The black clouds I noticed when I started to carry buckets of water to the barn in preparation for the milking yesterday morning, were not as frightening as the continual thunder. It sounded like a monster train running over a bump in the track not too far away. The thunder rolled again and again for the better part of an hour. Just getting louder.
When I walked back thirty minutes later with buckets of milk I saw this.
We all held our breath, even the cloud. And then it poured, and then it hailed. The camera was so disgusted it would not even take a shot. Of course The Matriarch in her house down the road got Nothing! The town to the North got nothing. Just us. It was not long. A good 10 – 15 minute downpour. I have no rain gauge at the moment. But when it turned to hail I turned to the kitchen and went inside.
The irony is that John who was working about 50 miles to the North was drenched by the same rain storm about 30 minutes previously. Rain then hail. He called me and said the rain is on its way. It just wanted John to know.
The birds played with much splashing merriment in the puddles for the rest of the day. And the water-barrels and drinking troughs are full again.
So we made a vegetable loaf from whatever we could find in the garden. With grated potato, fresh breadcrumbs and an egg to bind it.
Then my big camera completely stopped. Just stopped. I charged, nothing. I attempted to load from the card, nothing. Hopefully not a permanent problem. I have sent it to its room to think about its behaviour and got out the purse camera. 
So from now on, until I can work out what is wrong with the big camera, I will be shooting from the little camera with no options. Not even a focus option. Sigh. But there you are, that is the next challenge I suppose. And it is a good challenge because we should not depend on a ‘good’ camera to make good images. We should depend on Photo Shop!! (laughter!). No. We should depend on our eyes!
The first two shots are with the big old D70 Nikon. The third with the little point and shoot.
Good morning. The pump in the milking parlour is working OK now. Touch wood. I have rearranged the animals again, trying to avoid depleting my fields completely while still fattening the lamb and the steer. Daisy’s milk production is slowly going down as the fresh feed dries up. But there you are. Thankfully we are not pioneers with no freezer.
It certainly is not the worst drought ever felt in the mid west. Evidently in the 80’s it was much much worse. Other areas of the country are in a really bad state this time. Maybe they should cut hay. It is a rain magnet. But hopefully it will be quiet now.
celi
What happened on the farmy on this date a year ago?.. Honey!.
The Kitchen's Garden 
60 responses to “Rain, Hail, The Works!”
Considering what you had to put up with via the weather, that camera better think hard while it’s in its room! I was so afraid for your hay when I saw the rain come via your FB post, but am glad the hay isn’t ruined and hope any moisture will hold off until you can get it baled.
Joyfully, we finally got rain here in Canada too! We’ve only had a spitful in July……
P.S. I’d love your pictures taken with any old camera!
Even though it was only a short rain storm I hope some of the water managed to penetrate the dry ground and not just rush off in a flood.
I hope your camera has apologized and can come out of its room now …
As soon as I saw the title of this post, my first thought was OH NO! Your hay!
But then I read your reply to the first comment — I hope the hay dries quickly!
Glad the hay is ok – and you all of course!
Hail is never a good thing and glad to hear that no damage resulted. Hope that’s it until you get that hay into the barn. TonTon and his ball. Max has the same relationship with a couple toys. They disappear, only to resurface days/week later. I have yet to find his stash, though I have looked for it. And it’s not like I have a farm to search, either.
Have a great day, Celi.
“We all held our breath, even the cloud.” haha 😉
As pertains to the naughty camera you sent to its room, you do realize it’s a Mercury retrograde period, where such things are commonplace?
Glad you’re getting some rain, though.
Cheers!