July 20

The sky is a gray white with no blue in sight. It's dark and promises rain but nothing comes of the promise. The air smells of rain and the lake, sitting low in it's banks, has become green with algae and lethargic. The trees are thick with dark green shadows where no light comes through the clouds. The last two weeks of drought have brought pops of yellow where the trees, bushes and grass are stressed and shedding unnecessary thickness. The ground is patchy with brown and yellow grass, cracks under the surface. The geese and ducks and water birds have been replaced by crows. It is the dead of summer where the heat is intense and nature holds it's breath waiting for rain, cooler temps and the full fruits yet to come.