Summer of 2011

Bella and the other bantams enjoying the lush flowerbed in June

I'm back after three months of absurdly hot, dry weather.  Jason wanted to keep the computer off when the temperature was over 87F in the house - which was all of July and August!  We had many plans and ideas for the summer - gardens, new animals, flowers and being outdoors.  Our climate had other plans.

Things I learned this summer:
1. When the days begin to consistently have highs in the 100's in May, expect trouble for the rest of the summer.
2. Texas has a 30 year drought/heat cycle that seems to peak in excessively awful years - 1880's (I think the worst year was around 1887), 1910's (1918), 1950's (1955 - I think), 1980 and now 2011.
3. I do not like drought and heat.
4. A drought/heat combination is not compatible to subsistence farming (try it in the Sahel region or the plains of Ethiopia - results in starvation).

The baby runner ducks exploring the green yard

5. In 30 years, I will not be living west of the I35 corridor, or necessarily in Texas at all!  In the 1880's, people took their animals and left the drought stricken areas - I think they had the right idea.
6. A Cactus looks really sad when it dies of thirst (so do trees and other plants).
7. Watching animals pant for 2 months straight is not pleasant and is something I hope not to see again.
8. This is probably the most important one - be extremely suspect of living somewhere that has no evidence of humans having lived there before - there is probably a good reason!

I usually consider myself pretty adaptable to things.  I have lived without running water or even a water source within half a mile without too much trouble.  No indoor climate control is pretty obvious and also easy to live without.  We actually did use air conditioning during the last two months of this 90 days or so of ungodly heat.  We set the thermostat at 90 during the day and opened the windows at night.  I felt like I was living in amazing luxury (and I was) when that air kicked in during the day and it barely affected our electric bill.  However, every time I went outside to add water to all of the animals' buckets during the day, they all looked miserable.  They don't get to enjoy that relief, and for that reason, Jason always feels guilty using A/C.  Anyway, you can get used to many different situations, but when there is no water falling from the sky, you are in trouble!

The trees on the north slope (the mesquite are still green) in August

We have received 6.9 inches of rain this year.  Three inches in April, three in June (during VBS), a half inch in August and now .4 for September.  Phoenix, on average, receives 8 inches a year - the city resides in the Sonora Desert for Pete's sake!  When you look around at their vegetation, you see things like cactus and creosote.  We live in the cross timbers and prairies region of Texas characterized by bunch grasses, prickly pear cacti, cedar elms and (present day) invasive mesquite.   The majority of our trees are less than 50 years old (hmmm) and most of the older ones are cultivated.   Our drought has surpassed the one of the 1950's and I think it was rivaling (and maybe passing) the drought of the 1880's.  Assuming the desert is not expanding eastward, the Jack County climate is not really made for many trees, certainly not long lived ones.  The low humidity, lack of rain and temperatures over 100F for so long have hurt the trees pretty badly, especially since this winter is supposed to be warmer and drier than normal.  The good news is the drought should turn next year sometime - the question is what will survive beyond it?

Unfortunately, I like trees and plants and flowers and things that are green.  I have decided that I have chosen the wrong climate to live in.  I am looking forward to the next ten years here that will have above average rainfall and maybe they will soften the memory of this summer.  However, I'm pretty sure that I will still be ready to look for a new home in the east!