Yesterday I lamented how my 250 olive trees needed a drink as it had not rained all month . As it happens it almost never rains here in the Mani in August but I am sure that the lack of rain will be attributed to global warming by the BBC’s Verify unit. On Friday, God provided a brief shower and we said thanks. Today… wow.
Firstly the winds blew as the thunder rolled down from the Mountains and then the winds blew harder as the lightening began. As the rain came down in bucket loads, I had to go around the house inside and out closing up the shutters so that they would not snap their locks and crash against the windows, rescuing washing drying on the rack and cushions on the outside furniture.
In pouring rain, Olaf and I rescued two metal sun loungers from besides the pool before they joined the cane one in blowing away down into the snake infested undergrowth. Bravely that lounger has now been rescued as the rain starts to abate. But still I can hear thunder and the five O’Clock skies are black.
The good news is that my olives will have had a really good drink and that the rains will have washed away some, if not all, of the pesky flies which eat away at my harvest. The bad news is that the howling winds will have blown away some of the good olives. I shall inspect the damage in the morning.
Poor Jaya and Joshua were squealing with fright as this was a violent old storm and they could see their parents struggling to close the shutters. The worst is now, I think, over. On the part of the track that heads into Kambos which is made of mud, there are puddles. But not large ones, I have seen far far worse.
Okay God. You have answered our prayers. Time for a bit of sunshine now please.