Fall Rains

Raindrops

heard plop

on treetops

then leaves drop.

Leaves drop

like raindrops -

plop, plop, plop

then stop...

resting atop

grass and rocks

in my lot

round the clock.

Morning rain stops

though raindrops drop

from the leaves atop

trees wearing lots.

Squirrels come out and hop.

Seen hop, skip, jump, hop.

They play in my lot

while the clock ticktocks.

Up the treetop

they nimbly hop

from limb to limb atop,

then a walnut drops.

Then down the treetop

the squirrel hops

to find where the nut dropped.

Off he goes – hop, hop, hop.

Crows seen when the rain stops.

Their black wings flop as they drop

down from the sky in my lot

for they saw something they sought.

Squirrels scamper then stop

to watch crows in my lot.

Will they share or not?

Crows heard caw and mock.

When raindrops

again drop

squirrels hop

and crows flock.

Raindrops drop,

more leaves drop.

Soon treetops

are bare on top.

* * * * *

Rain is one of the Lord’s many blessings,

so why is it we’re often found grumbling

when rain rains

on our plans.

Our plans, temporary in nature,

while rain benefits all of nature

causing gardeners crops to grow

becoming sustenance below.

We often forget God’s plans

are higher than our plans.

He also sees the bigger picture

which contains a plan to bless us, for sure.

Next time it rains, look up rain in your Bible’s concordance.

You’ll find rain was ordained as a good thing, of importance:

for our sustenance

and our continuance.

If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands,

I will send you rain in its season

and the ground will yield its crops

and the trees of the field their fruit.

Your threshing will continue until grape harvest

and the grape harvest will continue until planting,

and you will eat all the food you want

and live in safety in your land.

Leviticus 26:3-5

Let us acknowledge the Lord;

let us press on to acknowledge him.

As surely as the sun rises, he will appear;

he will come to us like the winter rains,

like the spring rains that water the earth.

Hosea 6:3

Ask the Lord for rain in the springtime;

it is the Lord who makes the storm clouds.

He gives showers of rain to men,

and plants of the field to everyone.

Zechariah 10:1

Be glad, O people of Zion,

rejoice in the Lord your God,

for he has given you the autumn rains in righteousness.

He sends you abundant showers,

both autumn and spring rains, as before.

The threshing floors will be filled with grain;

the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.

Joel 2:23-24

Surely, as I have planned, so it will be,

and as I have purposed, so it will stand.

Isaiah 14:24

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways,

declares the Lord.

As the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts.

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven,

and do not return to it without watering the earth

and making it bud and flourish,

so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater.

Isaiah 55:8-10

This year has been a dry year. Despite watering daily, vegetation suffered greatly. Potatoes were small and few. Squash vines were scant and not leafy. Very few fruits. Though beets seemed to appreciate lack of rain as there are three pounders, according to a friend’s kitchen scales. Daily watering did benefit the tomatoes, thankfully, despite cracking. Be sure to focus on the positives.

Then when soaking rain showers finally came in September, vegetation grew by leaps and bounds but too late for fruits to mature. This week the scarlet runner beans look like red Christmas lights among the green leaves. Adored by hummers. When I share the dried beans I recommend planting where you can watch the hummers zoom as red is their favorite color. Just this week a chase ensued.

The aeronaut squash planted on top of last year’s compost pile finally took off running (across property lines) in September after the soaking rains came. A few male blooms but no squash will be harvested this year, unfortunately, even if frost holds off until October.

Grass was mowed on Saturday. On Monday it looked like it needed mowing again. What a marvel rain is! So appreciated, but also increases the work load.

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