The woods sighed with relief as the pools and small streams filled with water.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Sweet Rain
According to the UNH Weather Station our area received about 2.5 inches of rain in the last two days. Such a relief. On our walk at mid-day, in between bouts of rain, we felt the humidity. Even that was welcome after weeks of dry, parched Spring air.
The woods sighed with relief as the pools and small streams filled with water.
Overnight the rock tripe transformed itself from a dry, brittle collection of ugly lichen clinging to the rocks to a luxuriant carpet of green.
And how sweet to cross paths with tiny red efts--the immature stage of the red-spotted newt--as they were wandering the freshly moistened forest floor.
Every woodland plant was covered in water droplets, including this solomon's seal perched on a big boulder.
The rain fell steadily overnight. I was worried about the peach trees in our yard; fortunately the blossoms held and the trees weathered this storm quite well. Everything looks grand.
The woods sighed with relief as the pools and small streams filled with water.
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Hi Ellen,
ReplyDeleteVery enjoyable post, as always!
You'll likely find this difficult to believe, but I've never had the good fortune of seeing a red spotted newt. Guess I've just not been at the right place at the right time!? :-(
John
Hi John, Thanks for your nice note. Keep an eye out on wet days as you hike. Sometimes the efts look like bits of leaves or twigs. I look forward to your post the day you see your first one! Hope it is soon as they are handsome little forest creatures. Ellen
ReplyDeleteI've just discovered your blog and finding it very interesting. Love the colourful newt, I live in Britain and our newts prefer dull brownish/ green colours that make them difficult to find!
ReplyDelete'Sweet rain' was just about my exact thought a little while ago as I raised the row covers on a raised beds and saw that finally, finally, finally the scallions had germinated along with a number of other vegetables. I had watered them a bit but obviously not enough. We were fortunate here to have a mild but steady rain that saturated the ground nicely. I feared we'd get a huge downpour that would cause a lot of erosion in local streams.
ReplyDeleteThat is a lovely photo now gracing the top of your blog.
Thanks When I am Rich. I always smile when I see an eft/newt, so colorful and sweet they are. Ellen
ReplyDeleteThanks for the note Ken. We just got a bit more rain overnight-the kale, cilantro, and peas are happy (as am I). Should be another good eft-sighting day :) Ellen
ReplyDelete