Water Logged

After the ridiculous winter we had, which included two blizzards and copious amounts of smaller storms with accumulations over one hundred twenty inches, Western New York was happy to see spring arrive, late as it was. I can’t honestly say we have seen much of the bright orb in the sky. Someone may want to mention to Mother Nature the correct phrase is, “April showers bring May flowers.” All we have seen has been April showers and May showers. Looking at the long range forecast, June doesn't look too promising either.

Let me start by describing our property. We barely live in the suburbs. The city line of Buffalo is only a block away, but it’s still a different world. The house sits on a dead-end street; eleven houses total if you include the corner houses. They could swing both ways, I suppose. While we really have no front yard to speak of and the back is concrete and garden, we are blessed with a side yard. It’s large enough another house would be built on it, if we were still city dwellers. On the other side of the house is a concrete lot use for tenant parking for the multi-family house. Its owner, Barry , is a story in itself. Because of the spacing, we have the pleasure of not hearing the intimate details of our neighbors’ lives. The sounds of a baby’s cry, the chink of silver being washed or the meow of a pet cat in the window are all comforting sounds.

The yard is also a bit of a bowl. Not much, but enough to notice the water pooling. Once the over one hundred inches of snow melts, it stays there. You may have noticed water does not run up hill. There was enough water in the “pond” it would freeze nightly giving the little woodland creatures of the night a place to play hockey. Now that temperatures are above freezing; ducks have somewhere to play and I’m fairly certain I saw a beaver building a damn.

One day recently, I was told, sternly I might add, I should be wearing boots. My shoes would be ruined. She was right of course, but who enjoys carrying a bag or box with shoes in it? Then all this rain made me wonder why galoshes and overshoes are obsolete. Remember them? When I was little, I wore those cute little red galoshes with my rain slicker. Mom and Grandma wore black ones with fur in the winter and clear ones during spring and summer rains. They were even in the shape of the heel they were wearing! Men wore rubbers than slipped over their shoes. I admit, forty years ago, I mocked. Today, I covet. My shoes would sing my praises if I saved them from slush and puddles.

Now, at the end of May and Memorial Day weekend, I’m planting my small vegetable garden behind the house. I’ve purchased the squash, cukes, and tomatoes from a local nursery. I’ve even brought home an apple tree to plant! Until we meet again, I’m going out to be the happy gardener and play in the sun.

Wait, was that thunder? How hard can maintaining a cranberry bog be?