19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Tuesday, July 14, 1914: It’s raining some these days. One can even tire of the rain for a time.
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Grandma—
I understand! I tire of rain very quickly, too. But rain is good.
It looks like Pennsylvania (and most of the rest of the country) is getting enough rain, and the crops are doing well. I bet that your father is happy.

I agree with Helena! Good report from the Wall Street Journal.
Farming is such a gamble….glad it was a good year for them.
It’s easy to forget how important the weather was to family farms, and how rain was often prayed for!
Loved this post – as I sit here with the rain lashing against my windows in Ireland, but my plants are lapping it up. Love your posts !
We got our share of rain this weekend at 4.4″. And, June was the 4th wettest since 1873 for Iowa. Needless to say, the rivers and lakes are full and flooding.
Hence, these days when someone complains about the rain, someone else says, yeah but the farmers need it…. Truth is though, if they need it, we need it! I mean I like my food and all…
Diana xo
I like the weather report. It shows how rural our country was 100 years ago.
Too much rain, not enough rain; the ongoing dilemma of farming.
I love the rain…especially for sleeping and if there is no thunder. But I suspect Helena was getting bored.
I remember summers when it rained almost every day and that isn’t good either! Jane
Rain is so soothing sometimes. I agree with Grandma. After a few days it becomes quite another matter. lol I’m glad they had a good season.
I was reflecting on the nice report from WSJ and how we have weather reports and forecasts on our fingertips today. But I understand that Helena got bored when the rain limited outdoors activities for days.
Some things never change, apparently. Some of us have the same feelings toward endless days of rain.
Seems like we are experiencing the same feeling about rain. 100 yrs later and we sharing the same type of weather – rain, rain and more rain. My basement has not been dry since the beginning of June! I feel for Helena.
I always wish I could sit in a comfy chair and read a book when it rains. Then again, I’m not from a farming family. We need rain for crops, but then no rain to get the hay in. (and in regards to the previous post, I too wonder what was different about Wednesday!)