We are short of rain to the tune of about 10 inches so far this year, so the prospect of bluebonnet flowers next spring is getting to be doubtful. We had an occasion to dig a three-foot diameter hole in the side yard the other day and found no moisture to the depth of three feet. But we did get about an inch of rain in the last two weeks, enough to top off the collection system and to provide just enough groundwater to keep small plants alive. The crape myrtle at the front gate, despite our giving it up as lost, has come alive again, so we shall keep it going with frequent shots of water from jugs brought from home. Then there are the damianitas that seem to beg for droughty conditions as they are blooming like crazy with their yellow blossoms. Weather experts have said that Texas seems to have a drought about every decade, and to that, I would add, that each drought seems to last about ten years. But here's the bet: Central Texas will end up the year with its average ...