Discouragement

I was so eager to get to the oasis and use my new watering system. I had tested it with an extension cord to be sure it worked good. Then I paid another electrician to just wire it to a switch so I wouldn't have to run a cord across the oasis. What could go wrong?

Water comes out of the closest hose just fine, but not out of the farther hose (like it did when I tested it). So it just seems a hopeless situation. To water today I had to put my little pump into the other tank with hoses and extension cord and run two pumps. It just keeps going from bad to worse. At least I don't have to run between hoses like I did for the past several years. A slow amble is plenty fast what with how slow the water comes out. I'm going to try to get someone to take out the pressure tank. Maybe bypassing that will help with the pressure.

I try to just be thankful I have water but if I can't get it to where I need it without working myself to death, it doesn't do much good.

I did water things today. The mosquitoes are almost gone and I kept wetting my shirt to keep cool. Works great! No reason to let the heat bother me when the solution is so easy. I even have the water hose in my hand already. What got me after 4 hours today was the bottoms of my feet hurt as if they were blistered. But after a brunch and short rest I was worried I'd miss some good dragonflies so I headed back out. There are good ones here too. Saw my first spreadwing of the year today, a Great Spreadwing. Hoping to get California Spreadwings again this year.

Also got a nice two-fer shot of a Four-spotted Pennant and Band-winged Dragonlet.

That pennant isn't very common here. The oasis is borderline for their range. It deserves a photo of its own.

The soapberry thicket is almost fully recovered. 107° today. I shall herewith collapse into bed.