July showers bring...

...BUGS!

We had a lovely soaking rain this morning. It wasn't windy, so the rain simply fell straight down in silver streaks, cleansing and bringing a fresh feeling to our dusty dry island. We certainly needed the rain, and I suspect gardeners were very pleased. I hope that their plots produce a lovely bounty (whether edible or merely decorative) as a result of the showers this morning.

Unfortunately, there's another result of rain showers: mosquitoes! And they are out in force. There's an old adage that the mosquito population is worst about two weeks after a rain. Last week, I heard someone at the post office commenting that on Ocracoke, the mosquito swarm starts about two MINUTES after a rain shower. Today, that definitely seems true.

I went out to see the sunset and touch salt water, and had to hurry back inside before I got completely covered in bites. One particularly hardy skeeter (as we call them here in the South) hung on to the back of my hand even as I swiped at him, trying to get him to leave me alone. Nervy thing took 4 swipes before he flew off! Or perhaps I was just not making good contact, I don't know.

I'm sitting in the screened porch now, rejoicing at the sound of many frogs, because I know mosquitoes are their favorite meal. I hope they eat very well tonight.

Stormy nights

There was a lightning and thunder storm in the early hours of morning last night (it woke me at about 5:40 this morning, and it had already been raining for a while at that point). It was overcast most of the day today, and now it is pouring. There has been some spectacular lightning and loud thunder over the last few minutes too.

Better post this blog before the power goes ou




Just kidding!

Seriously, here's hoping there aren't too many storms in your life at the moment!

Unusually high tides

The tide has been unusually high for the last couple of days. I noticed it yesterday on my favorite sound side beach, but it was even more obvious today. I went to the lifeguarded beach, and it was clearly noticeable there. The water was pooled behind the lifeguard stand. Waves were crashing just a few feet in front of the stand, and then continuing up the beach, rolling under it.

To put this in perspective, the lifeguard stand is usually in what I would call "the middle" of the beach. On most days, there is plenty of room (i.e. dry sand!) to set up in front of it, which is what many people do.

I am not sure if there's a particular weather pattern affecting the tides. It has been cooler here the past few days as well. But the forecasters tell us that warmer weather is on the way for the weekend. Hope they are right!