Dry As Dust

 If you've been hanging out with me for a few months, you will remember, what seemed like such a short time ago, when I described the farm as a muddy mess.  A winter with plentiful rain had us slogging through inches of muck, and our animals wore that mud as well.  Now?  Now, conditions are the opposite. It's been a month since we have had any rain and it is dry as can be.  Typically, this time of year is quite humid.  These days, however, it feels more like Arizona than Pennsylvania!  We find ourselves dry-lipped and thirsty - and every breath draws a little bit of dust into our throats.

At a time when we would normally need to mow our lawn before a week passes... we find ourselves free from that task, the grass brown and crunchy.

There's a small potential for rainfall this weekend and I am keeping my fingers crossed that it happens.  A nice, gentle rain that soaks into the parched earth is what we need more than anything.  If you have any sway with Mother Nature... please put in a good word for us!

Part of living on a farm involves planning for the season to come... while still working through and enjoying the season we are in.  It's hard to imagine the winter that lies ahead, here at the very start of summer, but it's necessary to consider it so that we enter that season prepared.  Stocking up on hay is of utmost importance so that our animals can eat during the coldest months.  

We received our first load of hay yesterday - 100 bales to stow in the barn.  I am so grateful for our old hay elevator, and also for the help of friends!

While we were stowing hay, the horses were out in the front pasture eating their breakfast.  

Somebody(s) were missing from the group. 

 Where were Red and Ollie?  I scanned the pasture.  They were gone!

Small enough to fit under the fence boards, they had wandered into the pig's yard where the grass is definitely greener!


When all of the work was done, Hubbs and I took a bike ride.

  What a beautiful cloudless, blue-sky day!  But, oh, how dry it was.  I had to keep drinking as we rode or I would have dried up, myself.

The streams are so low!

Later in the afternoon, I made a batch of chamomile soap using some chamomile that I picked the day before and dehydrated.  

I'll show you those bars after cutting them this weekend.  Then they go to the basement pantry to dry for the next 8 weeks.  

While the soap ingredients were reaching the correct temperature, I headed out to do the afternoon chores.  

Hot afternoons have arrived and I am thankful for all of the trees that we have planted through the years.  All of the animals and birds have adequate shade for these hot days.

And those who travel always find their own shade!

I also made THIS Hungarian mushroom soup from some Crimini mushrooms that I bought at a local market.   I was also able to use fresh herbs... dill, thyme, and parsley from the garden.  It was delicious!


I am always humbled by your concern when I miss a day blogging.  There are just occasional days when life gets ahead of me... with chores and activities.  Taking an occasional day off gives me a chance to catch up.

Comments

Dry as can be here in OH too! We had such a wet spring it is hard to believe how dry it has become. Watering everything is a necessity. Hoping for some good rain soon.

daisy g said…
Oh, I know how welcome the rain can be! Seems it's quite hit-and-miss in these parts. Wishing you a good toad-strangler soon!

Jacky said…
As someone with Hungarian ancestry - that soup sounds delicious.
Barbee' said…
That soup looks wonderful!
This N That said…
I'm glad we don't have humidity to match the temps...We sure need rain..the future looks pretty dry.Way too early in the season for this11
Hay delivery!! Lots of intense labor...Better yesterday than today..
Red and Ollie...two peas in a pod...
Enjoy your weekend..hugs
jaz@octoberfarm said…
we are dryer than dry! we had so little rain and snow last winter and now this. i went to ohio this morning and it is dry as a bone there too. the fields are brown. everyone had plants marked down really low and i bought a bunch so now i have even more to water. it's an addiction!
THE BEARDED ONE said…
TALKING ABOUT DRY...WE ARE TYHE SAME EXACT WAY IN MIDDLE TENNESSEE OR AT LEAST ON GRAYS BEND ROAD...IT IS EXTREMELY HOT AND DRY AS A BONE...WE SURE NEED RAIN...I HAVE MY MELON PATCH READY TO PLANT BUT...IT IS WASY TOO HOT AND SURE TO DRY TO WORK OUT IN THIS HEAT....I FIGURED SOMETHING CAME UP THAT TOOK UP YOUR TIME...SOOOOOOOO I WAS NOT REALLY WORRIED...I JUST MISS THESE POST SO VERY MUCH...YOU AND HUBBS ARE SURE SUPER FINE FOLKS...THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT EFFORT YOU PUT FORTH TO MAKE OUR DAY...KEEP SMILING AND HAVE A BLESSED WEEKEND...MY WIFES FAMILY RENUNION IS OT OUR PLACE NEXT SATURDAY AND WE USUSQLLY HAVE 100+ AND I USUALLY TAKE KIDS AND ADULTS ON ONE OR TWO HAYRIKDS...WE HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY HARD TRYING TO MJAKE THIS PLACE LOOK LIKE A PARK...WE LIVE ON THEIR OLE HOMEPLACE....SPRING AND CREEK FOR THE KIDS TO PLAY IN....TRAILS FOR WALKING...LOTS OF FOOD WILL BE UNDER THE COVERED PAVIOION AND LOTS OT FOOD LAUGHTER AND FUN...LOOKING FORWARD TO MONDAYS POST !!!!! KEEP SMILING !!!!
I hear ya when you say dry as a bone. We are having forest fires all over Nova Scotia. The worse one is on the south shore, it’s now the largest forest fire in NS history with signs of letting up. Over 20,000 hectares. It’s burnt highway bridges, houses etc… it’s about 2 hours away from us. We’re on the south west shore of NS but we have been put under a state of emergency for the foreseeable future. Nobody is permitted in the forest. No exceptions. And the fine for an illegal bonfire, etc… has gone from 250$ to 20,000$!!! In my opinion it’s still not high enough.

So please add our province to your prayers.

We are actually expecting rain this weekend. Usually that would perturb me, but now I can’t wait!

Lisa.
Anonymous said…
For many Americans, hurricane season began yesterday, June 1. I need to stock up on emergency supplies - because today there are already 2 tropical depressions forming which can evolve into hurricanes. This is unusually early as hurricane season usually ramps up in late Summer / early Fall. Climate change (including drought) is having a huge impact. We can't say we weren't warned 20 years ago.
Oh dear, we're still waiting for rain here too. We had two chances for thunderstorms in the last two days...and neither one came our way. Yet my sister in North Carolina is complaining about all the rain they are getting this week. Praying for wonderful rain for all of us who are in need of it now. Your mushroom soup looks just delicious....one of our supper clubs makes amazing Hungarian Mushroom soup and I get it every time I go there.