I know how fickle memories of past summers can be and I make no apologies if I
my memory seems to be selective, but I cannot recall having to continue mowing
the lawn every week, I usually expect to see brown/yellow verges as I drive
along the country lanes, and I hear farmers saying they cannot harvest and crops
are rotting in the ground.

The country lane verges have a verdant, spring-like quality quite unusual for
August.

I suspect that in a "normal" Midlands summer the brown verges are more to do
with greater evaporation than lack of rainfall, notwithstanding some
exceptionally dry and warm summers recently. This year, the rainfall has
appeared to keep pace with evaporation and ensured good growing conditions
throughout the month.

I suspect that our correspondents blessed with living on the parched heaths of
the Royal County of Berkshire will look at the brown verges and wonder what I'm
talking about.

Martin

"JPG" wrote in message
...

I suspect that our correspondents blessed with living on the parched
heaths of
the Royal County of Berkshire will look at the brown verges and wonder
what I'm
talking about.

.... they've started perking up over the last 10 days or so - though it's
the weeds that are giving the green atm in my garden! But yes, the
recent rain has been welcome - if only to damp down the slow-burn
undergrowth and stop the heath fires of recent weeks.

As someone said elsewhere, it does remind me of summers more often that
not in the '50's and '60's - yes we had some good-uns, but often we were
dodging the rain.

Martin.


--
Martin Rowley: data via -
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/booty.weather/metindex.htm
Bracknell (Wooden Hill/Tawfield), Berkshire
NGR: SU 854 667 Elev: 80m
Lat: 51DEG23MIN30SEC(N): Long: 00DEG46MIN28SEC(W)

On Tue, 24 Aug 2004 14:44:01 +0100, "Martin Rowley"
wrote:


"JPG" wrote in message
.. .

I suspect that our correspondents blessed with living on the parched
heaths of
the Royal County of Berkshire will look at the brown verges and wonder
what I'm
talking about.

... they've started perking up over the last 10 days or so - though it's
the weeds that are giving the green atm in my garden! But yes, the
recent rain has been welcome - if only to damp down the slow-burn
undergrowth and stop the heath fires of recent weeks.

They were always a problem around Bracknell, as I recall. In the 1976 summer
the landscape was dotted with small fires - there was one at South Hill Park
quite close to where I lived (Hanworth) and numerous ones around Camberley way.

Martin


As someone said elsewhere, it does remind me of summers more often that
not in the '50's and '60's - yes we had some good-uns, but often we were
dodging the rain.

Martin.

"JPG" schreef in bericht
...
I know how fickle memories of past summers can be and I make no apologies
if I
my memory seems to be selective, but I cannot recall having to continue
mowing
the lawn every week, I usually expect to see brown/yellow verges as I
drive
along the country lanes, and I hear farmers saying they cannot
harvest.....

Are you describing a common Dutch summer, Martin??:-)
However this August's brought also far more rain than usual for the
Netherlands!
Link to a map of the Netherlands; giving the rainfall in Agust thusfar
http://www.knmi.nl/voorl/kd/produkt/...#kaartneerslag

To compare the long-term average for the Bilt (centre of the country) 58 mm.

Most fields totally flooded, appear like an Olympic swimming-pool

Wijke
SE Flevopolder
Centre of the Netherlands
121, 2 mm thusfar

On Wed, 25 Aug 2004 11:48:38 +0200, "Wijke" wrote:


"JPG" schreef in bericht
.. .
I know how fickle memories of past summers can be and I make no apologies
if I
my memory seems to be selective, but I cannot recall having to continue
mowing
the lawn every week, I usually expect to see brown/yellow verges as I
drive
along the country lanes, and I hear farmers saying they cannot
harvest.....

Are you describing a common Dutch summer, Martin??:-)
However this August's brought also far more rain than usual for the
Netherlands!

I know, I was in Amsterdam on Sunday 15th - I was actually a masochist and drove
there from Calais, stopped off in Brugge on the way home. Sunday was OK until
about 1600, just as we were leaving the Rijksmuseum and walking to the Leidse
Plein for dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe it started to rain heavily.

The rain continued overnight in Amsterdam 15th-16th but had a fairly dry journey
home, despite the heavy rain on that day in Cornwall.

Holland and Belgium seemed to be covered in maize crops - didn't see much
harvesting!.

Martin




Link to a map of the Netherlands; giving the rainfall in Agust thusfar
http://www.knmi.nl/voorl/kd/produkt/...#kaartneerslag

To compare the long-term average for the Bilt (centre of the country) 58 mm.

Most fields totally flooded, appear like an Olympic swimming-pool

Wijke
SE Flevopolder
Centre of the Netherlands
121, 2 mm thusfar

================================================== ==================
This posting expresses the personal view and opinions of the author.
Something which everyone on this planet should be able to do.
================================================== ==================

LOL I know how you feel.

Since moving to Dartmoor in Spring 2002 I have had to cut the grass every 2
weeks throughout 3 summers (yes including 2003 !!!).

Admittedly it does slow down in dry weather and starts to fade a bit but
generally stays green and healthy. On the plus side my altitude means that it
doesn't really need cutting till the end of April and I can stop cutting it at
the end of October. Other parts lower down the grass grows all year !

When I lived in Crowthorne (the far end of the Bracknell desert), the grass went
brown and stopped growing most summers for at least part of the time, but come
September it would always perk up and by November it would be green and lush
again.

Cheers,

Will (from the home of the raindrop).
--

" A cup is most useful when empty "
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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mailto:
www: http://www.lyneside.demon.co.uk

DISCLAIMER - All views and opinions expressed by myself are personal
and do not necessarily represent those of my employer.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

JPG wrote in message ...
I know how fickle memories of past summers can be and I make no apologies if I
my memory seems to be selective, but I cannot recall having to continue mowing
the lawn every week, I usually expect to see brown/yellow verges as I drive
along the country lanes, and I hear farmers saying they cannot harvest and
crops
are rotting in the ground.

The country lane verges have a verdant, spring-like quality quite unusual for
August.

I suspect that in a "normal" Midlands summer the brown verges are more to do
with greater evaporation than lack of rainfall, notwithstanding some
exceptionally dry and warm summers recently. This year, the rainfall has
appeared to keep pace with evaporation and ensured good growing conditions
throughout the month.

I suspect that our correspondents blessed with living on the parched heaths of
the Royal County of Berkshire will look at the brown verges and wonder what I'm
talking about.

Martin

"JPG" schreef in bericht
...
On Wed, 25 Aug 2004 11:48:38 +0200, "Wijke"
wrote:


I know, I was in Amsterdam on Sunday 15th - I was actually a masochist and
drove
there from Calais, stopped off in Brugge on the way home. Sunday was OK
until
about 1600, just as we were leaving the Rijksmuseum and walking to the
Leidse
Plein for dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe it started to rain heavily.
............


Yes, Amsterdam's exceptional wet this year. Strange as storms, (even
squall-lines) seem to follow the same path during the season, once this
track's set!

For example compare this map ppn over August this year:
http://www.knmi.nl/voorl/kd/overzich...pendemaand.gif

with ppn over August 2002 (another wet August month)
http://www.knmi.nl/voorl/nieuws/imag...gtot200208.gif

( Green to blue area's are the wettest).

Obviously its Amsterdamá turn now

Wijke
The Netherlands