An Encouraging Sunday

Without this:

 You can't have this:

Have a Happy Sunday!

In Northern New Mexico Rain Makes Everyone Happy

Around here no one complains of rain, even if it sometimes adds a little destruction to folks' lives. Last September the flooding was described as one of the 100 year variety, yet when people mentioned what was damaged at their places, they almost always prefaced what they were about to say with "I'm not complaining, but...." There is a lot of thanking God for the rain, which is good because everyone should be thankful for a gift.

And that's what rain in Northern New Mexico is: a gift, especially after the 3 years or so of vicious drought ranchers and farmers have endured. With that drought came skinny cattle, no grass, having to buy hay from other states, sending cattle to other regions of the  U.S., blowing dust, water restrictions, and lack of income. Now the drought maps have reclassified our area as moderately drought-stricken, because the drought isn't over until we see a big old snow pack this winter in our mountains.

But that doesn't mean that we can't be happy, even if it is a conditional happiness.

At the Nickel and Dime Ranch the rain means swollen creeks and lots of grass.

An overflowing beaver dam.

A new flower garden kicking into high gear.

Wild pollinators doing their thing. I miss my bees.

And Ms. Pearl, taking a sunbath after a swim in the creek.

It's been a fun family-and-friend-filled summer, but I have to say that the rain has made it truly wonderful. Thanks, thanks, and more thanks.

Blessed Rain

For those of you who have regular rainstorms throughout summer, you are probably thinking the title of this post should be "Blasted Rain," and I hear you.

But around here, where people have been praying for rain for years, the past five days have been a blessing.

Remember this photo from back in July? Yep, that's a dry creek bed, even though we had just received a little rain and hoped for more.

 

We went out exploring and here's that same place yesterday. The footbridge touches the opposite side just to the right of the tree.

 

We haven't been out yet today, so who knows if the bridge is still there? I'll let you know.

 

 

Ms. Pearl's Labrador Retriever half has taken over and she's been body surfing down the creek. At first I was worried, but she knows where to get out.

Pearlie wouldn't hold still for a photo. "C'mon, cut the crap! There's water out there!"

Portrait of a Manic Austrolab.

July View From The Hammock

I took some time yesterday to have a little snooze in the hammock. 

As you can see, not much is getting done. There's always tomorrow.

New Mexico Monsoon Days

It's been raining almost every day here. Mornings are blue sky sunny, the clouds building up in the distance. In the afternoon, the rain marches from the mountains and down the valley, thunder and lightning providing accompaniment while I watch, quilt wrapped, from the wicker chair on the porch.