WADENA, Minn. — Lolita Myers is proving age is just a number.

The 84-year-old Wadena woman recently became a grandmaster in taekwondo.

To become a grandmaster, students must dedicate decades to training, achieve a high black belt rank and demonstrate extensive experience in teaching.

“Ever since I’ve known her, she has been a fantastic student and incredibly consistent,” said Grandmaster Eric Greenquist, who has trained with Myers for more than 25 years. “It’s a real pleasure to work with her and to have been part of helping her reach the level of grandmaster.”

Myers took her Seventh Dan exam in July, where she was tested on her form, technique, strength, self-control, knowledge and agility.

Lolita Myers completed her Seventh Dan exam on Friday, July 25, 2025, under the instruction of Grandmaster Eric Greenquist. (Courtesy of Greenquist Academy of Taekwondo / Forum News Service)

To pass, she needed to break as many as 50 boards with either her hands or feet, demonstrate her skill with different weapons and display her ability to defend herself. She was also tested on her knowledge of Korean terminology, showing her understanding of taekwondo’s origins.

Greenquist credited Myers’ dedication to both martial arts and her community, and said she serves as an inspiration to women in particular.

“There was a time when women weren’t learning taekwondo because it was such a male-dominated sport,” he said. “So her achievement is a true inspiration for everyone.”

Martial arts journey

Grandmaster Lolita Myers wearing her official grandmaster garb, achieving the status on Friday, July 25, 2025 after completing her Seventh Dan exam. (Nicole Stracek / Wadena Pioneer Journal / Forum News Service)

Myers’ journey to becoming a grandmaster began in 1993 while working at Down Home Foods in Wadena. She saw a flyer on a bulletin board about a new taekwondo school opening in town.

“I was the first person to sign up,” said Myers, who said her interest started at a young age with watching martial arts movies. But, she said, it was a different time. “Young women my age, in my age group, you didn’t do things like that,” she said. “You got married, you got a house, you had babies, you took care of that. You didn’t work.”

At age 52, Myers would embark on a journey of self-discovery in the Korean martial arts, eventually leading her to open Mid-Minnesota Tae Kwon Do School near her home in Nimrod. After outgrowing the space, Myers would make her way to Wadena, opening in a downtown storefront in 1996.

Studying under Grandmaster Eric Greenquist, Lolita Myers achieved her grandmaster in taekwondo on Friday, July 25, 2025. Pictured are Myers and her fellow students of the Greenquist Academy of Tae Kwon Do. (Courtesy of Greenquist Academy of Taekwondo / Forum News Service)

Longtime student Mary Ayers said she started lessons at the Mid-Minnesota Taekwondo School with Myers in 2008. Ayers’ husband joined later, and their kids would follow suit. Learning taekwondo from a grandmaster, Ayers said, has been an amazing experience.

“Every day I learn new things,” Ayers said. “She is very gifted in body techniques and coordination that the average Joe would never understand,” Ayers said, adding that Myers also helps her hone many techniques. “She teaches me a lot on how to fix kicks, how to fix people’s stances, and it’s just amazing. She has a lot of wisdom, and I have a lot to learn.”

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In addition to grandmaster status, Myers is also a fourth degree in hosinsool, a self-defense technique used to protect, disarm and incapacitate an attacker, focusing on practicality to end a dangerous situation quickly with powerful strikes, locks and take-downs.

“You’re going to learn how to break away if somebody grabs you,” Myers said. “You’re going to learn how to respond to somebody if they try to choke you; you’re going to learn how to fall and not break something if somebody knocks you over — but you’re going to get black and blue because you have to learn how to do that.”

Taekwondo offers numerous physical and mental health benefits, Myers said. Practitioners can find increased strength and agility, and the repetitive nature of the techniques helps with overall health and well-being.

“The best part is your muscles get better, your bone density increases and your breathing increases, too,” she said. That turned out to be incredibly helpful three years ago when Myers fell, cracking her hip bone.

As a longtime practitioner of taekwondo, Myers said she has fallen many times over the years, but a baseboard in her pantry would catch her off guard. Initially, she was relieved to learn nothing was broken, but a follow-up appointment would show cracks in the ball-and-socket joint, leaving her in crutches for three months. However, she healed without surgery, and credits taekwondo for keeping her bones strong.

“It’s been a fight to get back the flexibility, the strength to be able to stand on one foot, pick up the other one, that kind of thing,” Myers said.

Up next for Myers is her quest to achieve “triple master” status by mastering Kum Doh (Art of the Sword) and rebuilding her stamina for longer bicycle rides.

September is here, with its Septembery ways — lively though hectic, buoyant with promise but bogged down with to-dos, warm in the sun with just the right amount of snap at night. Everything seems new, even if you’re only returning to routines abandoned sometime back in June. I have to confess that I really like this time of year, even though I’m one of those summer lovers who doesn’t care if it’s hot as long as I get a swim and an ear of sweet corn on the side.

In honor of the changing season and fresh start, and to help you manage the chaos of it all, I’m back with the Weeknight 100, as we call it at New York Times Cooking headquarters. It’s a list of 100 recipes you should make this year, hand-selected by me and packed with future favorites. Five of those recipes are below.

Crispy chicken with lime butter. This buttery lime chicken dinner couldn’t be any dreamier. Food styled by Simon Andrews. (David Malosh/The New York Times)

1. Crispy Chicken With Lime Butter

You don’t need a thermometer to know when these chicken thighs are done. You just need your ears. In this recipe, chicken thighs are slow seared using a technique from chef Paul Bertolli called “bottom-up cooking” where the chicken cooks almost entirely on the skin side over moderate heat, resulting in shatteringly crisp skin. The gentle sputtering sound that signals the release of moisture from the chicken hitting the hot fat in the pan stops when the meat is fully cooked and the skin crisp and evenly browned. A quick pan sauce of chicken stock, lime juice and maple syrup, made glossy with a few pats of butter, completes this dish.

By Eric Kim

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

4 large bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 pounds)

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon peanut or canola oil

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1/2 cup chicken stock or 1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus wedges for serving

2 teaspoons maple syrup

3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pats

Parsley, cilantro, basil or mint leaves, for serving (optional)

Preparation:

1. Pat the chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. If you have time, set aside at room temperature for at least 10 minutes and up to 30 minutes.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium. Add the oil and swirl the pan to coat it. Place the chicken skin side down and cook without moving it until the skin is crispy and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Reduce the heat if the chicken splatters too much or browns too quickly.

3. Add the garlic to the pan. Flip the chicken and cook until the bottom is lightly browned and the meat is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate, skin side up. Remove all but 3 tablespoons of the fat from the pan and save for another use (see Tip).

4. Add the chicken stock, lime juice and maple syrup to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer over high, then reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the butter and continue simmering, now stirring constantly, until incorporated; the sauce will thicken and become shiny as the butter melts. Taste and add more salt and pepper as desired.

5. Serve the chicken with the pan sauce, lime wedges and the optional fresh herbs (spritzed with a little lime juice and lightly seasoned with salt and pepper).

Tips:

Rendered chicken fat, sometimes called schmaltz when clarified, can be used to panfry vegetables and meat; to enrich a soup, stew, sauce or tomato-based braise; or to spread on toast.

2. Beef Fried Rice

Beef fried rice. This impeccable method of making fried rice comes from Kay Chun, who makes sure that the bites of steak emerge juicy and tender, not dry and tough. Food styled by Simon Andrews. (Christopher Testani/The New York Times)

Fried rice is perfect for easy and fast weeknight cooking, as it is highly customizable and can be made with all sorts of veggies and protein. This beef version employs a traditional Chinese technique of velveting meat that quickly tenderizes tougher cuts. Simply mix the beef with cornstarch and oil (seasoned here with soy sauce) and let stand for 30 minutes (or even just 15 minutes, if that’s all you’ve got) before stir-frying until browned. Feel free to add more vegetables to this fried rice, like shredded cabbage or snow peas. Be sure to have all of your prep ready before cooking, as the process goes quickly.

By Kay Chun

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons neutral oil, plus more if needed

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon cornstarch

12 ounces skirt or sirloin beef, sliced 1/4-inch-thick then cut into bite-size pieces (about 1 inch)

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion

1/2 cup finely chopped carrot

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

4 cups day-old cooked rice (preferably jasmine)

3 large eggs, beaten

1/2 cup frozen peas

1/4 cup sliced scallions, plus more for garnish

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Preparation:

1. In a medium bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of the oil, 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce and the cornstarch and whisk until smooth. Add beef, season with salt and pepper, and toss to evenly coat. Let stand for 15 minutes, or even 30 minutes if time allows.

2. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high. Add half of the beef and cook, stirring occasionally, just until browned, about 2 minutes. Using tongs, transfer beef to a plate and repeat with the remaining beef. You should have at least 2 tablespoons of fat remaining in the skillet (amount will vary depending on the beef); if necessary, add more oil to reach 2 tablespoons.

3. Add onion and carrot to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and stir until fragrant, 30 seconds.

4. Add rice, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until well incorporated and warmed through, 2 minutes.

5. Push the rice to one side of the skillet and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the empty side. Add eggs and stir until scrambled, then mix the eggs into the rice mixture. Add beef (and any accumulated juices), peas, scallions, sesame oil and the remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and cook, stirring until mixture is well blended, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper.

6. Divide fried rice among bowls and top with more scallions. Serve warm.

3. Buttery Lemon Pasta With Almonds and Arugula

Buttery lemon pasta with almonds and arugula. Melissa Clark gives us a full meal in a single pantry recipe. Food styled by Simon Andrews. (David Malosh/The New York Times)

Brown butter, crunchy almonds and tangy lemon make a rich but balanced sauce for this pantry-friendly pasta. The arugula lends freshness and rounds out the pasta, turning this into a quick one-pot meal. If you want to increase the vegetables, you can double the arugula. (Just add a little more lemon juice.) And if you don’t have baby (or wild) arugula on hand, spinach or baby kale are fine, though slightly milder, substitutes. Don’t stint on the red-pepper flakes; their spiciness helps bring together the flavors.

By Melissa Clark

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

Fine salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound linguine or spaghetti

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup sliced almonds

2 fresh rosemary sprigs

1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more to taste

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more to taste

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

4 to 5 ounces baby or wild arugula, coarsely chopped, or use baby kale or spinach (4 to 5 cups)

Grated Parmesan, for serving

Preparation:

1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until it is 1 minute shy of being al dente, usually a minute or 2 less than the package instructions. Scoop out about 1 1/2 cups pasta water, then drain pasta.

2. While the pasta cooks, in a large skillet or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Cook, swirling occasionally, until the foam subsides, the milk solids turn golden-brown and the butter smells nutty and toasty, 3 to 4 minutes. (Watch carefully to see that it doesn’t burn.)

3. Stir in almonds, rosemary and red-pepper flakes, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the nuts are toasted and slightly darker in color, about 1 minute.

4. Add about 1 cup pasta water to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Add lemon juice, zest, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a large pinch of black pepper, then add drained pasta and toss well. Add arugula, tossing until it wilts. Simmer for another minute, if needed, to thicken the sauce until it’s thick and glossy. If the mixture seems dry, add more pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time.

5. Taste and add more salt, red-pepper flakes and lemon juice, if needed. Serve topped with grated Parmesan and more red-pepper flakes, if you like.

4. BBQ Pepper Shrimp

BBQ pepper shrimp. A little New Orleans, a little French, this dish, which Korsha Wilson adapted from the Lobster Pot, a beloved restaurant in Provincetown, Mass., is a delicious dinner and easy to make. Food styled by Hadas Smirnoff. (Armando Rafael/The New York Times)

This dish, inspired by the BBQ pepper shrimp at the Lobster Pot (the busy seafood restaurant in Provincetown, Massachusetts, that the McNulty family began operating in 1979), is a rich, satisfying shrimp dinner that comes together quickly. Chef and owner Tim McNulty came up with the idea for the dish after trying New Orleans-style BBQ shrimp. He blends those spicy flavors with the richness of beurre blanc, a classic French butter sauce. “It’s a big seller for us,” McNulty says of the dish, which has been on the menu for more than 10 years. The sauce is an ideal topping for pasta or crusty bread and is a perfect match for any seafood: “It’s a great base recipe and you can add scallops or lobster to it instead of the shrimp.” The sauce also makes a luscious topping for steak, similar to an au poivre.

Recipe from Tim McNulty

Adapted by Korsha Wilson

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Salt

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 medium shallot, diced small (about 1/4 inch)

1/3 cup dry white wine

1 rosemary sprig

1 thyme sprig

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon cayenne hot sauce (such as Tabasco)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving

1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper

Crusty bread or cooked pasta, for serving

Preparation:

1. Place the butter in the freezer until ready to use.

2. Pat the shrimp dry on a paper towel-lined plate and season with salt. In a large (12-inch) skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high for 2 minutes. Swirl the pan to coat the bottom. Add half of the shrimp and cook until lightly golden in spots and starting to curl (they’ll be almost cooked through), 2 to 3 minutes per side. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked shrimp to a plate. Repeat with the remaining shrimp, using the remaining tablespoon of oil to coat the pan. Transfer the remaining shrimp to the plate.

3. Adjust heat to medium and add the garlic and shallot. Cook, stirring, until shiny and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the wine, rosemary and thyme and stir, scraping up any browned bits. Let simmer until the skillet is almost completely dry, 1 to 2 minutes. Add cream, Worcestershire, hot sauce, lemon juice and black pepper. Continue to simmer and let reduce until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes more. Taste and adjust salt if desired.

4. Remove the butter from the freezer. Adjust heat to low and add half the butter. Stir until completely melted, and then add the remaining butter. Stir constantly until butter is melted and sauce is smooth.

5. Return the shrimp to the pan and cook, stirring to coat in the sauce, until shrimp is piping hot and cooked through, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately with crusty bread (or over pasta), with lemon wedges alongside.

5. Sweet and Sour Cauliflower

Sweet and sour cauliflower. This is the Chinese American classic made vegan, thanks to Hetty Lui McKinnon. Food styled by Samantha Seneviratne. (Julia Gartland/The New York Times)

Reminiscent of classic sweet and sour dishes served at Chinese American restaurants, cauliflower seamlessly steps in for pork or chicken here. For beautifully burnished florets with crispy edges, the cauliflower is treated to a simple dusting of cornstarch, applied in stages to create a more even coating, and a gentle lick of oil before baking or air-frying. Punchy and tart, this sweet and sour sauce is a keeper. Ketchup is the key ingredient, and it brings sourness, sweetness and umami to a simple blend of garlic, rice vinegar, soy sauce and sugar. Eat with rice, noodles or on top of panfried tofu.

By Hetty Lui McKinnon

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons cornstarch (for the cauliflower) plus 1 teaspoon (for the sauce)

1 large cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into bite-size florets

Salt and pepper

Extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons ketchup

3 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

2 scallions, thinly sliced

Rice or noodles, for serving

Preparation:

1. If using an oven, heat it to 425 degrees. If using an air fryer, heat it to 400 degrees, if preheating is recommended for your air fryer.

2. Place 3 tablespoons cornstarch in a large bowl. Add the cauliflower, season with a big pinch of salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Drizzle in 2 to 3 tablespoons oil and toss until well coated. Add 3 tablespoons cornstarch and toss. Drizzle in another 1 to 2 tablespoons oil and toss well again, making sure there is no dry cornstarch on the cauliflower.

3. If using an oven, grease a sheet pan with a drizzle of olive oil. Arrange the florets in a single layer on the baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, flip the cauliflower to encourage even cooking, and return to the oven for another 8 to 10 minutes, cooking until it is tender and golden around the edges.

4. If using an air fryer, you may need to work in batches depending on the size of your machine. Arrange the cauliflower in a single layer on the rack, and air fry for 16 minutes, tossing the cauliflower halfway through, to encourage even crisping. Cook the remaining cauliflower.

5. While the cauliflower cooks, make the sweet-and-sour sauce: Place the ketchup, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce and garlic in a small pot. Heat over medium, stirring, until the sugar melts and the mixture starts bubbling around the edges, about 1 minute. Whisk the remaining 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water, then slowly pour the cornstarch slurry into the pot, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 1 minute.

6. To serve, transfer the cauliflower to a bowl and drizzle the sweet and sour sauce over the florets. Top with scallions. Serve with rice or noodles.

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By JOHN LEICESTER, Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — Legislators toppled France’s government in a confidence vote on Monday, a new crisis for Europe’s second-largest economy that obliges President Emmanuel Macron to search for a fourth prime minister in 12 months.

Prime Minister François Bayrou was ousted overwhelmingly in a 364-194 vote against him. Bayrou paid the price for what appeared to be a staggering political miscalculation, gambling that lawmakers would back his view that France must slash public spending to repair its debts. Instead, they seized on the vote that Bayrou called to gang up against the 74-year-old centrist who was appointed by Macron last December.

The demise of Bayrou’s short-lived minority government — now constitutionally obliged to submit its resignation to Macron after just under nine months in office — heralds renewed uncertainty and a risk of prolonged legislative deadlock for France as it wrestles with pressing challenges, including budget difficulties and, internationally, wars in Ukraine and Gaza and the shifting priorities of U.S. President Donald Trump.

French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou addresses the National Assembly, prior to a parliamentary confidence vote that could bring him down, in Paris, France, Monday, Sept. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Hunt for a replacement

Although Macron had two weeks to prepare for the government collapse after Bayrou announced in August that he’d seek a confidence vote on his unpopular budget plans, no clear front-runner has emerged as a likely successor.

After Gabriel Attal’s departure as prime minister in September 2024, followed by former Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier’s ouster by parliament in December and Bayrou now ousted, too, Macron again faces an arduous hunt for a replacement to build consensus in the parliament’s lower house that is stacked with opponents of the French leader.

As president, Macron will continue to hold substantial powers over foreign policy and European affairs and remain the commander in chief of the nuclear-armed military. But domestically, the 47-year-old president’s ambitions are increasingly facing ruin.

The root of the latest government collapse was Macron’s stunning decision to dissolve the National Assembly in June 2024, triggering a legislative election that the French leader hoped would strengthen the hand of his pro-European centrist alliance. But the gamble backfired, producing a splintered legislature with no dominant political bloc in power for the first time in France’s modern republic.

Shorn of a workable majority, his minority governments have since lurched from crisis to crisis, surviving on the whim of opposing political blocs on the left and far-right that don’t have enough seats to govern themselves but can, when they team up, topple Macron’s choices.

French far-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon, left, listens to the speech of French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou, prior to a parliamentary confidence vote that could bring Bayrou down, in Paris, Frnace, Monday, Sept. 8, 2025 in Paris. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Bayrou’s gamble

Bayrou, too, rolled the dice by calling the confidence vote, a decision that quickly backfired on the political veteran as left-wing and far-right legislators seized the opportunity to oust his government, seeking to increase pressure on Macron.

Bayrou conceded in his last speech as prime minister to the National Assembly that putting his fate on the line was risky. But he said that France’s debt crisis compelled him to seek legislative support for remedies, in the face of what he called “a silent, underground, invisible, and unbearable hemorrhage” of excessive public borrowing.

“The greatest risk was to not take one, to let things go on without changing anything, to go on doing politics as usual,” he said. “Submission to debt is like submission through military force. Dominated by weapons, or dominated by our creditors, because of a debt that is submerging us — in both cases, we lose our freedom.”

At the end of the first quarter of 2025, France’s public debt stood at 3.346 trillion euros, or 114% of gross domestic product. Debt servicing remains a major budget item, accounting for around 7% of state spending.

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen listens to the speech of French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou at the National Assembly, prior to a parliamentary confidence vote that could bring him down, in Paris, France, Monday, Sept. 8, 2025 in Paris. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Le Pen wants new election

The 577-seat National Assembly interrupted its summer recess to convene for the extraordinary session of high political drama. Macron’s opponents worked to leverage the crisis to push for a new legislative election, pressure for Macron’s departure or jostle for posts in the next government.

Far-right leader Marine Le Pen called for Macron to again dissolve the National Assembly, seemingly confident that her National Rally party and its allies would win a majority in another snap legislative election, positioning it to form a new government.

“A big country like France cannot live with a paper government, especially in a tormented and dangerous world,” she said in the National Assembly.

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Pressing problems

In a last-ditch effort to save his job before the vote, Bayrou warned that France is risking its future and its influence by racking up trillions in state debts that are “submerging us,” pleading for belt-tightening.

Macron’s chosen successor will operate in the same precarious environment and face the same pressing budget problems that dogged Bayrou and his predecessors. Macron himself has vowed to stay in office until the end of his term, but risks becoming a lame duck domestically if political paralysis continues.

Under the French political system, the prime minister is appointed by the president, accountable to the parliament and is in charge of implementing domestic policy, notably economic measures.

Arguing that sharp cuts are needed to repair public finances, Bayrou had proposed to cut 44 billion euros ($51 billion) in spending in 2026, after France’s deficit hit 5.8% of GDP last year, way above the official EU target of 3%.

He painted a dramatic picture of the European Union’s No. 2 economy becoming beholden to foreign creditors and addicted to living beyond its means. He castigated opponents in the National Assembly who teamed up against his minority government despite their own sharp political differences.

“You have the power to overthrow the government, but you do not have the power to erase reality,” Bayrou said. “Reality will remain inexorable. Spending will continue to increase and and the debt burden — already unbearable — will grow heavier and more costly.”

By ANITA SNOW

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Nothing makes Brad Lancaster happier than a monsoon downpour.

The tall 58-year-old jumped like a kid in the puddles on the sidewalk one recent August afternoon after a half inch (1.3 centimeters) of rain suddenly fell in Tucson, Arizona, during an especially dry summer.

“Sweet!” Lancaster exclaimed, beaming when he saw how the water pooled in a basin he had dug earlier in dirt planted with native vegetation along the public walkway.

“It’s really important that you are ready to plant the rain when it comes, even if it is a small amount,” he said, referring to a simple type of rainwater harvesting that involves digging a hole to allow rainwater to sink underground and be held like a sponge. “The key is to collect every drop of it.”

In the U.S. Southwest and beyond, home gardeners and landscapers are increasingly using collected rainwater to nourish their rose bushes and cactus gardens amid worsening drought and rising temperatures fueled by global warming.

Lancaster and other rainwater harvesting specialists say home gardeners anywhere can benefit from collecting raindrops and runoff from buildings and other surfaces to irrigate plants, even in wetter regions where the practice is less common.

Rainwater collecting is widespread in many of Earth’s driest regions. In Australia, it’s often used for drinking water, bathing and flushing toilets. And in Africa — where Lancaster said he learned more about the practice — it helps communities survive.

Saving the rain is also useful in southern Arizona, which is under pressure from a long-running drought. It’s drier than ever, with Tucson receiving less than half of the about 7 inches (18 centimeters) of rain it usually sees by the first week of September.

A new collection tank stands alongside a poster of a rainwater harvesting system outside The Rain Store in Tucson, Ariz., on June 27, 2025. (Anita Snow via AP)

Some of the heaviest rainfalls in Arizona and other parts of the U.S. Southwest occur in the summer, during the annual North American monsoon season.

As much as two-thirds of residential water in the desert city is used outdoors, said Adriana Zuniga, an associate research professor in environmental policy programs at the University of Arizona.

“The idea is to use less water from the tap to irrigate,” she said.

Rainwater harvesting is by no means a modern revolution.

Zuniga, who has researched water use of the Maya people who lived in what is now Central America and southeastern Mexico, noted that the ancient civilization captured rainwater to survive dry, hot summers.

“It should be fundamental to how we live in the Southwest and ultimately everywhere else in the coming years in the face of climate change,” said Tucson landscaper Eli Nielsen, who co-owns a store that sells rainwater harvesting products including rain chains that guide water from atop buildings.

A pitcher of rainwater appears for visitors touring the nonprofit Watershed Management Group in Tucson, Ariz., on July. 19, 2025. (Anita Snow via AP)

Looking to create a rain collection system of your own? Here’s how to start:

Educate yourself

Find out if your state has restrictions on rainwater harvesting or requires a permit due to environmental or health and safety considerations. A tool created by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in collaboration with the Federal Energy Management Program can help.

See if your city or county water department has a program that encourages rainwater harvesting or has other resources. Your local community college or cooperative extension office may have educational programs offering guidance.

A water collection tank appears alongside an enclosure for chickens at the nonprofit Watershed Management Group site in Tucson, Ariz., on July. 19, 2025. (Anita Snow via AP)

In the case of Tucson, the city water department offers rebates of up to $2,000 for residential rain collection systems. It works with the local nonprofit Watershed Management Group to provide free 2½-hour classes residents must take to design a collection system that qualifies for a rebate.

One class anyone can attend virtually is the Essential Rain Water Course, offered for free on YouTube. It is co-hosted by water harvesting authority Peter Coombes, an honorary professor at the Australian National University and managing director of the independent think tank Urban Water Cycle Solutions, and Michelle Avis, co-founder of the Canadian organization Verge Permaculture.

Many proponents of collecting precipitation say the most authoritative book on the subject is Lancaster’s “Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond,” along with a second volume published later. Lancaster also offers free resources to the public on his website.

Make a plan

Decide how ambitious you want to be.

Rain chains that direct water from atop buildings into storage containers, hang from the wall of The Rain Store in Tucson, Ariz., on June 27, 2025. (Anita Snow via AP)

Few people are going to be as dedicated to collecting the rain as Lancaster, said Hsin-I Chang, an assistant research professor in hydrology and atmospheric sciences at the University of Arizona. She gives Lancaster credit for the practice’s popularity in Tucson.

Active harvesting systems use storage tanks, pipes and sometimes pumps. But simpler passive systems are low-tech and work by shaping the landscape with basins and other contouring alongside trees and other foliage. That allows rainwater to gather and then sink underground to recharge aquifers and nourish thirsty plants nearby.

“It’s very easy to get started with contouring,” Chang said, noting that active systems can be more expensive to set up and maintain.

Looking for more help?

A rainwater sign is displayed on an outdoor sink at the home of harvesting expert Brad Lancaster in Tucson, Ariz., on Aug. 1, 2025. (Anita Snow via AP)

If you need assistance, consider hiring a landscaper with experience in harvesting systems. You can also seek out master gardeners at local nurseries or home improvement stores.

And you can look to Lancaster for inspiration, tapping into the joy he expresses every time the rain falls.

For more AP gardening stories, go to https://apnews.com/hub/gardening.