Mississippi Baking

We got the first measurable rain last evening that we have had since the first week of July--maybe a tenth of an inch. Thunderstorms banged and bumped all around us most of the afternoon with no liquid effect, and then, as the rumble faded, a light rain began to fall. After a few minutes, the air began to cool perceptively and I grabbed my tools and headed for one of my many partially finished outside projects.

For the past month, the heat has relegated my outdoor activities to the first and last hours of daylight. Even then, the modicum of strenuous activity I was able to coax from my rapidly aging collection of skin and bones produced a trifling amount of accomplishment to balance gallons of perspiration. But yesterday evening was, if work can be classified as such, glorious. As the cooling rain fell, I worked at my dock down by the lake, making more headway on the project than I had in a month of molten mornings.

This summer's heat and associated drought has been remarkable, particularly after the icebox that was April. What plants that chill didn't kill, are struggling to survive this baking.

Wonder what September will bring?