Soggy Saturday

The midwest of North America is having a rain event. Our area is not getting flooded like down in Texas and Oklahoma, but it's plenty wet. Our fountain pond and lily pond are full to overflowing and low areas have puddles. A few recent transplants are being well watered, but the rain has stalled both field and garden work. While waiting for a lull in a local cloud burst, a young fellow said, "Have you ever seen anything like this?" Acutally yes. Us tropical biologists get a whole new perspective on rain. One year our field trip to Costa Rica got over 400 mm of rain in 6 days.  One year TPP survived a monsoonal wet season where his weather diary had the same entry for 44 straight days: low overcast with light to heavy pulses of rain interspersed with a few real deluges. Everything mildewed.  Houseplants that were just moved outside for the summer are probably enjoying getting washed off and thoroughly rehydrated, but it's too much rain for a lot of plants. Having missed a window of opportunity, TPP still needs to plant some summer squashes!  Even if things get much worse, the Phactors neighborhood is what passes for a hill here in the flatlands.