Mid Summer Check-in

80% of the United States is under a drought.  The high today in Omaha, Nebraska is 107 degrees.  Rainfall for Birmingham is 7 inches below normal for this year.  It is the driest Summer since 1956 in America.  The old adage that "you don't miss your water 'til the well runs dry" still rings true.  The question remains; what can we do about the weather?  The answer?  Not much.  For Birmingham, a  7 inch deficit is not impossible to make up before the end of the calendar year.  The one thing we can do, and should be doing on a regular basis is CONSERVE.  Water lawns and shrubs in the early morning.  Adjust your irrigation sprinkler heads so that water is not falling on concrete or asphalt pavement.  Collect rain water in barrels and buckets.  The Home Depot sells a rain barrel that connects to gutter downspouts to accelerate rain water collection.  There is a spigot on the bottom of the barrel to use when you want to get the water out. In other words, save water; don't waste it. According to our weather almanac, September and October will be cooler and DRIER than normal for Birmingham. The almanac also states that the hottest periods are now behind us. Thank God for that.  In closing, please remember to use water wisely and have a great end to your Summer.