Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Raindrops on Roses ... errr .... Wheat

"Raindrops on wheat fields" just isn't as catchy as "Raindrops on roses" from the song in The Sound of Music. But rain was definitely among this weekend's "favorite things," as the song says.  Put all those raindrops together and they totaled 2.10 inches of moisture.
It was a timely rain for our 2016 wheat crop, which is "heading." That means it is producing wheat kernels. An old wives' tale - or, probably more accurately, an old farmers' tale - says that harvest will be 6 weeks after the wheat is headed. If so, it could be an early harvest this year, depending upon how much more rain we get and how warm it gets in the next few weeks.

 
The rain should help fill more kernels and make the plants grow a little taller. The yellowish-brown places in the field still show that the crop was stressed due to lack of moisture before this life-giving rain. Back to that folklore thing ... Wheat is said to have nine lives, kind of like cats. The rain will help, but it likely won't fully recover. We could definitely use more rain, but we're thankful for the moisture we did receive.

My lilacs lapped up the extra moisture, too.
I have been waiting several years to have lilacs in my yard again. After an unfortunate herbicide accident, I have been missing the fragrant bushes. Randy replanted some several years ago and they finally decided to bloom this year.
With the rain and lilacs, it smelled like springtime and was better than any perfume.
I am not much of a gardener, so I appreciate the flowering plants that return, year after year ... especially when "kissed" with a gentle, soaking rain.

8 comments:

  1. Rain, glorious rain! I'm glad this latest moisture system was so wide spread. A timely rain will make farmers and ranchers smile!

    Sunday night - midnight last night we ended up with 1.30". It was just wet and cool enough J and I did a 10:30 and midnight cow check. The barn is full of babies, so it will be a busy day. At 5:30 this morn the sun was peaking through and the birds were singing. We have sunshine and warm temps predicted for the next few days.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. At 5:30 this evening, we are getting another rain shower. We will take it! We had clear skies for sending the heifers through the chute this AM and turning the bulls out with them. The corrals were wet, but we weren't complaining!

      Delete
  2. Glad you got the rain you were hoping for. Such a needed thing. Hope you get more at all the right times.
    MB

    ReplyDelete
  3. Rain!!! That's wonderful! Could it be another Memorial Day blastoff for wheat harvest?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope not, but it's definitely a possibility.

      Delete
  4. The miracle of rain always fills me with awe. So glad it made a timely arrival for you.
    It's lovely to see your lilacs. They are not something that grow here.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love lilacs. They are a reminder of childhood for me.

      Delete