gutter talk

Usually, we residents of the Mexican Pacific coast look forward to rain -- for two reasons.

The first is primarily for comfort.  Our rainy season usually arrives in the summer along with high temperatures and even higher humidity.  The rains drive down both -- and bring us relief from our energy-sapping hot months.

The second is both utilitarian and aesthetic.  The rains come in the summer to bring life back to our winter-parched fields.  Without them, our farmers would be plowing dust rather than the rich loam of our alluvial soils.

And that is where the aesthetics come in.  What was brown turns green.  We then live in a jungle.

That is what usually happens.  But this is not a usual weather year.

There has been enough water running across our local fields to confuse them with the Everglades.  They are plenty green -- and too wet to even plant.  We have been through an entire planting season where a good portion of our fields remain uncultivated.

The fact that June is still three months away has not discouraged Chac from bringing us some early rain.  And there is no heat to suppress.  In fact, our evenings are still quite cool.

The best that can be said for our current downpour is that we simply do not need it.

But I do.  I have been working on as essay concerning our local water and sewer issues.  The rain has induced me to sit down and share it with you.

And I will -- during the coming week.