Today is the 4th day of rain in North Iowa – nothing like the Carolinas, don’t get me wrong but 3-6″ of rain is not normal for us. I have moved tender succulents into the garage and playhouse to keep them from drowning.
The temperature is going to be almost 90 today with a 40 mph southwest wind but…..then a cold front is coming through and by tomorrow morning it’s going to be down to 41 degrees.
These plants are soaked with rain water and can’t possibly dry out completely today.
Here are the south facing areas in the house awaiting these plants.
I did not take time to “stage” these areas but the next pictures I take will show rooms of plants so bear with me. I have a huge day of work today from taking Reed’s pumpkins to Junkin Gal, practice with Margaret at church, a doctor appointment and pepper jelly to make (this may have to take a back seat to moving plants).
Tonight will be it’s own reward as friends from church are coming to sew! I really want more time to sew – I bet I’m not alone, am I? If you love to sew/quilt, it’s a hobby that one can take up in any small amount of time. And the planning is the best part!
At chores yesterday I locked the three amigoes in their pen – knowing the rain was coming.
Your weather is coming our way tomorrow. Today is lovely, blue skies, high of 76. Tomorrow’s high, mid to upper 80s, high humidity, high winds and then the rain. Saturday, a twenty to thirty degree drop in temperature, and I, for one, am looking forward to cooler days.
If you do not believe global warming is a “thing”, check out the summer temps in Western New York and you may become a believer. We have had 90s and near 90s all summer, high humidity, and it has been insufferable for people like me. I go to the gym every morning st 6:45 am and am done at 7:45, High intensity interval training. I sweat like crazy but once I’m showered I am no longer interested in sweating! And boy have we sweated this summer!
We have planted about 110 feet of new beds this year, about eight feet deep, lilacs and peonies and astilbe and asters and lavender and speedwells and and and…. bushes and hydrangea trees … it’s been a ton of work, it’s all beautiful, but I never want to do that much in the high heat again.
I’m a suburbanite, don’t have a farm, don’t want a farm! God bless the farmers, that’s for sure! We cannot even begin to understand their labors.
Going out to pull in planters and patio umbrellas and all things that can fly in the wind!
Carol – where in western NY are you? I am in a suburb of Rochester. Yes I agree with the unbearable heat this past summer. By next summer we decided to have installed AC in our house cause we can’t put the pets thru another summer like this one. I saw our terrier pant so much even with fans on her that it upset me so much. This cooler weather today has made all the difference in her step and being outside.
I ‘m original finally from Western New York, Cuba. My sister lives in Bemus Point–Chautauqua Lake. She said the same– much hotter there this year.
Oh that’s right Carol. Now I remember you were from Cuba area! Chautauqua Lake is a beautiful area.
What wonderful windows you have Mary.
Such a beautiful view you have with all those windows – just love it…
Wow that is a lot of rain, glad you started to move the plants inside. Enjoy the quilting with friends
I feel like everyone is getting our rain : (
I live in Oregon Willamette Valley area
its been so dry. I know I shouldn’t complain
but the wildfires have been crazy…
Your area looks so pretty I want to visit
Iowa.
There is not much rain in eastern Oregon either ! We be happy to have you share with us!
I adore autumn…. it’s my favorite, however, I do get melancholy thinking about moving the plants inside and hunkering down for the winter. You do have a busy day, hope it all goes well. Enjoy sewing with your friends tomorrow!
This is Betty in Rapid City. Just saw the weather report and it really doesn’t look good for your area today. We will be thinking about you. It has been raining here and every drop is appreciated as we are very dry. There have been several small fires, but everybody is on it to keep the fires small.
In the meantime, we’ll keep sewing if we can. Even a few minutes petting the fabric helps!
Oh, I had a tech working on my computer yesterday and I think he took the darn spell check off. I don’t know how it thinks what I want when I may not know. We’ll see!
Sounds like you have having Maryland weather. This year has been especially damp. I often have felt that I’ll soon grow moss between my toes. And also our weather can change drastically from one day to the next. Recently it was 93 on a Friday and the next day pouring rain and 63 degrees.
We have been getting too much rain all summer here too. Weekly flooding in our county. Just hope we aren’t in for a too snowy winter. I agree with the need to find time to sew!! I keep trying. So far it seems I spend more time at my machine mending than quilting….. LOL
Please send that rain west to Southern California!!!
We have gotten rain here in Montana, also! It is greatly appreciated. I got .4 of an inch last night and .34 a couple of days ago. That is just about all since June when we had 5″ so uncharacteristic for our area. The ranchers have been thankful. I hope you aren’t in the tornado warnings that are forecast for SE Minnesota this afternoon.
I have finally been able to get to the sewing room the last couple of days!! I got a quilt cut out that needs to be in MN by about the 8th of October. I am going upstairs today to get more done on it! It felt so good to sit at my machine again, I haven’t been up there much in the last couple of weeks. It is therapy for sure!!
Thank you for the patterns I bought last week! I was finally able to copy the picture I asked you about. I can’t wait to pick out fabric for them and then do them!! Thanks for you response too.
Have fun sewing with your friends!
Beryl
We’ve had 3 inches of rain in 3 days and had 7 inches over Labor Day. Then super dry in between. Storms coming tonight. My hubbie is deployed with Red Cross in Columbia SC. I may deploy but it is hard with work and a 99 yr old dad, pets, yard. We’ll see. So many folks struggling.
Everybody take care.
We are going to get your weather tomorrow, Mary. 88 hot degrees and high winds by evening bringing in a cold front. I am very excited to have sewing weather again! Enjoy your time to sit and sew as everything around the house is hard to pass by to just have sewing time so glad you are making time for it.
The weeds will pull out better after we finally get some rain anyways.
We are to get some of your rain in central Indiana tonight and we need it! All summer it has been terribly hot and then about drowned by rain, back to the heat again! I’m ready for fall! Good luck drying out your plants.
I don’t have or want a farm but would so love a cottage with those lovely windows and views. I would love an easier place to care for. My house is fun but a lot of work for just me in Illinois.
Stay dry and I hope your plants survive. Pat Hazel for me and give Reed an extra hug!
We have had 5.7″ so far not counting today’s rain, maybe 1.5″ more, our sump pump hose is on the pipe where it comes out of the house, getting prepared for continued rain, many other area to the south of opus have way more rain than we have gotten, I am going to make sure my plants are in the garage out of the rain..too much for them. Hotdish for supper kind of a night today, your yard reallly is getting a soaking for sure. Love ❤️ your blog.
The headline in our paper this week is “Drought takes toll on Wells.” Gulp! I knew it was dry but didn’t understand it was this bad with the aquifer level low. Now we have the prospect of the ground freezing before the water level can recover. I saw your pictures of rain with such wistfulness. I’ve never seen so much hot weather here either. We don’t have air conditioning—never much need until this year when we had temps over 90 a lot. We finally went out and bought a window air con for the bedroom. We have baseboard hot water heat so no duct work for central air. It has finally cooled off yesterday and today. It’s hard to be in the mood to sew when it’s hot. Hope you’re having fun with you sewing friends tonight. I’m looking forward to some myself.
My husband and I are on a meandering trip across country on our way to visit relatives in Arkansas. As we were driving through Minneapolis, in a by the bucket downpour, I was reading your post to my husband. Unbelievable rain and I am from Washington State where it usually rains a good part of the year. But not this year where we had a record number of days in the 90’. As we came down I-35 we decided to swing by Garner and check out the heat and wind. Lovely part of the country you live in. And the wind prediction was right. As we continued to Des Moines we had heat, wind and some lightening for entertainment. My friends and I have always enjoyed the many books you and Connie have published. Thank you so much.
Beth
Beth – we’ve had about 8-9” of rain this week which is very unusual for us -everything is very green, isn’t it?
Here in South Texas we have been in a drought all summer but the last 2 weeks have been nothing but rain, it’s been great but enough is enough…..never thought I’d be saying that! Mary, you don’t need to “stage” any pictures, it’s good to see that your a regular person with exceptional talent and a wonder house to call home, I love it all!
Jeri
Love seeing the Three Amigos. 🙂 We have had lots more rain than normal in Central Ohio. Usually our grass in August is brown and dry. It’s been tall and green all summer. We have lots of plants outside in the ground, but our indoor plants just stay in. That’s a lot of work, Mary. It would be great if we could share water with places that need it! Quilting is a necessity– every day if I can.
My husband and I were in your area earlier this week. We did enjoy dodging the rain as we left Clear Lake State Park on Wednesday.
We had a mini shop Hop, visiting the Quilted Forest and the shop in Garner. It was great to see the Country Threads patterns for sale. I am disappointed that Junkin Gal was not open at the beginning of the week. I will plan better next time!
Stay dry, soon those raindrops will be snowflakes.
Paula from Texas – I wish I had known you were in Garner! I would have happily driven to town to meet you or invited you out to the farm. Next time please let me know!