The rain has been good for a lot of things. The flowers that we have planted are really enjoying it and they seem to grow bigger and stronger each and every day. I have always loved flowers and find them very therapeutic to grow and care for. Back in Kansas, I always had flowers growing everywhere. They did very well in the rich earth of my backyard on 14th Street. When we lived in Colorado, the soil wasn't always as good and healthy as we have found it here. Our home in Montrose was surrounded by soil that was filled with clay. Try as I might, I never was able to get much to grow from seed there. This year it is different and I'm happy.
One of the most interesting experiences that I had as a teacher this past year at Petrolia, was the time when I asked the kids to tell me about what it was like to live through the 5-year drought that had been recently broken before Mike and I arrived in Texas. We spent an entire day doing nothing but just talking about what it had been like to endure those hard times of little or no water. It was interesting to me to listen to their stories, ones that were told from the deepest parts of their memories and their young and tender hearts. They all had an experience to share and I could tell by the looks on their faces and by hearing the sounds of their voices that to live through a drought was something that I didn't want to ever have to do.
The next day we wrote about it and their words reflected the memories that had been shared with me the day prior. One little girl described the story of how she secretly planted a tomato seed and tried desperately to get it to grow. She watered it as she could but then it succumbed to nature's elements. Another little girl spoke of how the drought brought an unplanned blessing as it allowed her to learn how to do dishes by hand instead of running the dishwasher. She and her mom had many wonderful discussions about life as they stood over the sink washing and drying the day's dirty dishes. Others spoke of how they were slightly envious of children who lived where water was aplenty. Still others told me that they didn't even realize that there were kids who didn't have to worry about water. I learned so much that day through a lesson that I never intended to teach but found myself doing so anyways.
Their stories, written back in November of last year, have stuck with me and are on my mind this very morning. I learned the lesson from them of just how precious this gift of water really is. They taught me that day much more than I could have ever begun to teach them. We are trying to practice water conservation here at home as much as we can. The plants that we buy are ones that are drought tolerant. Mike is devising a system to collect rainwater and although we have only one collection barrel at present, we have plans to get more. The drought can return again and if we are going to call this area of the world our "forever home", then we need to be ready to adapt to any changes that the climate brings us. It's better to begin now than to wait and start it in times of severe change.
The wheat fields have not been cut here and the weather continues to slow down the process. Harvesters came into town over a week ago now and many of them must sit idly by as they wait for the rain to stop and the sun to come out and dry the fields. As the daughter of a custom cutter, I know all too well the stress and anxiety that rainy weather brings to the harvest season. Sunday is supposed to be a day without rain chances and much warmer so with any amount of luck, things will soon dry out and the combines can return to the field.
In the meantime, we say "thank you" for the rain. We hope and pray that all people will be safe from the flooding and the storms that bring it. We are soggy but safe here in Burkburnett, Texas. May your day be well, dear friends and family. Always we are thinking of and remembering you.
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