Hot & Rainy July and a New Dog!!

The sporadic "daily" blog returns to wind down July after a few days of intense heat and humidity and another gully washer storm last night. But, Breyer, a big Chocolate Lab, doesn't seem to mind the moisture, in fact, he is loving his new creek.  Like so many things that happen on the big planet, change and surprise often factor in and that was the case last Saturday.  A 60th birthday party had a handsome chocolate lab wandering about with some other dogs and it took a while but we finally realized that the dog was a neighborhood stray in need of a new home; whoa!! The new dog I was not actively seeking but more than open to had suddenly appeared. We discussed it and decide he would love coming to the tirehouse and Tuesday went back and he was waiting, climbed right in the car and it's like he's been here for years.  A day in the forest with a big brown dog is always a good day.
While muggy (6 2/3" of rain - for July - will add some moisture to the air), today is a little cooler than recent days and storm chances are down as the front hanging over the region has moved a little farther south.  Don't get too excited, we are still in the warmest part of the summer with more than half of that season to go, but a little relief is a welcome change. Last night's deluge dumped 1.8" inches here and we were not the hardest hit area.  The entire state is waaaay above average for rainfall for the year and rain tends to follow rain (not the plow); that's how the water cycle works. Moisture in the ground evaporates or is transpired by trees, clouds re-form and that water plops down again, rinse and repeat the weather guys say.  With more and more regions becoming more and more arid and aquifer levels dropping steadily worldwide, enjoy the moisture if you have it, millions are seriously lacking.
In other news, slightly above the surface, an errant Chinese rocket careening back to Earth made for a scary fireball for many in the western US two nights ago. Chunks of the rocket will no doubt be found soon as it is very unlikely the entire thing burned up on reentry; way to be responsible China!!  In less scary space news, the waning crescent moon occulted (covered) the red giant eye of Taurus, Aldebaran early this morning for the southern US - too early and cloudy for me.  The slimming crescent will be above Orion tomorrow morning for early risers.
Mars, Saturn are still dancing around in Scorpio and Libra in the south early in evening darkness as Jupiter slips lower in the southwest at the same time.  I haven't checked an earthquake or volcano list of late but guess there is plenty of shaking and earth exhaust happening on the plate boundaries of this old but still active planet.  So it's a little warm and muggy out there, get out on your planet and check it out, Today On Earth. I'll be taking this big brown dog; meet Breyer!!