WAY off of Normals for July with only .04" precip entire month, both days were fog condensation in tube (but measurable!) YTD we are 68% of normal (down 13.55"), WYTD 79%. 
Everything is showing it. Wildflowers seem to be changing off early, Gone are most violets, Boykinia, iris, foxglove; now the whites rule: daisys, Umbellarias, and the yellows/oranges: dandylion, geums, crocosmias; plantain flowering, as well as sedges, thistle. Grasses have browned up & seed heads forming
The most telling is our new dip stick, using the pipe sunk to test groundwater for a potential well pump. From July 1 to July 24 water level dropped 8.25"; by July 30 it was down another 4". That's a total of a foot over a month!  
On another note, are starting to see precursor individual yellow leaves on the maples, and the inner branchlets of redwoods are starting to turn yellow. And BLACKBERRIES!!!! Garden starting to need daily spot watering; letting the oxalis matts have the spaces underneath instead of pulling it out, its shade seems to be a good surface moisture holder even tho' it makes the garden look ratty neglected. Can't eat neat appearance
Road is now dust powder, with mountain lion (and possum, and raccoon) tracks. Lion got 2 more sheep last week.:(