i miss the sounds of sprinklers running, splashing against houses and leaves, and soaking everything in their path. i realized, as i sat outside on a very warm evening smoking a cigarette, which yes, i know is bad for me, that i almost never hear sprinklers anymore.

that thought came to me moments after i realized i’d forgotten, again, to water the front garden, which needs it since it is, completely unironically, dry as dirt. we don’t get as much precipitation as we used to, not in any of the seasons, and the water restrictions start earlier each year. it’s hand watering only most of the time, unless the dry days continue in which case it will be hand watering only none of the time. i do have a sprinkler-usage window. if i was so inclined, i could get up and set them to run for two hours monday and thursday mornings at six a.m., but it seems rather pointless; it’s not enough water to counteract the weeks of dry heat and water or don’t, the grass will die anyway.

water conservation is the name of the game now in a way that it wasn’t when i was growing up. when lawns were green year round and the summer was awash with the sounds of lawn-mowers running. that’s a sound i also don’t hear much anymore.

some people believe in the science behind climate change. some people don’t. i’m with the former, and not just because the evidence supporting that conclusion is nigh overwhelming. i believe in my own experiences. the times, they are a-changin’.

it’s no longer green here in the green belt. the colours start to fade by mid-june and by august it’s a sea of brown with dead foliage everywhere. it comes back, but it’s a definite change from days gone by. the water restrictions also extend to fun in the sun. you can’t get around them by setting up your sprinkler on the lawn for the kids to run through. the water toys we used to enjoy have also had their use restricted. so much for the much-less-fun-than-it-looks-like-in-the-commercials slip and slide. so much for the backyard kiddie pool.

to be fair, bigger pools for one and all have become more popular as their affordability increases. they are popping up everywhere. unfortunately, they don’t make the lawns come back or keep the trees vertical and foliage-full.

it’s hotter now than in days gone by. the heat waves are more intense and longer lasting. i shudder over what the soon to arrive electrical bill will look like; we have a multiplicity of fans running almost all the time and i’ve had to get used to sleeping sheetless and pyjama-less. the mosquitos are having a field day. i’d have probably put aside my basic dislike and bought an air conditioner if i hadn’t been late to the party; the selection has been well and truly picked over. next year i promise to pick one up when they bring them out in february.

because in all likelihood, next year is going to be another hot one.