Tag: Netherlands Drought

Hummm… Hot and Dry -Part 2 đź¤¨

August 18, 2022

I know… it could be worse. I heard from blogger friend “B” in GB that it was even hotter than here in the Low Lands. I wish I could send him some cooler weather so he can get out and photograph more beautiful butterflies!

Yes, it is the hottest, driest summer I have ever experienced in The Netherlands. We were off to pick up some bargain fencing for our garden when I realized on our drive how bad things really are here with the drought.

Starting to drive over the Waal (it is called the Rijn River in Germany)
The river normally is at the level of where all the sand is to the left of the photo. Hummmm….the river was very low! I read this morning near the border with Germany it is only 50cm in places making it nearly impossible for cargo ship traffic.
The dry grass along the roadway and railways are so brown in places you can see where small fires had started and burned along the way.

The Lek was the other river we crossed over yesterday, it also was so low that the locks that lead from a smaller river into the Lek were open completely as the water levels were the same. Not something that we normally see here.

Hard to see that this river is very low but normally it is a lock where boats wait until the water level is lowered or raised to get from the Lek into this river.

Hummmm… when are we getting rain for my garden?

Hot and dry! Hauling water every day from a canal water holding tank on the other side of the garden is not what I would call fun. Luckily my Minnesota farming roots provided me with tons of water bucket experience.

We finally got (only in the very West of the country) rain yesterday. About 2 cm or just under a inch. Not enough to not have to haul more water to fill the barrels this morning but enough that I don’t have to water plants today.

Hummm… I have finally insects in the garden.

This bee was found on my marigold on the hottest day of the year. I am happy I was able to provide a nice stopping place.
Hummm… all I could think of when I saw this was one of Queen’s song, Fat Bottom Girls. But, I guess wishing everyone a nice vacation when they had to work was nice.
Hummm… I was worried that the Hubby was going to run off the road! There was a theme yesterday! Then I wondered silently why there were only women representing…hummm…a bit unfair! Then we passed a truck with a man in a shower! Sorry, no picture on that but I did laugh!

With all the things we have on our plate recently from the drought, heat, water shortages, high gas prices, higher food prices, Ukraine/Russian war, possible nuclear holocaust if either side gets really stupid, we were hit with a totally new one yesterday…wait for it… solar flares! Yup, we were given 12 hours notice that solar flares could disrupt our electric grid, cell phone service, gps navigation systems! But, not to worry, don’t panic, the government has it all under control!!!

Which both the Hubby and I looked at each other and started laughing so hard I started to cry! Really?!

It is enough to make all the therapists in this country rich from all the new patients they will have streaming in their doors.

So if you don’t hear from us for awhile…maybe we got zapped with gamma rays from the solar flares…

Stay safe friends!🤨

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