When I lived in “the bush” in southern New South Wales in Australia, rain was a big deal. Because we lived off a water tank on our parcel of land and not water from the village (yes, we didn’t even live in a “town” but a “village”), water conservation was a major concern. Rainwater was collected from the roof’s gutters and drained into the gigantic tank. During the three months of winter when we didn’t have a drop of rain fall, my parents-in-law, with whom we were living, bought a rain gauge. My mother-in-law was obsessed with keeping track of how much rain fell then calculating what that number meant to the water in the tank.
Needless to say, you may not live in a drought climate but you, too, may want to measure how much rain you’re getting. Here’s a product my mother-in-law would have loved had she not moved back to New Zealand last year where they get plenty of rain. The EZ Read™ Illuminated Rain Gauge collects and measures rainfall and has three LED bulbs positioned to light up the inside and outside of the water column, making it easy to read in the dark. Powered by two AAA batteries, it works with any infrared remote control in the house. All you do is point the remote at the gauge and hold down the power or volume button. The Illuminated Rain Gauge will light up and automatically shut off after five seconds. You can stake it in the ground or mount it. It sells for $24.95 and is available on the manufacturer’s Web site or by calling 1-800-228-0275.
Credit: Garner Industries, Inc.
