It's been quite a day here in Davey, Nebraska . . .

Yesterday started with just thunderstorm warnings and I figured it would mostly be heavy rain.  I did not figure for this.  When the hail first started, I brought in two little guys that were pretty big by my standards - maybe nickel size.  Went to the back porch and this started.  

This is when I decided to watch from the porch

My poor umbrella took one for the team.

Amazingly, the garden survived.

The windows on the Saturn did not.

Jeez Louise.

Bedroom deck. Composite flooring . . .

 . . . with a hole.  From hail.

Poor little Shasta

Takes a licking - keeps on ticking

Divots

These holes are 3"-4" across and 2" deep

Scrap . . .

I just could not bring myself to throw away this little scrap of Arches paper even tho' it measures less than 2" wide by 12".  I taped it to a board trying to leave anything white to paint on and ended up getting about an inch to play with.  Clearly not a masterpiece but working smaller scratches my 'tightness' itch in my hand/eye and lets me get as much impact in a small area as possible.

Thinking I'll have this matted and framed and see how it turns out. 

Trying hard not to complain . . .

The depths of the drought are worse for the farmers than they are for me but, like most people here in the rural Midwest, we've given up on beautiful grass and lush plantings for 2012.  Unless, of course, you are willing to risk a dry well and most would rather sacrifice the green for the ability to take a shower or a drink once in a while.  Easy trade.

The possibility of sounding depressed is imminent but I must share some photos of the Bowes Farmette from this 4th week of temps over 100 and no rain since mid-June.  Bear with me, please.

with rain in May

without rain - August

with rain earlier in the summer

When you hear of the drought being hard on farmers, believe it.  It's bad.  Corn is damaged beyond even silage with low to no moisture content so this doesn't just affect your plump cob of sweet corn.  It means that cattle will have little to feed on, produce fewer calves which, in turn, affects milk production.  The list goes on.  Soybeans - same.

without rain - August

Sometimes blogging is for no reason than to chronicle everyday life and this is one of those times.  We can't be pink sunshine and happy rainbow thoughts day in and day out as life has a way of intruding.  Rain.  Pray for rain.