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WELCOME TO KANSAS...
Last Winter when it was unseasonably warm,
I laughed (though guiltily) about
Global Warming.
"Bring it on," I joked,
"Kansas could end up to be a tropical oasis!
I made this joke because:
1) I love the water and coastal areas.
2) It was wonderful to enjoy
the mild temperatures
and to not have to shovel snow
as in winters past.
3) I often make jokes about things
I'm concerned about
but would rather not admit.
4) It was a joke about
how great Kansas was going to be,
not meant to focus on what would have
to happen for Kansas
to become a tropical island.
That said,
no one has any worries at all.
Depending on how you think about things, the drought in the Midwest this Summer
may be a result of major climate change
or just a cyclical blip in the typical pattern,
but we're not an island yet.
Well, it looks a bit like sand,
but this isn't a beach.
It's the front yard that my husband
proudly tends 2-3 times a week...or did.
There is no sand to squish between toes here.
Only hard, dry ground.
There is no use trying to water the yard.
It just brings the roots
to the top of the ground.
Either way, the grass is dead
and the earth is bare.
Despite trying to water the plants,
my peonies look like this:
My hydrangeas like this:
#12: Dried-up
Daylilies and hosta like this.
It looks like there is a black mat
under the plants, but it's just the soil.
It's already clear we've lost some plants and bushes.
Will the forsynthia bush come back next year?
Will the Japanese Maple survive?
If you find these photos a little disheartening, I'm sorry. I do as well.
I went out and took these photos,
and more of structural damage, one evening.
It seemed it hadn't rained in weeks and everything was so dried up.
Then my husband came home
and told how it had rained pretty well
that morning, as he was leaving, on his drive to work, and for about an hour afterward.
I could hardly believe it.
There was no longer any sign of it.
It must be worse for farmers.
It must be worse for people trying to live off the food they grow in their gardens.
It must be worse for those living
with dust storms.
I just know that as much as I don't like
gray, soggy weather,
as much as I do like sunshine,
this isn't a beach and we need some rain.
And next time I want to dip my toes
in the ocean,
I'll go to the coast,
like in the "olden days."
Sharyl ~ Sharyl's Jewelry
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Hey, lets go see what the others are doing
over on Lori Plyler's "Studio Waterstone" site
for
Thanks for stopping by!
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6 comments:
Oh these really are so sad. It's like this everywhere from what I hear/see on the news. Out here in the desert we're used to seeing dried up brown stuff all the time, but when I see all the 'green' places I love turning into what looks like a desert as well - it's very sad indeed. I hope every can get the rain they need before the end of the season!
I am so sorry to see you are suffering in this drought and I do hope the roots hold on and survive to come back again. I am of the belief that this is all cyclical. We too have been having an incredibly hot summer and so many of my plants are dying off just from the extreme heat, water oens't help much, and I am on the coast, as a matter of fact, we are a peninsula between the chesapeake bay and the atlantic ocean, it's not helping much this year!
Beautifully spoken from your heart, Sharyl, and the photos depict what you are describing, too well. I pray for rains to change this picture for all who need it, most especially, our farms across this beautiful country. I think it is a blip in the process, like the pendulum swinging in severe arcs right now. I hope it will slow down soon. Love, Laren
Our yard looks simlar. :(. I have to admit that I loved the mild winter as well, but this summer .. yuk. I hope your plants come back. I do like the photos, though, even if the subjects are a bit unhappy.
Great series of photos!
If you get a chance, come visit my on my blog and if you have not already done so, please "Like" Hood Photography on Facebook! Thanks!
Oh yes, it's bad here in Kansas. Only where we live we have not had a rain for three months. We've had a few sprinkles--you could probably count the drops on one hand.
We just arrived home yesterday after a trip to Chicago. Lake Michigan was gorgeous, and we also checked out the lovely Illinois River on the way home. I was hoping to see a change when we arrived home, but it was no different than when we left.
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