Rain barrel works!

We had enough rain to fill the barrel, and then some, so we got to to test the overflow. Works perfectly! We have corrugated pipe running the overflow out into the front yard, where it is away from the house, and the drainage is so good that even after heavy rain it disappears very quickly.

Sweet! Now all we have to do is add a couple more barrels ... since this particular downspout generates so much water, I should have plenty for watering plants (when I get the garden really going).

I forgot to add ... this is a temporary set-up, that overflow pipe will be re-routed so it looks better when we set up the other barrels. But this hook-up works really well, using the already-existing openings in the top of the barrel - no cutting of holes and trying to seal them up. The only place we had to cut one hole was at the bottom, to install the spigot.

Too cool.