My Little Drought

[SlipperKing]

Eric mentioned in another thread he would like to see the "Earth Opening Up". I said the cracks were big enough to loose a kid in them but it's not quite that bad!

The liquid gas company came out a month ago and staked out their right-a-way so I took advantage of a stake.

As you can see the stake is 3 feet long or so.

Here I place it into one of the cracks!

The grass and trees are suffering to a point that they may not come back.

One has died already

Here I noticed this bright orange litter at the base of five of my pines.

I first thought I had Pine Beetles but on closer examination it turns out to be crystalized sap "bleeding" from the trees. As you can see it forming on the bark then crumbles off. I would say the inner lining of the tree that keeps the moisture inside has dried to a point of splitting open and the trees are drying out.

Even the squirrels are getting down to their last pine cones!

here is the pine cone litter they are leaving for me to clean up.

Others things going on; lakes drying up and the streets have huge cracks running through them and the really bad part for me, I need foundation work now!

 

[Shiva]

Nature is tough and things should return to normal once it begins to rain again, assuming all those plants are native to the area.

 

[JeanLux]

Really worrying !!!! Hope you get some rain soon!!!! Jean

 

[NYEric]

Thanks for sharing. That kind of dry heaving makes me hope you have flex connections on all your utilities!

 

[gonewild]

Are you sure the bleeding sap is not from insect holes?

 

[Marc]

Sooner or later rain will come and then nature will show how strong and versatile it is. I only hope it comes fast for you because it only takes one idiot with a sigaret to start a disaster.......

 

[goldenrose]

I'm surprised that there is green grass in some of the shade, I can't imagine going that long without rain, it's approaching a year for you isn't it? I heard other areas it's already been over a year.

 

[W. Beetus]

Wow! That is crazy! Let's look on the bright side, at least you don't have to mow grass...

 

[SlipperFan]

That looks pretty sad, Rick.

 

[paphioboy]

Ouch, that's bad. Global weather has been freaky. Floods in Korea, snow in New Zealand etc... Here in Adelaide it is raining very heavily almost everyday, almost as much as what I get back in Malaysia, which is definitely not normal for Australian weather...

 

[koshki]

Ahhhh, seeing trees die makes me sad.

 

[SlipperKing]

Are you sure the bleeding sap is not from insect holes?

Lance, that's one of the first things I looked for but didn't fine any. Unless their way high up and I just can't see them.

 

[SlipperKing]

Sooner or later rain will come and then nature will show how strong and versatile it is. I only hope it comes fast for you because it only takes one idiot with a sigaret to start a disaster.......

That's one of the biggest fears a round here. Every county in the state has had at least one "wild " fire so far but that was 1 1/2 -2 months ago.

I'm surprised that there is green grass in some of the shade, I can't imagine going that long without rain, it's approaching a year for you isn't it? I heard other areas it's already been over a year.

Rose, the last time we had regular rain was Feb. I think it rained twice in March and then two more times since then for about 5 minutes each. Just enough to fill my water tank.

Wow! That is crazy! Let's look on the bright side, at least you don't have to mow grass...

Yea, and the kicker is... I just bought a zero turn mower last spring to buzz a round all the trees! I've gotten to use it twice this summer and both times I had to wear a dust mask to breath and was dirty black from all the dirt and sweat!

That looks pretty sad, Rick.

Very much so Dot.

 

[gonewild]

Lance, that's one of the first things I looked for but didn't fine any. Unless their way high up and I just can't see them.

In the picture with the crystalized resin on the park it kind of looks like maybe the resin is being pushed out at those points. I've seen beetle damage here in California have that happen, tiny little holes under the powder.

 

[chrismende]

Wow, Rick. How dreadful. I'm at a loss for words, since it seems so dire. By the way, did everyone know that Al Gore is coordinating a worldwide Climate Reality weekend? It starts on Sept. 14, 7PM CT. I'll be watching!

 

[SlipperKing]

Wow, Rick. How dreadful. I'm at a loss for words, since it seems so dire. By the way, did everyone know that Al Gore is coordinating a worldwide Climate Reality weekend? It starts on Sept. 14, 7PM CT. I'll be watching!

I'll watch too if he can make it rain!:rollhappy:

 

[cnycharles]

after he ran around so much pushing 'global warming', do you think anyone will pay any attention? sounds more like just looking for attention.
that really does look extreme. I remember maybe twenty years ago when at the golf course I worked at didn't have rain for about two months, the trees started dropping all their leaves (rotting green leaves really stink), but nothing approaching huge cracks in the ground and cracked foundations!

 

[SlipperKing]

Well I just took a quick count and there are 4 dead, totally browned off pine trees with another 3-6 looking pretty sad. I'll have to take some pics of the house and show what's going on with it this weekend.
On the lighter note; I have buds showing up!

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

Amazing! Sorry you have those conditions, although I guess as a NY'er I associate dry with Texas...meanwhile, we just got 1.5" in the last hour, after several inches last Sunday. The rain has to go somewhere...but boy, is it frustrating when it doesn't go where you want it.

 

[SlipperFan]

I heard on the news that Lake Houston(?) is, for the first time, drying up, and that this drought is expected to last into next year. Terrible.