Waiting for rain

We are waiting for the rains. Every afternoon we are teased with the big dark clouds that don't deliver. Our fields and paths are dusty. The pastures are hoping to become green. We see the dawn with the sun trying to emerge into the morning through the mist.

When I drive to town, a few miles away, I pass the houses and trailers along the way that take the brunt of all the dust kicked up from the wheels of vehicles.

Living rurally, we pay attention to the rhythms of the weather. We worry about the dryness of the orange trees and we water what we can. I water the vegetable garden, our existence! Last night we had a celebration of vegetables for our friends. The garden is producing everything imaginable so we had platters of lettuce, beans, snow peas, beets, squash, eggplants, carrots and peppers. Our friends bring us fresh eggs and oranges.

The sand hill cranes are still incubating those eggs! I begin to wonder if they are duds? I went out with Lola, the dog, to check on them this evening. The mom, Emily, is still firmly on the nest, and her mate, Bob, is standing nearby. The ducks and the anhinga are nearby. Maybe soon?