It pours everywhere but here. Today I heard pounding rain to the north and west, but nothing here. Every day it pours in Alpine and neighbors all over this area are boasting of the wonderful monsoonal rains. Pretty discouraging. I can make it on what water I have for a few more weeks but the native vegetation, like the soapberries, are all dead looking. It was 103° today when I started watering. Couldn't start sooner because the electricity was off.
I'm having serious thought about giving up on the oasis. Life is too short to spend it stressing about the weather. Gonna hang in there until I run out of water. Then if the person that said they'd get water hauled here does, maybe I can go a little longer. I think global warming is making projects like the oasis untenable. I haven't given up, but getting closer than ever. Age might have something to do with it too.
While I was watering, I sprinkled the leaves of my best madrone tree and discovered a Bell's Vireo nest in it. Don't remember seeing a nest in any of my madrones before. Cool! I would think it would be a popular nesting tree being evergreen and lush.
I certainly understand your concerns about maintaining your oasis. But also am concerned because you seem so unhappy in Alpine and can't WAIT to get back out there. Would take a lot of adjustment. Knowing only what you portray in this blog it appears that you take on massive projects, like the trail for example, and seem to be a perfectionist. Wondering if you could simplify/modify/slow down a bit and perhaps not be quite so overwhelmed. You gave yourself a near impossible goal in the 1st place, maintaining an oasis in a very difficult/hot/dry area and have done a remarkable job for all these yrs. Give yourself plenty of time to think about your decision but do what's best for YOU and what makes you happy! Best of luck!
ReplyDeleteCarolyn, I agree with Sandy. Step back look around and view the very full glass of all that you have accomplished at CMO. See you soon.
ReplyDeleteIt isn't the amount of work that overwhelms me, it's just the futility of fighting the weather. It didn't used to be so bad. I think it's global warming. I've changed what I could but maybe it's time to accept what I can't change. And nothing in life is forever.
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