Rain, Rain Go Away

Rain, Rain Go Away

Kansas has had some of the wildest rainy weather this spring and now we are into the beginning of summer we are still having it. We have experience restless nights with thunder in the distance and coming closer with each rumble until it is booming overhead and vibrating the whole house. With all the noise, there was no chance of us going back to sleep. The lightening was just fierce, causing us to flinch each time it comes close. Then the rain began pouring down saturating the ground and we could hear the strong winds blowing away things in the neighborhood and off our patio. That was when I got up to check which windows the rain was blowing in. About that time, I begin to wonder if the last time I drove the car I remembered to roll the windows up. After 60 some years of driving you would think, I would learn it is not fun to run out in your nightgown to roll those windows up.

After the storms have passed, we checked with the TV weatherman to see where it rained the hardest and where the high water is going next. On this Saturday morning, our concern was with the local farmer’s market that is located in a big arm of the Walnut River. We were pleased they were open and had quite a few intrepid or hungry for fresh veggies customers. I posted http://www.ourecho.com/story-561-The-Original-El-Dorado-Farmer-s-Market.shtml in June 2006 and our first day of this market in June several years before was almost a washout too. Nevertheless, customers came in rain gear or with just newspapers over their heads to see what goodies we had brought in our pickup. I love to earn money but soggy wet bills are hard to manage. That was when we spent some of our hard-earned money and bought a canopy to keep our money, our faithful customers and ourselves dry.

Strangest part of this year’s weather is that maybe on the north side of town they did not even get a drop. The storms have been so constant and so unpredictable that it is hard to decide, whether to pray or pack up valuable belongings, in case we have to move out. Reminds me of the post I wrote last June about camping on the Cottonwood River in Chase County, Kansas back in late twenties and early thirties. http://www.ourecho.com/story-2217--Gone-Fishing-on-the-Cottonwood-River.shtml .

It seems that almost any thing we do bring back memories that I have shared with you one time or other. Like last night, I had some leftover mashed potatoes. I added some farm fresh eggs we had received in trade for a couple of loaves fresh raisin bread that our country friend loves. Clyde makes the bread in his bread machine. With the resulting potato mixture, I fried up some delicious potato cakes for supper, similar to those Mother used to make.
http://www.ourecho.com/story-787-Mother-s-potato-cakes.shtml.

Right now one of our great granddaughters is waiting for the rain to quit & the ball field dries enough for their softball tournament to continue. One of the farmer market vendors says that his new potatoes are just rotting in the wet ground. On the other hand, the iris and peonies blossoms were the biggest and tallest I have ever seen. They were so very lovely this year.

1st. photo Gail & Clyde & their farmer's market canopy.
2nd. photo is of our daughter, Karen's Iris

Story ID:	4048
Written by:	Gail Lee Martin (bio, contact, other stories)
Organization:	Kansas Authors Club
Story type:	Musings, Essays and Such
Location:	El Dorado Kansas USA
Year:	2008
Person:	everybody