Some soaking rains arrived this week, totaling 2.39".  Rainfall for the month so far is 6.05", making the soil surface wet with deeper soil finally receiving a good soaking.  And with area waterways above normal, it seems safe to say mildly wet soil conditions have finally arrived.  We've had an unusual weather pattern since late winter of bone dry conditions, followed by substantial rains for 2 weeks or so followed by 6 weeks or so of drought like weather.  We'll see if this wet weather of late is going to turn dry for a while.  The drought monitor map still has my area as abnormally dry but it has improved.  Trees are looking great and lawns of course are lush and green and need mowing about every 5 days.  Wildlife is kind of quiet out there, especially one unexpected critter that I found lying in the grass not too far from our busy road.  I thought it was a mink while others said a young fresh water otter, as there are ponds and a creek nearby.  Whatever it was, it was surely a rarity.  Seems you can never be sure of what you might find out there.