The Yellow, Yellow Grass of Home

I was only away for eleven days, but there was a marked change on my return to the US. The hills and wasteland that has been green through the winter and spring has turned yellow; a stark contrast to the rain fed green of the UK. However, unlike the UK where a dry summer will turn all of the grass yellow, here there are still swathes of green on the verges and in lawns. Despite the lack of spring and summer rain, the grass is kept well watered by sprinkler systems that are supposed to operate on timers. I say supposed, because I think that some work on proximity, turning on as I approach. The way that sprinklers cover move walkways and grass may be yet another reason that the locals drive rather than walk.