When the rain stops…

13th August 2026

We are in a drought.

Every conversation is started “We need the rain”.

And it’s true. The grass is crispy, the trees are dropping their leaves and the ponds are drying up. I've noticed the hunger in the local wildlife. Squirrels seem frantic but not in their usual way. Normally they are chubby and bustling about with acorns and other goodies they foraged ready to store for winter. This year they are skinny and erratic.

I worry about ground fires and water shortages. I worry about the insects. I worry about the food supplies for us and wildlife. I worry that when the rain comes it won’t penetrate the dry ground and we will have mass flooding.

But what can I do except look after what we have? We water the flowers in the evenings and keep any plants in pots stood in trays to help them through. We mulch. We provide shade for the seedlings. We are managing.