Precipitation? Where have you been all of our life?

Here are a few interesting facts about this years' Precipitation tally, as presented by www.wunderground.com:   To date, the area of Columbia, Missouri has received 16.92 inches of total precipitation, either in the way of snow or rain.  The average amount of precipitation we typically receive is 11.23 inches, by now (as of April 29, 2013).    Thus far, in the month of April 2013, we have received 7.39 inches of rain.  A typical April yields, on average, 4.15 inches of rain.    I drove over the Missouri River by Chesterfield last week and the waters are up and back to 'normal'.  When I drove over the bridge in January 2013, the levels were shockingly low.  I am absolutely amazed and grateful for the change.  Curious how the weather patterns will unfold into June and July.    Been checking on my grapevines at the apartment and bud break is occurring this week, has happened with several of the varietals, actually.  Same with the Hops vines.  Haven't done much digging and cleaning of the garden at my apartment (what I would call 'suburbanification') because I have been reading quite a bit lately on no-till farming and how it helps a soil system stay intact, prevents erosion, etc.  I'll have to do some digging soon, as I have a lot of green leafy plants to transplant soon.  However, there is a prediction of a low of 30 degrees Fahrenheit sometime this upcoming week.  Today is predicted to have a high of over 80 degrees Fahrenheit.    Spring is here, to an extent.  It is still late April, to be honest, temps continue their flirting with the frost/freeze range.  I am a bit sad that my Joe Pye Weed isn't returning this year.  That's a huge loss to my sense of joy in the garden.  I absolutely love Joe Pye Weed, I know the bees do, also.  But, I do have many, many perennials popping up and returning, once again.  I still don't know how to identify Ironweed or Common Milkweed, just yet, at least, not as young plants.  I know it will be a very colorful spring and summer with the Monarda and Bee Balm in bloom.    I should be able to harvest lots of Kale, Collards seeds, maybe even Kohlrabi and Broccoli seeds later this summer.  Fingers crossed.   I had some Hard Red Winter Wheat growing in my community garden plot, on the edge of it, actually, and during the supposed 'Spring Clean-Up Party', someone took the lawn mower and cut it down.  I am not too pleased, but whaddya gonna do?  At least I still have some growing at the apartment.  It was a learning experience to grow Wheat for the first time, for that, I am grateful.   Funny thing I discovered recently at the community garden.  My immediate neighbor who has a plot to my eastern edge, he and I were at the garden at the same time (very uncanny) two weeks back.  Got to talking, I was pruning my grapevines, he was assessing and possibly planting seed/broadcasting, etc.  He told me a buddy of his just bought a vineyard along the Missouri river.  Fascinating how serendipity says hello in life.  We'll see how things go over time.