Drought and Lessons Learned

No Campfires Permitted  Due to the Drought

A rainy day at a campground often puts a damper on planned activities. However, at this point most of us would welcome some showers to end the drought that has been going on almost two months. We are under a statewide campfire ban, the sites are pretty dusty and I am sure that any day now I will see top fins sticking out of the water because our fishing ponds are so low. Contrast this with temperatures being above normal, the leaves changing colors and the birds we see that are migrating south. It seems that nature is playing with us as we head into the late fall and the early winter camping season.

In my most sane moments I recognize that one thing you cannot control is the weather. Over time I am learning to be more tolerant but that does not mean I don't watch forecasts closely around major holidays or the weekend of the Chili Cook Off. I guess if  I think rooting helps my favorite football team, I can at least try the same logic when it comes to the weather. Like all examples of the extremes these conditions have shown us some things we might not otherwise see. I find it interesting to note which plants seem to hold up well and which ones look the most thirsty. I wondered about the depth of each pond and now we have a better idea of how deep they really are. I was also surprised to see how smooth the base of the pond is - I expected more weeds and rocks to be located 2 to 3 feet from shore.

I know that at some point the drought will end. I can almost anticipate the relief the land will experience as dry layers of dust taste the first few drops of moisture. Rain will then cover all of the ground until some spots end up with puddles. One reason people enjoy the outdoors so much is that what happens in nature reflects in many ways what happens in life. If you are in a personal drought of sorts we hope the holidays and the new year will help lift your spirits and offer you hope. The firewood pile that sits idle now will again be in high demand and new wood will be added once this pile gets smaller. We will be more careful in drought conditions knowing that it is possible to make matters worse if we are careless or unaware of how the drought impacts areas in our lives we often take for granted . It says in the bible that "all things work together for good for those that love God". Let us all learn the lessons a drought is designed to teach us and prepare well for some of the rainy
days that lie ahead.