2026: The Summer That Wasn't

Edmonton is blessed with a wonderful river valley formed by the North Saskatchewan River. For a time we were fortunate to live in a river valley community called Riverdale, one of the oldest in the city with houses dating back to the early 1900s when the area was known as "the brickyard" due to the presence of a brick manufacturer that produced that building supply to a fast-growing city. 

I distinctly remember the year of the Great Flood Watch party when we assembled near the river bank to see when the river would crest, how many homes would be affected, and if ours would be one of them.

That event was nothing compared to what we are experiencing now in 2026. We now longer live in that community, mind you, but we are nonetheless feeling the effects of June's torrential downpours. We "bugged out" of the trailer site when the ground became saturated and the mosquitoes were horrendous. Back in town, the rain barrel is overflowing, the ground is close to saturation at this writing, and the skeeter population is the worst I've ever experienced.

As for said mosquitoes, it's no small concern for me because I am a blood type they prefer - O positive. There can be one of those pesky "mossies" in a room and it will target me like a heat-seeking missile.

Edmonton and surrounding communities were under a water supply alert that requested we refrain from flushing toilets, showering, doing laundry and running the dishwasher. That was lifted when there was a break in the weather but we are probably going to be hit with another soon so we are trying to get all the laundry done this weekend, just in case.

I hope you are experiencing better summer weather than we are, because Summer 2026 looks to be a write-off, especially as far as the gardens are concerned. The garden boxes are saturated, with water sitting on top of the soil in those boxes, and I can only imagine what is happening at root level. At this rate, even if we get some hot, dry summer weather it will be too late for an abundant harvest, from my gardens or from Alberta's fields, given the area's short growing season.