Tuesday 12 June 2018

Doing A Rain Dance

I know the weather hasn't been the same everywhere in the UK but it's been weeks since we had a decent amount of rain here. My poor father and many like him have really been struggling with hay-fever, so much so that he is unable to visit or really go out until the evenings.  He says it's the worst he's been in a decade. I feel so much for him, for me it's only a minor nuisance of running and stinging eyes and cold symptoms in the mornings. I'm lucky the fexofenadine really work for me. Porthmadog, their home has been the hottest place in the UK a number of days being 27 degrees and 29 if caught in the intense sunshine. I doubt it's been quite that hot here but some days have been a struggle for me and the dogs, particularly Loki who really struggles, bless him he hates it.
Yesterday was cooler, a lot cooler, though still hot where there was no breeze. I was having a bit of a head day so walked everyone from home. I feel so sorry for them as they run from one empty ditch to another .. not a drop of water to been seen. It's so dry the mud is cracked and powdery which is devastating for the swallows who are trying to build their nests as they have no way of getting everything to stick together. The nest building is late this year due to the harsh winter running into Spring. I was also shocked to see the grass in such a state up there, basically it is dry and crispy and crunches underfoot as you walk. As you can see from the photo It's already loosing it's green colour and it's stating to take on it's Autumnal colours. On the plus side the heather seems to have survived the big freeze and is starting to flower. After the cold Winter of 2013 it was very sparse the following year, it will be interesting to see how much bloom there is by August.
The three lakes are lower than I have ever seen them, Llyn cop is just sticky mud at the near side, and you could probably walk through Afon Seiont (River) If we don't get a decent amount of rain soon, during this growing season I fear the wildlife as well as the crops will be affected. Hell I love dry weather as much as the next man, but what makes Wales beautiful is the lush rich countryside and right now it's in desperate need of the rain that is forecast tomorrow night.