As you may have seen online or; gasp, read in an actual paper newspaper, or maybe heard some faint mumblings during a local news broadcast; the state of California is in woeful condition when it comes to water. With nothing near the expected rainfall usually seen from New Year’s Day to February 1st, California’s reservoirs, which dot the state here to there, have seen reserve water levels continue to drop to what is now becoming an honest to goodness drought emergency situation.
Thankfully; these three will not have to worry about droughts
Having lived in California since 1975; I have seen my fair share of droughts and let me tell you; they suck, each and every one of them, just suck. Water rationing is strictly enforced here in California; which means excess water use is strictly verboten. Excess watering usually includes routine chores we take for granted; watering the lawn and garden, washing your car, cleaning / filling swimming pools, etc., will stop being routine this year. The lawn and garden watering issue also comes with its own potentially big problem; dry grass and dead plants that quickly turn into fresh tinder waiting to be introduced to a spark. Yep, like I said, droughts suck.
Will this hydrangea grow-up or fade away from drought?
There will many gardens facing a very long and thirsty spring should we continue with these dismal rainfall totals. I still haven’t had the heart to break it to my garden friends yet. Today, the patio is awash with Primrose flowers opening in various planters scattered around the rectangular patio. There is also a seemingly endless fall of dainty white Snowflakes cascading down and around the three-shelve plant stand I rescued from a recycling bin last year. Seeing as all of my plants and flowers are happy and oblivious of what is coming; I have decided to wait and see what happens before I break the bad news to my patio family!
This Primrose can’t be bothered with drought talk
Snowflakes continue to fall all around the patio
Thankfully; today we received a promising sign, the start of a predicted week-long rain storm. Now, the rain that is coming down isn’t exactly a deluge of biblical proportion; and I have not yet been tempted to start gathering animals and figuring out what a ‘cubit’ translates to in modern measurements, but it is at least a good start to reducing the severity of the state’s drought woes.
I have always liked primrose when they are water-logged
A soggy primrose; right now, is a happy primrose
Hopefully, today’s rain will be an omen for another drought; my drought on finding gainful employment, now dragging on into its sixth month! I have reached that point where I have had to reverse where I stood on the issue of; ‘what I want to do‘ for a living vs. ‘what I need to do‘ in order to survive the next couple of months. The field of jobs is now open to anything; from office management to the old stand-by; a prep/line cook position in a local restaurant, I have bills to pay and a cat to feed!
Snowflake continue to fill the patio with tiny white flowers
What else is going on? Well not very much actually. I put my road cycling adventures on temporary hiatus to focus squarely on searching for a job to get me through the coming months. I have signed on with five temporary staffing agencies, which even if the employment is not full-time, at least contracting will get some money back into the bank account, the creditors to stop calling, and me on the track to normal life v. 3.0.
Il Toro-Blu Waits for His Turn to Run Free Again
Meanwhile; Miss Euphorbia Prepares to Sow Seeds
I had to touch on what was for me the highlight of the past week; the February 4, 2014, ‘Evolution vs. Creationism‘ debate pitting Bill Nye, The Science Guy, vs. Ken Ham, Founder of the Creation Museum.
Science: For the Win!
Since first learning about the debate a month or so ago, I have read a wide array of opinions regarding the merits of this debate. The majority of the science community generally agreed that the debate was not the best use of Mr. Nye’s time and overall just a bad idea; some commented that Mr. Ham was a much more skilled debater and that debates are won more with conviction than with facts; others noted that the Science Community had nothing whatsoever to gain from this debate; and nearly every opinion thought that the idea of the debate being held at The Creation Museum in Petersburg, KY, was a really bad idea.
Thankfully, The Science Guy allayed any fears with the head-to-head debate. Bill Nye methodically ripped through the ‘creationism‘ theories scientific merit easily and thoroughly. The best evidence Mr. Ham had was that “there is a book, it’s called the Bible” and if it says so in the bible, it happened. Needless to say; creationism did not pass the scientific test by any means! Thank you Science Guy!
Did the debate actually make a difference? My thought is that is probably did nothing to sway the creationism hardliners; but if just one ‘on the fence‘ family will now allow their children to understand real science then in my book it was well worth it.
A blue primrose opens to reveal her magnificent yellow heart
I leave you today with a trip back to 1986; my hair was longer, my stress levels were considerably less than they are today, and I had still not realized the joys of simple things, like gardens. I dug this photo from a pile of miscellaneous paperwork as I was cleaning the house last week and decided to post the photo on my Facebook page for #Throwback Thursdays. This photo serves as a reminder to me that things turn out okay in the long run and that I am just a gardener who has played many different roles at different times in my life; however, at the end of the day I am still just as young and free as I allow myself to be.
Today is today; tomorrow is tomorrow; today I guide myself to a better tomorrow ~ Peace!
Just a humble future gardener; yours truly, Age 17
Until Next Time…
HAPPY GARDENING FRIENDS!!
~ Noah
Noah's 2014 Garden Themed Blog 