dry times

A 15-day dry spell in autumn is not a promising start to the wet season. We squeaked by at average in October but this month is around 10% of normal. November is the wettest month here statistically, so it's expected to be stormy - but we're clearly well behind. Expected runoff for next year in the Columbia Basin has dropped a lot, since our few storms have not been cold enough to add snowpack (our 'water in the bank' for spring/summer stream flows). That's not my job, of course.. but still tough to watch.


The dry times did allow for some yard-work and debris burns, but of course now a damp drizzle has made the leaves heavier to rake. I'm perhaps 1/3 done with the main yard, but that's about half of what's needed - and taking down some blackberry vines is also on the list of things for me to do ASAP.

Today has been non-stop drizzle and is now over ¼ inch total; that's our second wettest day this month, and not a single true rain-drop all day!



Despite the minimal sunshine our climbing rose decided to push out a few last blooms. One is visible at the bottom of the previous image, but here's the cheerful and fragrant double bloom from a few days earlier. Nice!

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