California Icycles

Waiting for the rain….. the dry spell surprised us all this winter. It’s not that we want to complain about 65 degree temps in December and January where one can go out for a walk at will, any time of day, sometimes with no jacket. Or that the clear starry nights were not noticed while out and about throughout the Holidays. We were carefree as we had little concern for roads conditions or remembering umbrellas as we dashed out the door.

Those of us that live in Rural Farmtown America know better than most the weird twist and costly risk of this type of weather pattern. Established orchards that lack rain and water slowly dry out to the point that a hard freeze can be fatal. Twenty degree mornings will have their effect on the trees and the cost of no water will eventually hit us all in the pocketbook.

An occasional wintery site will result from farmers scrambling to save their trees as the irrigation is turning on to keep the soil moist only to result in freezing water for those magic few hours of the early morning. It creates a visual excitement amongst the townspeople as they scurry about to work and to school. An area that sees no snow form year to year suddenly is graced with icycles glistening in the sunlight.

  

A little winter magic…. As we are waiting for the rain…..

Wallnut Orchard in Central Valley, CA