Saints, Planets, Dancing Hippies and Hope

As the dry days go on and on the so called spring is disappearing and we have had no rain. We barely had anything in winter to so the prognosis for summer is not looking good at all.

As I write this the sky is cloudy and we’ve had a 10 degree drop in temperature and yet no rain. Despite the weather prediction of a thunderstorm we have had nothing.

As usual on a Saturday we are irrigating from the much reduced water allocation that’s coming. Already optimized in the acequia to come from the pipe instead of coming through the channel reducing leaks.

I have been keeping an eye on the olives are they seem to be doing well despite the reduced water, the issue will be that the aquifers which feeds them in the summer is likely to run dry and when the spring runs dry we will have nothing left to water with.

The parish priest went on a quest to bring over a statue of San Isidrio, the local hippies have had a rain dance and the astrologists watch out for the retrogrades… the farmers look on.

We talk to each other on watering day, we make preparation for a thunderstorm we hope will come. We smell the air, watch insects and animals for tell-tale signs of rain and look to the mountain for reassurance.

Optimistically I put on my rubber boots and look with JL for obstructions that may cause flooding. Three little drop hit me and then nothing else. I feel cold in my t-shirt and look on Facebook to see whether anyone is reporting…