by 
Over the last couple of weeks, poor ol’ SA finally got the rain it so badly needed. We’ve gotten nearly seven inches so far in a month that averages 1.30. That will go a long way toward reaching our yearly average so that someone looking at yearly averages in the future would think 2018 was an OK year moisture-wise, when it definitely wasn’t, there being over six months from October last year to May this year when less than half an inch was accumulated. Over an inch fell on Friday evening before we left for Utah on Sunday, which was gratifying. Then I got a text from Chris on Monday saying 2.85 inches fell during the night. Another 1.65 fell closely on the heels of that and since then the weather has been cool and cloudy. There have only been three days in the last two weeks that there was no rain and this past Friday we got another .54. Yes, I know much more rain has fallen around the state, too much in fact, but here on the high plains a wet spell such as we’ve just had is just what was needed.
The neighbors reported feeling the earthquake that hit Amarillo Saturday morning. It knocked a picture off the wall and set Tino to howling. Joyce and I were returning from the Bagel Place and didn’t feel anything.
Abigail’s team played their last two home games this week and won both. Abigail got to play her full rotation in both games and contributed to the wins. That and the winning made these last games much more entertaining for her grandparents that some of the others this season. After Friday night’s game they had a little ceremony honoring the seniors and their parents. People got a little teary-eyed. Abigail got a big hug from the juniors on the team. She had made it her policy to treat them better than she was treated by the seniors when she was coming up and tried to encourage her younger teammates when they needed it. Apparently her efforts were appreciated.
We met Aaron Mendoza, Abigail’s friend, at a weenie roast down the way Saturday evening. He seemed like a nice fellow. It was an ideal evening for a weenie-roast, being cool, clear and calm.
With the moisture we’ve had, the place has greened up. Two weeks ago it was very dry and brown. I’m somewhat surprised at how much it has greened up given the time of year. It remains to be seen whether any more mowing will be necessary. Spraying weeds will definitely be required. I’m hoping I can get that done before it starts to get too cool for broadleaf weed killer to be effective.
That 2.85 inches of rain that fell a week ago came down pretty hard. One of Joyce’s walking buddies told her they got eight inches in her part of town and a lower level of her split-level house got flooded. My series of faux beaver dams along the north and south lane got sorely tested. They held up well but the runoff did find its way around some of them. Over time as I add new detritus to them, that can be remedied. Looking at the deposit of matter on the upstream side of the runoff it was obvious the water had pooled, giving it a better chance to soak in to the benefit of the nearby trees. Even still, the fence in the southeast corner of the place showed a high-water mark of about 10 inches. SA slopes to that corner but fortunately there is a board fence along there so the runoff soaks in rather than running off the place. The big elms in that corner should be happy.