Ecosystem Changes

 

 

 

Greetings from the world's newest rain forest.

I never really thought about habitating in a rain forest before.  From pictures in books and specials on NatGeo they look very beautiful.  However, I am not a fan of constant damp conditions.  I am also not a fan of immense rainfall.  Perhaps that is why I was born into being a North Carolinian and not some psychedelic marked up highly poisonous tree frog.

The newest rain forest is nestled in the state of North Carolina.  We have had rain for the past oh I don't know two weeks?  It has fell gingerly against the blades of grass and it has fallen with great fury knocking down crops and flowers and happiness.  The rains have taken the summer and turned it into a muddy, steamy, mosquito ridden mess.

I'll take steamy any day....but muddy no way.  Mosquitoes....just come with the territory.

Last night the skies opened up to a big, fat, angry thunderstorm.  The thunder was the sound of Armageddon and the lightning was threatening enough that I made my way to the first story of my home and kept watch over the back of the property.  A minimum of fourteen days of rain - lots of rain - and a large grove of Poplar, Oak, and Beech trees, mixed in with some horrific lightning could only be a recipe for the potential of the need to yell out:  TIIIIIIIIIIMMMMMMMBBBBBBBEEEEEEERRRRRRRR!

Luckily, nothing fell victim to the storm.  Except thirty minutes of my night time sleep.

I can tell you that the rain forest isn't much for people who have sensitivities to the barometric pressure scale.  The right side of my mouth wages wars with my sinus cavities when the damp, wet weather arrives.  It feels terrible to say the least.  Imagine a really bad toothache covering your face.  The only help for it is sunshine and that is no joke.  Between the rains yesterday the sun shone beautifully, I was able to get outside and within moments the pain was gone. 

I must say I am not cut out for rain forest life.  I am extremely grateful it hasn't turned into flood plain life but I am very unhappy with the constant rains.  The reality of it all is this:  if it continues the ground is going to say to the clouds - no more.  Then the water is going to do more harm.  We just don't need that.

I'm ready for a hot dry summer.

No, this is not my house but the pics are compliments of Google.

To those who pass by our home - my apologies.

I normally make sure my front flower beds are weeded and have nice flowers growing in them and the boxwoods are manicured. 

This year I have not done that.

I can imagine anyone who drives by who has seen it in previous years is going - "what in the world" - I am so sorry it has looked like an eye sore. 

I had thought my basement and foundation issues would have been attacked and repaired by now.  However, there is an old adage:  If you want to see God laugh tell him your plans.

Not my basement but some day:  this picture courtesy of dreamstime.com

That is very true.  If the world were all strawberries and sweet cherries then the basement would be completed, the interior of the home now would be under construction. Unfortunately, it is not.  In our minds we would have started in June but there were other plans that none of us saw.  I can say that it is well.  Had the work started when we had initially thought... it would have been pushed back until the monsoon pattern ended.  That means that we would be sitting in a muddy mess right now - even muddier than it already is - a yard torn up and a mote around the place.  The interior job would probably be put on hold because there is always someone ahead of you on the list and when its bad outside the carpenters are working inside.

We are now looking at a September start.  Just looking Big Man not writing it in ink....go ahead with your plans.

Had I known this I would have paid more attention to the front of my little home.  I would have happy little flowers blooming and manicured boxwoods.  With it being a new ecosystem I wish not to plant anything and therefore it will continue to look boring and blah.

I did get out and get the bushes trimmed up yesterday and the beds weeded.  Kudos to me.

Just wait til next spring....



xx
Brownie