Thursday, July 14, 2011

WATER, WATER, EVERYWHERE...BUT HERE

Yes, I realize these teapots are only marginally related to our water topic, but they were just so darn cuh-yoot!
I heard some depressing news the other day.  Well, actually I overheard some really good news first.  I heard a lady saying this was going to be an El Nino year, which meant we'd be getting plenty of rain this fall.  Too bad she didn't know what the heck she was talking about!  She got me all excited, only to have my hopes dashed a day or two later when I discovered we are actually heading into another La Nina year, which means more water for those who are drowning, and nothing for us.  Since we are already experiencing extreme drought conditions, and have been for some time now, this pretty much ensures that this "dry spell" that started over a year ago is fixin' to win the title of "Worst drought to date in the recorded history of Texas."

Here my friends and I have gone to all the trouble to create something as wonderful as The Bountiful Sprout, so we can help our local farmers earn a decent living, only to have them all run out of business by drought.  It just isn't fair -- especially when everywhere else is being inundated with water!  There oughta be a way to lasso some of those clouds and haul them down to us.  Or, at the very least, you'd think my genius brother and his fellow aerospace engineers, whose jobs are hanging by a thread, and some of my hubby's fellow engineers in the oil and gas industry, could put their heads together and design a humongous water catchment system, kinda like what we have right here at our house -- one that could take the overflow from the areas that are most prone to flooding, and carry it to places like Arizona and Texas.  Easy-Peasy, right?  I mean, for pity's sake!  They put men on the moon and built the Alaskan pipeline, didn't they?  How hard could it be?

5 comments:

Marguerite said...

I could not agree more, Becky. I've been in Austin for the past few days, tending to our house under construction. Out in the hills west of town you might think you are in Arizona. Our house is right on Barton Creek, so I think our trees may have a chance(?). Too bad about the Bountiful Sprout. I have my daily prayer, Lord, send down your gentle and loving rain. It is such a serious situation. Enjoying your blog.

david said...

I had to light into my Denver co-workers when they complained about 6 straight days of rain, about 5". Yes, Denver dry climate prone to forest fires combined with our drought and they were complaining--they got an ear full.

Mike Lane said...

There is a giant catchment system down there, it's call the Edwards Aquifer and the West Texas farmers have been depleting for years on cotton and wheat grown in arid areas.

Hill Country Hippie said...

Marguerite: I'm so tickled to see that you are still stopping by! I've acquired some of my best readers (those who actually leave comments) from people who were planning a move to the Hill Country, including David (who left the comment just below yours) and his wife Teri!

Mike: That's a very astute observation, and I really don't mind sharing the excess (when there is any) with a less fortunate area IF they are using it to feed themselves. It's knowing that the aquifers are getting emptied out on huge lawns and golf courses that gets my dander up.

Hill Country Hippie said...

Via Facebook:
Nellie Gonsoulin Hartsell: love this post! haha! figured out why I can't post comments to your blog; "operator error" -me! I forget that I have to log into my email account that I set up (the one I don't use- and have forgotten password to!) Will have go fix that! BTW, I just HAVE to get back up there and visit the Blue hole this summer with the muses (and you are definitely one of them!)