Home of the Practically Perfect Pink Phlox and other native plants for pollinators

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Are You My Rain Cloud?

Rain is forecast but if you look at the weather map...you can see the problem!



I live right where the little red dot is located...about 5 miles west of downtown Nashville and we haven't seen rain in over 3 weeks! Of course this is a static photo and rain could happen at any moment!

Maybe we can find my rain cloud.

Are you my rain cloud?
It doesn't look like a rain cloud, in fact the sky is a beautiful clear blue. Let's look around some more.


There is an incredible breeze and oh, how I wish I could capture the hawk that is taking advantage of the wind. He is too high ...but you can hear his call. Hey Mr. Hawk, can you see my rain cloud? He doesn't answer, he's too far away.

Maybe my rain cloud is in the front garden.

Are you my raincloud?


No, just sunlight shining through the tree canopy. Maybe he's hiding around here!

Heuchera,
have you seen my rain cloud? No, you say. But you're all wet. Oh, the sprinkler was on.

Let's go into the wildflower garden, maybe he's hiding in there! Look what I found
Are you my rain cloud? No! But you smell really nice and you are awfully pretty and rain clouds smell good and are so pretty. Sigh.

Let's look at the sky again

Look! Clouds! Hey clouds, Are you my rain cloud?

49 comments:

  1. Looks like it's time to make a rain tube/shaker. Supposedly it brings on the rain. Have you washed the car & the outside of all the windows on your house? That usually brings some rain. I hope you get some soon.

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  2. So it's about 5:30pm in Bellevue... and no rain. Sunny skies... It would be nice to have some rain though. Though you do have some nice foliage to cool things down... Maybe your rain cloud will come soon. That was a gorgeous flower!

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  3. mmd,

    Thanks...we are crossing our finders! Maybe we ought to try the windows...we need them cleaned anyway! No rain and it's well past the predictor time...Sigh.Gail

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  4. dp,

    So close to us...didn't know you were just down the road! No rain and it's an hour later...too bad! Gosh, I sure hope this isn't like last summer.

    Gail

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  5. It usually doesn't rain here at all in the summer. We usually do get some lightening that causes fires. I wish it would rain here so bad. Hope you get some too!!!!

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  6. It usually doesn't rain here at all in the summer. We usually do get some lightening that causes fires. I wish it would rain here so bad. Hope you get some too!!!!

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  7. I have a lot of rain clouds down here on the Coast. We get rain almost every evening, this time of year. I have a love/hate relationship with rain right now. We are planning a big famile get together on the fourth of July and I just know it will rain on our musical endeavors...Karoke party and fireworks.
    So if I can, I will push it back to you on the Fourth. LOL

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  8. cindee,

    You aren't near the Big Sur fires are you? Worrying about lightening starting a fire is pretty serious! California is an attractive state and then there are the natural disasters! We have our share here...with tornadoes!

    This is not our rainy season but some rain would be nice! Hope you get rain soon!

    Gail

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  9. gail: I hear ya loud and clear. If you were to look at a map or listen to the weather predictors you would think we had been getting copious amounts of rain. But instead we hear all the rumbling of thunder and see the black clouds in the distance but very little rain has fallen on Hoe & Shovel lately. I sure hope you get some of your share soon... it is never easy on the gardener without rain. funny how you can run your irrigation but it never does quite the same job as a good dose of rain. Sighing with you.
    Hope you are enjoying your weekend otherwise.

    P.S.Got a chuckle from MMD's comment... it does seem like a sure bet to do those things and even if it hasn't rained forever ... it will. :-)
    Meems

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  10. Eve,

    If I lived where you lived I would have a love/hate relationship to weather in general! You sure get battered by severe storms! Please do send us the weather...we don't care if it rains on the 4th...we have nothing planned! Well, I am going to see my acupuncturist!


    gail

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  11. I'm sorry it missed you! We got a little bit down here (.18 inches). Hopefully we'll see some more tonight or tomorrow morning. We sure need it!

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  12. meems,

    Exactly what I was thinking...I can water and water but nothing is like a good soaking from a all day rain. The plants perk up, the trees are happy and everything is refreshed. We are planning a trip to the Cedar Glade tomorrow maybe it will bring on the rain!

    I am hoping rain falls your way soon....

    Gail

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  13. Dave,

    We need a really good rain and soaking...the ground here is cracking and pulling away from the stone walls!
    It is dry at Clay and Limestone...must be summer time!

    Did the rain help? I see the forecast is for rain tonight...hoping that is the case! Good luck!

    Gail

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  14. Hi Gail,
    I sure wish we could have sent you and Annie in Austin some of our surplus (=flood) rain from a couple of weeks ago, because I know that feeling of "looking for Mr. Good Cloud" to no avail. We usually experience that in July, but this year who knows? It's been such an odd spring, unusually cool and wet...

    Hoping you get some beneficial rains soon!

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  15. I think MMD has the right idea. Maybe you should plan a big outdoor party? That and washing the cars and windows ought to bring rain. And lose all your umbrellas for good measure.

    I've been "mostly" happy with the rain I've gotten, except that one Saturday when I got 6 inches here.

    I hope you find your cloud soon!
    Carol, May Dreams Gardnes

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  16. Carol,

    Our rain cloud showed up last night and we are all hoping he stays around for a few days...who cares if we had an outing to the park planned or we thought about a drive in movie or ,,,

    It's nice that you are having such good weather...you had an unusually late spring and waited a long time to get your beautiful weather

    Gail

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  17. IVG,

    Oh wouldn't it be absolutely fabulous if we could send and trade weather! You will hear me say: I'll give you some heat this winter, would you give me some of that wonderful mallow you grow! and I thoroughly enjoyed your Saturday post, too.

    Gail

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  18. Gail, your Tennessee map looks like our Georgia map has lately. Pop up showers all around us while we remain dry! We did have one nice rainfall last weekend though still 5 inches behind for the year. This, on top of same conditions for the past two years! Lake is over 10 feet below normal pool.. 50% chance today so come on Mr. Rain Cloud, do your stuff!

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  19. I hope that rain cloud has stopped to visit you by this time. We've had morning showers the last two days plus a thunderstorm Friday night. The flowerbeds are looking much perkier as a result.
    The clouds are out this morning again; I'll see if I can send one your way.

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  20. That radar image is too funny, Gail. I hope you did end up with some rain. At least, somebody should be getting some now, in the right proportions.

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  21. Skeeter,

    Are Georgia and Tennessee still having a border dispute over that mile or so of river!

    The Southeast sure has been getting a beating these last few years. Hopefully you will get rain soon! We did get a bit last night I know I heard some rain during the night! Yippee...we need days and days of it.

    Gail

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  22. Tina,

    Oh, It looked like you were getting rain on the weather map! Well, it must have been like us all day...the chances of rain and then nothing. We did finally get some last night and it seemed that the container plants won't need watering this morning. Sighing for us all.

    Gail

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  23. Gail, Georgia says Nic a Jack lake and that one mile belongs to them, Tennessee of course said (*&^ No!

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  24. Rose,

    Thanks and send them all over the southeast please and then down to Texas and oh, my you would be busy all day! We did get a bit of rain last night!

    Gail

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  25. vertie,

    You're very gracious to wish us rain when Texas needs it so badly! So I am wishing it back to you! Let's all do a simultaneous rain dance and see if the power will be magnified!

    Gail

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  26. Tina,

    Isn't that too funny..georgia is desperate for water. And there is the need for then all of us in the US to be more aware of who is buying our water rights and water companies!

    Gail

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  27. Gail, maybe we can get a group discount on those rain tubes mentioned by MMG?
    It sure would be nice if IVG's excess could be emailed!

    The title of your post called up a mental image of Gail, suspended from a balloon like Winnie the Pooh, humming "I'm Just A Little Black Rain Cloud".

    Fingers crossed!

    Annie at the Transplantable Rose

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  28. Annie,

    I would share the rain with you all in a heartbeat...Here's the directions for a rain shaker...if this is what MMD meant!

    http://www.kid-at-art.com/htdoc/lesson44.html

    Looks like fun!

    Wouldn't it be something to have a Winnie Pooh adventure like that one!

    Gail

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  29. Rain patterns are so strange...Santa Fe was so dry...there were big rain clouds that looked like major storms approaching, but the rain actually evaporated before it hit the ground. On our flight back to St. Louis today we could see a patchy rainstorm right ahead of the airplane, and the hugely flooded Mississippi River. And Hong Kong has had the rainiest June on record which is really saying something...Its the rainy season there but still...

    xxoo Lynn

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  30. I feel your pain as we need a bit of rain also. The sprinkler will be on tomorrow if there is no rain tonight!

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  31. Hi Gail! I'm blogging but a bit more quietly these days. I wanted to come see how your garden was doing and I wasn't disappointed. I understand your need for rain. We got a bit but it wasn't enough. We've been months without it. It goes all around us. Anywho--miss ya and wanted to say HI!

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  32. Lynn,

    I have a number of questions! So my dear, when are you heading back to Hong Kong? Did you like the New Mexican-Mexican food? BTW, I read your blog and the trip to NY with S sounded a dream! Upstate? Next time we must have L and M around!xxoo

    gail

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  33. layanee,

    My son talks about the cool weather but not about the lack of rain! But he isn't a gardener and he might be getting rain in Providence.

    I have to drag the hoses around...good upper body workout don't you think?

    Gail

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  34. nancy,

    it's the humidity not the temps that make it so miserable...It was fairly dry today and then the humidity crept up and up! Sorry you are having that, as well as not enough rain.

    Gail

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  35. anna,
    So glad to know that...I shall follow your name to where it leads and see what you have been up to. Missed you, too.

    The rain situation just keeps getting worse...

    gail

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  36. Hi, Gail. I wish I were your rain cloud... I'd have some to give you. :-) I'm hoping you've gotten a little rain by now.

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  37. Gail, you may not have found much of a rain cloud, but I sure enjoyed looking with you. Even without rain your gardens look lovely. You must be getting quite a work out with those hoses!

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  38. Howdy Gail,
    As for the Prairie Mallow, I'll be happy to collect and send you some seed you could just plant in the fall for next spring. A big part of our garden philosophy is that it is sharing, a lesson we learned from our sensei Master Gardener neighbor (up one block) who's still practicing just that at age 86! I'll be saying more about him soon at my place.

    I won't hold you to the promise of heat in return, but appreciate the kind thought! I really like Annie's idea of emailing rain, when she comes up with a way to do it, I'll certainly be on board! :-)

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  39. I keep on hearing that little lad on the top of the Empire State Building, saying "Are you Annie?".
    I love that film.

    What is that blue stuff above your trees? Is that what summer skies are supposed to look like? Haven't seen that for years ;-)

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  40. IVG,

    That is a kind offer and I am thanking you before hand...I would love some seeds, please! We didn't get much of the wet stuff, but we did get a surprise...the temps dropped last night and we have the doors and windows open this morning!

    Now I am intrigued about your sensei and look forward to the post!

    Gail

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  41. jo,

    Oh that blue stuff...we have it in abundance! Today, I am appreciating it's loveliness...the temps are down and it is possible to actually enjoy being outside.

    That is quite possibly one of her better movies...well, except the one with Kevin Kline!

    Gail

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  42. Beckie,

    I have a little circuit I do...kind of like laps around the yard. I also carry an outdoor chair and use it to elevate the whole sprinkler contraption.

    Glad you enjoyed the search...we did find the clouds, they stayed a short time and headed northeast!

    gail

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  43. I share your frustration. For the past month, it seems like our neighboring county gets all the rain. We are separated by the river and our house is less than a mile from the river and it seems that the rain stops there and won't cross over. I'm trying to stop myself from keeping track of the radar online because I just end up disappointed.

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  44. phillip,

    It is so frustrating! My friend and garden coach says that our hill stops the rain from coming into the neighborhood...everyone laughs at this but I think it's true...we call it the min-mountain effect!

    I will continue to drag the hoses around...

    Hope it rains on you soon.

    gail

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  45. About that TN-GA water war: I think it is ludicrous for Sonny (gov) to try and take what has been declared TN's for years! What about Squatters rights? LOL. Atlanta is so overpopulated they are always trying to steal water from others. They are trying to figure out a way to pipe our lake water to Atlanta and we are over 100 miles away from them! Argggg…

    I believe some battle on water issues continues with TN-GA-AL-FL all concerned. Mother Nature controls the outcome in the end!

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  46. skeeter,

    The water wars are only going to get worse..as it gets warmer and we have less rain. Sigh!

    gail

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  47. Gail,
    I'll definitely let some Prairie Mallows go to seed and let you know here when they are ready (probably late July or August), and then you can just email me w/the coordinates and I'll send you plenty to get started!

    Those water wars are getting worse down there huh? Sorry to hear that. I used to travel frequently to Atlanta, and I don't think I was ever there when there wasn't a drought. Nice place to visit (for work), but ... you know the rest.

    Here's hoping your weather pattern will change for the better. I somehow suspect that after our disastrous rainy spring, we're going to have a blistering July and August ahead, with little rain. Don't know why, but just have that feeling ... at least the hibiscus won't mind!

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  48. IVG,

    Terrific...about the seeds and I see water wars only getting worse as droughts continue. We did get rain but we still need more, I noticed the Forsythia hedge looking droopy again.

    Maybe you will have pleasant weather all summer! You need the break...

    Gail

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"Insects are the little things that run the world." Dr. E O Wilson