Roadside Gold

Sunshine was MIA last week in Kansas. But Kansas sunflowers did their best to make up for the absence of Old Sol. Abundant rains in August and September have boosted our roadside "gold" quotient. There's no doubt that Kansas is the Sunflower State during these waning days of summer.

September 7, 2018

Even on an overcast day, the yellow brightened the way to the Rattlesnake Creek pasture last Friday.

September 10, 2018

Who needs a "red carpet" when you can have a yellow one? Some of the common yellow sunflowers are a little past their prime. But the Maximilian varieties are at their peak.

Sunflowers aren't the only living things that have loved the unseasonable rains. Farmers in our part of the state are celebrating that we are no longer in the colored section of the Kansas drought monitor. (I know our neighbors to the east still are, and we can definitely commiserate.)

Read more here: https://www.kansas.com/news/business/agriculture/article1095837.html#storylink=cpy

Let's face it: Rain in August in Kansas is as unusual as a school of fish in the Sahara. The last time I published a drought monitor map here on the blog, we were straddling the moderate to severe drought line.

This was the drought monitor the last week of July.

After 5.3 inches of rain here on the County Line last week, we have left our drought designation behind ... at least, for the time being. I tried to figure out when that last happened, but Google let me down. But, believe me: It's been awhile.

Rattlesnake Creek, Stafford County, September 10, 2018, looking to the east

We thought the Rattlesnake Creek might have more water after our rains. But we are thankful for what it does provide for our cattle who are still at their summer pasture getaway there. The guys will work on repairing fence at the Ninnescah Pasture later this week after the water goes down a little more. (Pratt County to our south is still cleaning up from flood waters from the Ninnescah.)

Rattlesnake Creek, looking to the northwest

For much of the summer, Peace Creek has been dry as we've traveled over the Zenith Road bridge. But, on Monday, there was water flowing (below).

Peace Creek, September 10, 2018

We cut one field of dryland corn August 31, but we haven't been able to be in the field since then. We didn't even need to feel guilty about going to the K-State game on Saturday.

We even had to break out the rain gear at the game for just a little bit. We didn't like the outcome of the game, but we all enjoyed the cooler temperatures.

And we love our Wildcats, no matter what.

And we've loved the rain, even though it ruined all the sudan hay we had down.You take the good with the bad. And being out of the drought category definitely qualifies as good!