When the ground first transitioned from sand into soil again, I hesitated. My family and neighbors, however, began planting greens. Eventually I moved past the dire drought predictions that were not due to expire for many more months and I too planted my gardens.
Soon to be eaten: 4/10 Spaghetti Squash. Thanks Julie P! |
At the same time as I celebrate my own small garden at home and the lack of dust flying constantly, the present reality is still dry. Lesotho is still in a dangerous drought. The so-called rainy season will be ending soon.
My family's greens are growing well. |
The groundwater supply has not been replenished this season. When rain does not fall for a week, many taps return to their dry state from before the rain finally arrived.
So, for the moment, Lesotho is green and gorgeous. I celebrate the rain, even when it is hard enough to make my roof continue leaking.
In case you missed my original post on the drought in Lesotho, Dust in the Wind is available here. Also, in February, The Guardian in the UK published an article calling this the Green Drought.
Year by Year Comparison:
January 2015: The maize is tall and people are weeding to ensure it grows well. |
March 2016: The same field with significantly fewer plants. In January, this field was only ankle high and had almost no weeds due to the lack of rain. |
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