Rain, Rain, Go Away
Wow, who ever thought I'd be saying that. Our annual rainfall is about 4" a year. Pretty skimpy. Until Friday, we have only had about 1/2 inch of rain for the entire year. It's really been hampering our water conservation efforts. For the first time in 4 years we are using more water than in 2002. Of course our population has exploded by about 5000 people per month moving here.
Back to the rain: It rained on Friday, causing a major problem at the PGA golf tournament. The second round was suspended on Friday the 13th due to dangerous weather conditions -- marking the first time in over 75 years that it had rained on Oct. 13th in Las Vegas. It caused major traffic delays on the highway so some players were late for their tee times. We got about 1/2" of rain on Friday.
Saturday was a day I was looking forward to. It was our annual Day with the Experts at The Gardens at the Las Vegas Springs Preserve. I was honored to be asked to conduct tours through the gardens to talk to people about the plants. I was so excited. Last week I presented a program to the new Master Gardener class about designing with desert plants. Nothing I like more than talking about plants, I must have some teacher genes in my personality, and I love helping people find the right plant for the right place. I woke up to very overcast gray skies, but didn't worry too much. I figured if it rained on Friday, it sure wouldn't rain on Saturday. Usually, if there is any moisture in the clouds, it dumps it on its way on the mountains just to the west of Las Vegas. So I got up and got going a little early. When I entered the expressway, I should have had a clue. It took me 30 minutes to get about 5 miles. I later found out that it was raining south of us and standing water on U.S. Highway 95 forced the closure of that freeway at 
Decatur Boulevard from Saturday morning until late afternoon, snarling traffic for hours. Rain caused an embankment on Interstate 215 to collapse, closing the Beltway for about five hours. I finally reached the gardens on surface streets, and you guessed it, it started pouring down rain. I've been a volunteer at this event for 10 years and its the first time it's ever rained. Bah humbug.Well, needless to say, I was majorly disappointed. But we did get another inch of desperately needed water. I'm hoping for better weather next Saturday. I'm working at an event called Bite of Vegas at one of the local parks. I'll be giving people information on the conservation program I work with to save water. So wish us clear skies and NO RAIN.
posted by MrsGreenThumb @ 9:02 AM
11 Comments:
If it's going to rain again, I hope for your sake, that it rains during the week before your next big event.
The rain must really cause flooding there because once when Jimmy & I were in Az, a thunderstorm was brewing so we headed out only to be chased after amd stopped by the local police and advised for our safety to head back to town, get a room for the night and stay put until morning. So we did.
Did I ever tell you I LOVE LAS VEGAS....The first time I went their, was on a train with 13 other ladies....and then I would go every year, but fly....I remember a casino that had a beautiful garden display.....and one time when I was their, waiting for a bus to go on a tour, it hailed....and then it rained and flooded.....I remember seeing people standing on the roof of their car......
I bet you did enjoy conducting the tours through the garden....it's fun when you know what your talking about, to share it with other people.....
Into each life, a little rain must fall. Maybe you should move to Patagonia. I hear that it NEVER rains in Patagonia.
I really admire people who can give docent type lectures. I always enjoy hearing them.
I love the desert, especially when it is green. The desert at Big Bend National Park gets about ten inches of rain a year, which is just about perfect. Any more and it would be a grassland/scrub mixture, and any less and the variety of plants would not be as great.
The last time I went to Big Bend, it had rained a few days before, so it was green and there were flowers here and there. The overnight temperature went down to about sixty, so it was great walking weather. I went by myself, even though it was a ten hour drive each way. I stayed for two days and took lots of pictures. I saved my favorite ones and maybe one of these days I will do a post about my trip.
Hope you have a nice week.
I know you needed rain but I'm sure you would have wished it rained ANOTHER day!! lol What a shame it put a damper on your day Saturday but you just never know with the weather! I've never been to Las Vegas but have quite a few friends who have and just love it...not just for the casinos either! lol
It's still raining here. I walked out into the back yard as I was collecting my bird feeders to clean them and then put them back up, and I just about sunk a couple of inches. It was very soggy.
I can imagine, when it rains in LV, that there is so much run-off and that makes for dangerous conditions. When it rains 1/2 inch here, it's nothing. When it rains 1/2 inch there, you have a flood.
Sorry your event got rained out.
I love the rain but it always seems to hit at the worst possible time. Hope everything goes ok.
Bite of Vegas? I tried to Google this but there's very little to be found on the internet.
I've never been to Vegas myself. As a side note, only one kid from my old neighborhood made a name for himself in show business. Tragically, however, he was killed (murdered) apparently jogging the dry stretches around Vegas about a year ago.
I know that doesn't have anything to do with what you were talking about, but it just happened to come to mind.
I think people who show up in spite of harsh weather conditions are fantastic - guides, spectators alike. I envy that kind of commitment. Good luck for the next event.
man, that would bum me out too. All the rain on the wrong days. I am hoping no rain or drizzle today, as I organized a field trip for the homeschoolers to a local family owned organic farm. We are going to feed the chickens and rabbits, go on a hayride, play fun games, etc. The forecast says it will be sunny, but it will only be 45 degrees at 9 o'clock. I hope that doesn't scare anyone away. I hope it is dry for your event next Saturday, too
I admire you living and gardening someplace that gets 4" of rain each year. I, too, an obssessed with gardening, talking about gardening, thinking about plants, etc.
We've had quite a bit of rain where I live, but then we are supposed to get rain! 1/2" is nothing to us... several inches at a time? Then we get flooding.
Popped in to say hello. Have a good weekend.
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