Where we live, water is not as abundant as it once was. We have had one significant rain event for the entire Summer. Only 55 mm (2 inches) of rain in three months.
With empty rainwater tanks at around the mid January mark, my veggie patch and fruit trees were on life-support until two days ago. It finally rained. Enough rain in one day to refill both tanks. Yay! I can now think about winter vegetables.
However, long dry summers, without much rain, have become the norm over the last 15 years (except 2 years ago when we had floods). I have certainly noticed this change in the local climactic patterns, but many others around me have not. I didn’t think anyone noticed.
Until today that is. To my astonishment, I stumbled across an Oracle in my work place. A mechanical prediction machine. You know, like the Zoltar Speaks machine in the movie Big (with Tom Hanks).
We have a coffee machine that can predict future events in our part of the world.
It is true, honestly. I didn’t believe it myself at first, until I took a closer look.
What’s that. You can’t read it? Well take another look.
Clever Coffee Oracle! I wonder what it is going to predict tomorrow? I can’t wait to find out.
I love it!!! 🙂
Interested to know what your ideas on solutions for this are. Should we in Australia try to send annual flood waters to constantly dry farming areas? Build more dams (ie the Abbott Solution)? Plant more trees for precipitation? Or simply quit trying to farm food in now arid land and switch to olives and argan oil trees?
Personally, I think we need a mix of all of the above (apart from more dams). Particularly planting more trees. Flying to and from Brisbane a couple of weeks back over what is supposed to be some of our best food basins, and yet the lack of trees in and around the fields was saddening – why are there more trees in the average suburban garden than in huge fields of farmland? Why aren’t rural property owners being encouraged to plant more trees?
Ha, love that! I heard today this summer was Australia’s hottest on record. We are re-homing our chooks too, because our little backyard is a super hot desert over these last 2 weeks and the poor things aren’t happy. 🙁
Hi Gavin, Rain is necessary in sufficient percentage for all areas. But I am shocked to know that how is it possible for the coffee oracle to predict any thing.
Hi Terry. It’s a joke.
Very funny! Now, what do the tea leaves say? Do they agree? LOL!
Ha how funny. Tomorrow it will say order new ozone filter!
This is Sol by the way. Blogger won’t let me sign in to day
Nice! Why didn’t I think of that?
Gav x