The TV weatherman just said we can thank the remnants of Hurricane Gustav for our daylong rain showers, which dropped close to 2 inches on our area.

I don't like what Gustav did to the Gulf Coast, but my trees, shrubs and that brittle brown bed of nails formerly known as my lawn sure are grateful.

It was rare to get the kind of gentle, soaking rain that we've needed for weeks. Lately it seems as though we only get those quick, torrential bursts that don't really soak the landscape.

I'm not looking forward to cutting the grass or slapping at a new crop of mosquitoes, but I'm glad it rained today. We needed it.