We received a small amount of rain on Friday and an even smaller amount the next morning, totaling 0.07/inch in total. I haven't tried to calculate how much rainwater my barrels collected but at least there's been enough to fill my watering cans several times so far. The rain, virtually unheard of at this time of year, was such a surprise I took my camera out into the garden on Friday to take photos of the raindrops on various plants.
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| Acacia cognata 'Cousin Itt' |
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| Agave attenuata |
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| Artemisia 'Seafoam' - The droplets were visible to my bare eyes even though they don't show up clearly in my photo; however, I liked the combination of the silver foliage and the reddish peppermint willow leaves (Agonis flexuosa) enough to share it |
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| Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple' |
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| Cotyledon in a pot but I can't identify it more specifically |
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| Echium candicans 'Star of Madeira' |
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| Leptospermum 'Copper Glow' |
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| Leucadendron 'Jubilee Crown' |
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| Leucadendron 'Safari Sunset' |
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| Leucadendron 'Wilson's Wonder' |
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| Spiderwebs on Acacia and Crassula |
I'd planned to get some additional photos but I got distracted. One of the distractions involved this visitor, which I think was a female house finch:
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| She hit the kitchen window hard but was upright. She had her eyes closed for a time as shown on the left. She recovered as shown on the right and flew away within about 30 minutes. I remained at a distance but kept watch. No bird has ever hit that window before in my experience but my impression is that she was being chased. |
Our 2025 "water year" ended yesterday with a total of 7.03 inches of rain for the previous twelve months at our location, less than half our average total. Predictions for the 2026 water year, which begins today, aren't especially rosy but I'm holding out hope.
All material © 2012-2025 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
Oh, poor little finch - I'm glad she was able to fly away. Maybe with a headache. Your Leucadendrons sure look happy. Jubilee Crown is great with the raindrops!
ReplyDeleteBird strikes always make me sad. I added a hawk decal to the window on our south side, which was previously a problem area as there are windows on 2 sides of the house there. That just about stopped the problem there but this was the first time a bird had hit the kitchen window.
DeleteIsn't it amazing at what just a little rain can do?
ReplyDeleteIrrigation systems just don't create the same effect!
DeleteI love how excited you get over a few drops of rain. I'm exactly the same way. We had a tiny bit of rain overnight, and everything already looks a bit cleaner. Raindrop photos are the best!
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't take much to get me excited about rain, or even the prospect of it, Gerhard. Recently, instead of the usual morning marine layer, we've had clouds that teased us with the possibility of rain but then they cleared out and - poof! - that promise was gone. The forecasters had given us a 30% chance of showers too.
DeleteCongratulations of your first rain. Or rather the last for the rain year that just ended. Either way, it makes everything better: washes off dust and elevates the spirit. I just replaced a plum tree with a small magnolia tree (Jennie), and planted a few other purchases that waited till the weather change. That same evening, it started pouring. I couldn't have timed it better if I planned it.
ReplyDeleteI love that Cotyledon: a fantastic glacial icy green with red edge, make even better with the rain drops!
Chavli
That was great timing, Chavli! I wish I remember the name of that Cotyledon - it was a cutting from a friend's plant.
DeleteI love all the bejeweled leaves. Lovely leaves made even better. The Cotinus in particular!
ReplyDeleteAny moisture from our skies--as precious as gems. Seems like all the plants get a boost from precipitation, even small amounts.
Our gauge reported we went from 7.37" to 7.58" over several drizzly days to end our water year, so we got quite a boost considering it was September.
You got more than we did but I won't complain (much). Fingers crossed we get something better in the coming year!
DeleteIt doesn't seem like much rain, but it is refreshing. We had a similar amount back in September and even though it was a seemingly insignificant, it was enough to get the water flowing in the creek again. And, it was also enough that the lawns started turning green again. Biologically significant, anyway. Poor little bird! Glad she lived to tell the tale.
ReplyDeleteI'd hate to add a decal to that very visible window but, if I get any more bird strikes there, I might feel compelled to do so. So far, it's just the one strike in nearly 15 years of residence so at least it isn't common - and she did survive.
DeleteMay the water gods surprise you with much more (but not too much) in the coming months. Poor bird! Just the other evening we had one fly into our glass security door in the front, the first time in our 20 years here. There was blood. The little guy sat panting for quite awhile but eventually disappeared, I hope he's okay.
ReplyDeleteI hate bird strikes and I'd all but prevented them on the one end of the house where they occurred. I can only remember 2 deadly strikes there, both involving migrating birds.
DeleteRain drops make a garden so much more beautiful than it already is. I bet your plants just sucked all that moisture right in!
ReplyDeleteI, too, anguish over bird strikes. It generally happens to migrating birds unfamiliar with a place. Glad this one survived. It's a Hermit Thrush, btw, they have a most beautiful song. 😍 Eliza
I've never heard of a hermit thrush - thanks for the ID! I tried multiple sources to get a proper ID and none came through for me so I had to guess.
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