Picture of the day - May 29, 2007

A field of freshly-baled hay in Washington County, Va

It's hay-making time here in southwestern Virginia, and as Cheria and I traveled from place to place over the long Memorial Day weekend it quickly became obvious that the farmers of Washington County were making the most of it. It seemed like virtually every hayfield we passed had either just been mown, raked or baled. Today's picture features a beautiful field of freshly-baled hay not far from where we live. We had a very dry spring this year and the region's hay crops are showing the effects of it. In our neck of the woods it's rare to see a huge hay field with just a relative handful of bales scattered here and there, but there are quite a few of them around this year. The entire southeastern United States is way below average in rainfall for the year, and the light hay crop is just one of the ways in which the drought is making its presence known. Wildfires are raging in many areas, lawns all across the southern Appalachians are turning brown, and the region's black bears have started coming out of the woods in record numbers as they desperately search for food. What we really need are three or four days of steady rain to get everything back to normal, but all we seem to be getting this year are a few scattered thunderstorms. But God is a merciful God, and He will send us the rain we need on a schedule that fits into His grand plan. Until then, we'll just have to be patient and much in prayer.   Visit the POTD Archives for previous "Pictures Of The Day"!     Submit a photo of your own!            Why I publish the "Picture of the Day"