Water. In all my years of living, the topic of water has never been more prevalent than in the past year or so.

Just one year ago, the Ohio Valley was in the midst of a scorching drought. In fact, it was downright frightening as the threat of wildfires kept many vigilant.

Each day through late summer and early fall, the promise of rain was just that — a promise unfulfilled. Weather forecasters kept a low profile as they seemed to be held responsible for what does or doesn’t fall from the sky.

Fire danger warnings became a daily thing. The once lush, green lawns turned dusty and impossible to walk across barefoot. Forget the fire pit and roasting marshmallows. That was a no-no.

The only upside was not having to cut the grass for weeks, thus saving on lawnmower and tractor fuel. The downsides were many. We endured higher water bills for the sake of growing the tomatoes and green peppers. Utility bills soared with the hot, dry weather. Farmers were at a loss on how to keep their livestock and crops adequately watered.

Jump ahead to 2025. If we wished for water last year, we begged it to go away this year. Never in my 70 years have I and those in this community experienced the amount of rainfall that has occurred. And it’s not just here locally. It has been happening in North Carolina, Tennessee, Maryland and Texas among other areas of the country.

Some call it an unexplained weather phenomenon. Others believe there is something sinister at work. Whatever the reason, it is frustrating. People continue to ask why so much water is falling from the sky. Why can’t there just be a gentle, summer rain instead of the flooding downpours?

After the devastating loss of life and property in our backyards in June, it’s no wonder we all flinch at the sound of thunder. Each and every forecast of rain seems to include the words “with the threat of flash flooding and damaging winds.” Those are tough words we have learned not to ignore.

We used to think we were protected from harsh storms because of our hilly topography. We have since learned otherwise. We constantly check weather reports. We make sure we have the proper app alerts on our phones. And when those alerts go off, we actually stop and listen to them.

I used to enjoy a cool dip in a local swimming pool. I still do during these stretches of hot weather. However, there is a certain amount of guilt that goes along with enjoying something that has caused so much hurt for others.

I don’t know what the fall season will bring with it, but let’s hope it’s nothing more than colorful autumn leaves.

Heather Ziegler can be reached via email at hziegler@theintelligencer.net.