It's All About the Weather

Does anyone remember those days when you left home completely oblivious to what the weather had in store?  Not only didn't we have second-by-second reporting and predicting, we really didn't give a hoot - because we were invincible!  Thinking you're invincible tends to kick you in your not so invincible butt - but (or butt if you want) thinking you're invincible is such a grand ride unless you crash.  Most of us didn't crash to the point of elimination but most of us did crash enough to learn a few lessons along the way.  The weather lesson is one of them.  I do think you must be a geezer to really embrace the weather lesson fully.  And with that bit of pondering over, let's talk about today's weather:

We've had an early and very cold spell setting records here in Illinois.  Those poor folks in NY have frozen their off brand tomato sauce and shared some really awesome and frightening photos.  Today it's warmed up and we're getting some significant rain.  To this we will see a flood (pun intended) of complaints over it being gray and wet.  At that point I want to say, "REALLY do you not understand rain in the late fall is a good thing?"  Here's the deal from the weather geezer (and don't call me that to my face - thank you.)

Plants need - I mean really need - lots of rain in the fall to take them through the winter.  Especially in summers where we have edged towards drought conditions.  Trees are especially needy.  Occasionally they're temperamental but in the fall they are just plain needy.  To survive the cold blowing wind, they must take in enough water.  This is especially true of trees and bushes that don't loose their leaves in the winter.

If the ground is not deeply frozen, the rain will be beneficial to all your plants.  Rejoice you aren't out there watering or watching a treasured perennial die from lack of moisture.  Celebrate the gray of the day and be glad it's not in the form of snow or ice.  We'll see enough of that before winter's finished with us - trust the geezer weather forecaster on this one.