CONDON’S CORNER—Especially During Drought, Everyone Should Limit Water Usage  

© 2026 Marlene A. Condon All Rights Reserved 

 [Published September 24, 2026, by The Daily Progress [the daily newspaper of Charlottesville, Virginia] and on September 26, 2026, by The News Virginian [the daily newspaper of  Waynesboro, Virginia].

Water is not only essential for wildlife to drink, but also for critters to keep clean. Here, a Tufted Titmouse takes a bath, but if your water pan is too deep for insects to access for a drink, help them by putting in a rock they can use to safely approach the water.

CONDON’S CORNER—Especially During Drought, Everyone Should Limit Water Usage

 

By the beginning of spring this year in Western Albemarle (the area where I reside), we were already in a serious drought. We had gotten only 6.2 inches of rain (according to my rain gauge) through the end of March—a paltry figure when compared to a normal of 12 inches in preparation for our growing season.

 

Time was when Virginia would average about an inch of rain per week each month, or 48 inches per year. Sadly, that is no longer true, with most years falling short of that number. Yet the 21st century has seen local meteorologists abandon the usual 48-inch number, settling instead for a 42-inch yearly rainfall average for the Charlottesville area.

 

Though we have weather records dating back to before the 1900s (courtesy of the astronomical observatory located atop Observatory Hill [O-hill] on the UVA campus), TV weather presenters have chosen to focus only on precipitation data averages over the last 20 years—thus arriving at the 42-inch number by eschewing a century's worth of O-Hill precipitation info that says the number should be closer to 48.

 

As a result, an unknowing public has been misled into thinking that 42 inches is “normal” and not a problem, but when the true average annual rainfall is supposed to be closer to the historical 48 inches, the natural world knows there is a problem, even if you don’t. Trees in our neighborhoods and forests are dying as most of us have never seen before in our lives, making abundantly clear how dry this area has become.

 

Still, one would never have known we were facing an extremely serious shortfall in the amount of moisture we should have received. Despite the continuing lower-than-normal amounts of precipitation for the months of April and May (not to mention June and July), people began to put up new pools and prepare garden soil to receive seeds or transplants.

 

Was this a display of baseless optimism or of sheer ignorance regarding how the environment works? As the drought continued, folks should have realized they should forego their gardening and instead purchase food from the grocery store or farm outlets.

 

Believe me, as a lifelong gardener, I fully understand how much better garden-fresh food is on the palette. But when water is in short supply and food is available elsewhere, it becomes a basic necessity to conserve your water for drinking and personal hygiene. And while I certainly understand the desire to cool off in a pool, filling it with water that’s in short supply is probably not the best use for it. 

 

Even our new governor exhibited no real concern about the drought, telling folks they could water their lawns, etc., every other day instead of conserving all water for the more important functions of personal cleanliness and maintaining a supply of drinking water. Of course, the governor may well be personally using reservoir water, which perhaps seems unlikely to her to run out when these deep “bowls” are full. But multiply one person by the many who are using that reservoir water, and you should realize that even reservoirs aren’t unlimited.

 

For those of us who live in rural areas and depend upon well water, we could easily fall short of what we need. Wells only have access to the amount of water that has managed over many years to accumulate far below the ground surface. Considering that since 2002, Virginia has often fallen short of the usual annual amount of precipitation its environment requires to sustain itself, even well water should be conserved as much as possible.

 

We are almost through our seventh month of the year and we have had less than 14 inches of rain when, by the end of the month, we should have gotten 28 inches. Consequently, I’ve watched as the local streams have begun to dry up, some completely while others are drying back towards their source.

 

While it hasn’t been unusual for some of the streams in my local area to completely dry out whenever local rainfall doesn’t hit the mark, some of the streams I’ve seen drying up this year are ones that usually don’t do so. In other words, we are so low on moisture that all of the streams are drying out, which is a very bad sign, not only for well users, but also for those who depend upon reservoirs. Deficient rainfall amounts are not going to keep them filled either. And this isn’t even to mention how tough this is for our wildlife.

 

As our environmental conditions continue to be altered by climate change, it’s crucial that everyone conserve water, whether you’re obtaining water from a reservoir or a well. And it would certainly assist our wild critters if you’d put out a pan of water for them, too. 

 CONDON’S CORNER

MOTHER NATURE INSISTS WE USE STANDARD TIME YEAR-AROUND

© 2026 Marlene A. Condon All Rights Reserved 

 [Published September 6, 2026, by The Daily Progress, the daily newspaper of Charlottesville, Virginia]

 

MOTHER NATURE INSISTS WE USE STANDARD TIME YEAR-AROUND

 

Any day now, the Senate may get around to voting for making Daylight Saving Time (DST) our year-around reference for living our lives. That would be a huge mistake in many ways, and constituents need to let their senators know their thoughts as quickly as possible (or send this article to them with a personal signed note). Herewith some facts for you to take into account before putting your fingertips to the keyboard or your pen to paper.

 

Consider how hot the Earth has become, thanks to climate change. On the day I am writing this essay, the weather forecast is calling for a high temperature of 96 degrees today and 99 degrees tomorrow. In fact, temps in the 90s have been the norm this year, and who’s responsible for so many hot days? People.

 

The burning of fossil fuel (oil), the cutting down of trees, and the manufacturing of goods to lead our lives all have contributed to this intense warming. As it’s highly unlikely that these aforementioned activities are going to be altered anytime soon, it’s critically important to consider the effect of DST versus standard time (EST in my time zone) upon our activities.

 

As the coolest part of the day is early morning, that is the best time to, for example, get outside to work in the yard or to exercise in summer. At this time of year, both DST and EST allow an opportunity to get such things done early. But come the colder temperatures of fall and winter, the time standard you are on makes much more of a difference.

 

Fall and winter under DST means one can’t begin most outdoor tasks or activities until the Sun rises, which can be quite late. If you have a job, you won’t be able to get outside to get your tasks done before work, and as we move into winter, you also can’t get them done after work because the Sun will be setting quite early by clock-time.

 

Additionally, DST forces children to wait for school buses in morning darkness, which makes their welfare more of a concern. Drivers can’t see them as well if they enter or walk along the street.

 

Perhaps hardest of all for adults who work and children is having to wake up in morning darkness to get ready to start the day when our natural inclination is to be sleeping until the Sun is up.

 

In summer when it’s natural for just about everyone to want to stay up as long as the Sun is shining, it’s more difficult to get the sleep our bodies require to function properly and healthfully. People who don’t get their required number of hours (7-9) of sleep tend to live less long than those who do.

 

Consider this article at ScienceDaily that was published on January 10 of this year, “Sleeping less than 7 hours could cut years off your life”.

 

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/01/260108231414.htm

 

“Researchers analyzing nationwide data found that insufficient sleep was more closely tied to shorter life expectancy than diet, exercise, or loneliness. The connection was consistent year after year and across most U.S. states. The takeaway is simple but powerful: getting seven to nine hours of sleep may be one of the best things you can do for long-term health.”

 

It’s not unusual for very young children, who are so full of vim and vigor, to often resist taking a nap during the day, though when required to do so, they will usually fall asleep. Even as young adults, we are not fully aware of the importance of rest so it’s understandable we want to just stay awake as long as possible instead of getting our required sleep.

 

And thus, the reason it is so terribly vital for our senators to vote in our best interest, which means to vote “no” for year-around DST that makes us lose vital sleep in summer. They should instead work to bring about a vote for maintaining standard time year-around, and do away with the nonsense of making their constituents change their clocks twice a year.

Mother Nature’s demand for standard time year-around is neither arbitrary nor capricious, which is to say it is not a stipulation lacking serious purpose, but rather one based upon absolute biological necessity.