The month of July was definitely on the hot and dry side with 12 days at or above 90F and a total of only 1.33" of rain for the month, vs. 0.72" per CoCoRaHS standards.  Prior to the soaking rains starting mid day yesterday and totaling 1.56" so far, the local area was approaching a severely dry soil condition as the soil was becoming rock hard, trees were wilting, lawns were browning and waterways were rapidly dropping to  precipitously low levels.  All the while soaking rains continued to skirt this area.  Local corn and bean fields were spiking and wilting in earnest as drought conditions intensified.  Currently, after a hiatus of 7 weeks with just light rains, enough rain has now fallen to return soil conditions to mildly dry with our NWS forecasting more rain on the way.  With any luck it's not too late in the season for this rain to benefit area crops.  Area lawns are benefiting for sure.  Anyhow, wildlife is still out and about with some turkeys and young deer wandering the area.  And the mosquitoes are just about gone, being replaced by wasps that are rapidly multiplying.  Wasps.  Why'd it have to be wasps?  At least it's not snakes.  Once again, it's a jungle out there.