip. The goats are displeased there's no sun and Fairlight has taken her frustrations out on cardboard box. I think she thinks if she rubs and butts it enough the rain will split and the clouds will part. Sorry girlie - ain't happening. The chickens look so pathetic and the ducks, well, they are happily oblivious of the misery of their fellow creatures.
We humans are fairing a little better, though confounded at the historic deluge there’s nothing we can really do but make the best of situation tackling indoor activities, keeping the animals dry, feeding the bees their sugar and essential oil mix and doing outdoor work as best we can.
Funny thing is, the challenge that we are facing is that for 25 years we’ve adapted our growing methods for a dry climate. The recent and early wet winter has thrown us for a loop! The square inch method of gardening isn’t ideal for such wet weather. So now mold has become an issue and ruined a few of the raised beds that had lovely carpet of salad greens.
Though, I had planned on finishing a few knitting UFO’s (aka "unfinished objects") a recent knitting gift had me clicking away at the needles in record time. Made the scarf in the nick of time as a goodbye gift to a long time friend who was traveling overseas. Of course I used huge 13" and thick yarn!
Jordanne's been in the kitchen whipping up some delightful & gorgeous eats
Holiday orders for preserves and soaps from our front porch farm stand are keeping us busy. A sincere thank to our customers for braving the rain and supporting local foods and farms! We have a few gift baskets to put together today not to mention picking a few veg orders so back to work!
How are you holding up with this deluge?
20 Comments: "ROW, ROW, ROW YOUR BOAT" »
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Glad you are surviving the deluge. Wish we could import some of the water to our area here in Austin, Texas, which is now under a severe drought condition, AGAIN. Blessing to you and yours this Christmas and holiday season.
@Joy Giles: Good news is that this last storm may help alleviate the drought, wish we could share. Perhaps the storm's heading your way. Happy holidays to you too
I think of you when I hear the national weather forecast about all the rain in CA. I'm glad you seem to be doing okay. Here in Florida we are having another cold winter; although, it's nice out today. It's hard to garden when it's too hot one day and then too cold the next. I've already lost one of 2 banana trees, and possibly my sugar apple tree. Sigh. I hope you have a happy holiday and dry out soon. Nancy R
@Nancy R: happy holidays to you too, stay warm down there. Sorry to hear about the cold snap, poor tropical plants don't know what climate they are in!
The chickens don't seem to mind the rain, but I'm worried that my little veggies are going to drown.
@Tamlynn: today's rain was insane!
We will be paddling up from Encinitas to see you this afternoon!
@mim: Thanks for stopping by, sorry I was in a rush... busy day! Not to mention dealing with the deluge which had us under stress a bit trying to pick the orders in the morning... hoping we dry out tomorrow! Thanks for your business, nice meeting you (briefly) again. Enjoy the preserves
Hi!
Thanks for sharing your life with us all!
@Matt-Dell: Hi and you are welcome.
We have had a very cold and snowy December here in the Midwest, much more like we would expect in January.
You answered a question that I wondered about. We have a raised bed garden and this year there was a lot of mold and other problems with our herbs and some plants. It was also a very wet spring and I know there was standing water off and on in the raised beds.
There were a few weeks where it didn't have a chance to dry out at all.
Love your blog and website! Merry Christmas...
@Brenda N: Thank you and happy holidays to you too. Today were experience the worst of the rain, it came down in torrents. We are hoping to dry out and assess the damage tomorrow because word has it that the sun may come out!
No rain here, but 3-4X's the average Ohio-December snowfall...and the rumor is we're expecting another 5 inches for Christmas. Admittedly, I am excited about a white Christmas!!! We've kept busy playing in the snow, making homemade wool mittens, making candy and baking Christmas cookies.
@Andrea: hmmm, after the deluge today, I think I'd take snow! happy holidays!
So glad y'all aren't under water!
We had more rain this last fall than we have had in the last 11 years. Living in Oregon it happens.
The sun is peeking out as I write, time to get the wellies and survey the "bog" (he he he) and check the herd.
@Granny Tera: today we experience a biblical deluge.... 3 inches in just one day! It was raining so heavy - it was white! The ground, having been saturated with 12" of rain already couldn't take any more and parts of the backyard had a few inches of standing water... it looked like a lake! Don't know what we'd do without wellies!
Anais, Our weird weather for Nebraska was last June when we had our 18 inches of rain in that month. It was so wet that the neighborhood lawns were breeding grounds for mosquitoes. That was our normal rain fall for the year. It really threw our gardening off for the entire season. The tomatoes were a couple weeks later at maturing as well as the cucumbers. Most neighboring gardeners were suffering with blight, splitting, and bottom rot on their tomatoes. I had put down 4 inches of new compost in my three raised beds and had no problem with any of those issues. The compost apparently soaked up the extra moisture and fed to the plants during the hot months of July and August. It amazing how much compost can ease the pain of extreme weather.
Have a great rain ducky day.
@Nebraska Dave: Hopefully the sun will come out tomorrow. These last five days we’ve had 15″ fall here on the urban homestead… the heaviest rain came today. It was like a lake in some parts of the yard. Good tip about the compost... hopefully we won't have too much problems with the garden.
Now you are like me, drying your laundry in the living room.
In Oregon I do that 9-10 months of the year! But it sure has been an extra-soggy year, that is for sure.
@littlegreengardengal: Oh man, you should see all the wet socks, jackets, hats that are just piling up! We are NOT use to this type of weather.... no mud room or laundry set up for some serious drying! Hopefully the sun will come out tomorrow. These last five days we've had 15" fall here on the urban homestead... the heaviest rain came today. It was like a lake in some parts of the yard.