Desert Dry

There has been no measurable rain here in over 7 weeks.  It is very dry.  The grass is totally brown, with a few specks of green here and there.  Most of the rest of the perennials have dried up terribly.  I water the vegetable garden, and some of the pots and gardens around the deck and front porch.  But, most things are just going down.  They will not likely die, or at least most of them won't.  But it will not be a good year for any.

The Bufo americanus tadpoles are growing, some faster than others.  They grow legs and emerge as young toads only a few at a time.  I wonder if there is some sort of pheromone or hormone in the water that the mature ones exude to keep the others immature.  In any case, they really emerged in the small rain we had this evening.  I found them all over the leaves of the floating plants in the pond.  They've been hiding in the crevices, and sometimes getting caught in a low moisture situation that is deadly to them.  There are more than a few tadpole shapes dried up on leaves of the water lily.  But tonight they are happy.  That is nice.