This summer will probably go down as one of the driest in years in southwestern Michigan. It’s certainly the driest since Earl and I arrived here five years ago. I even wonder why we need flood insurance, since the river is so low.
The grass is comatose; the crops are DOA. And weather is a component of daily conversation. It’s pretty sad.
At the same time, being a proponent of the glass-is-half-full-philosophy of life, I try to look on the bright side. So here are some things that the drought has also impacted.
There are no mosquitoes. Not one. Anywhere. Of course, the evenings are muggy, almost too muggy to sit on the deck or at the firepit; but if they weren’t we could do that bug-free. The weeds still grow, but their root systems are even weaker than usual, so pulling them is an easy, if on-going, task. Grass grows at a slower pace, so the lawn doesn’t look like it needs mowing two days after the lawn service comes.
Rain doesn’t splotch our cars, requiring more frequent washing. It doesn’t impede grilling on the Weber or walking in the morning. And it hasn’t spoiled a single garden party this season.
Since there’s nothing we can do about the weather, we might as well look on the bright side of things. I for one would give up mosquitoes any summer.
Leave a Reply