The soil must contain a lot of clay not to absorb the water. Most of our soil is lime based and can absorb water very well so unless we are drowned with rain the water is absorbed by the soil very quickly. I suppose it is impossible to work the soil in this condition.
The Netherlands, known for their floods long ago, is so perfectly illustrated here! It's significant for the standing waters and the windmill in that noce horizon gives such an excellent sense of place!
