We knew about the "severe storm warning" when we came to the farm yesterday morning. Mike mowed. I did the laundry, planted two hostas and a coleus, picked spinach and buried a banana peel beside the cute little lilac I found last week. So far so good on the rhubarb we planted.The yard actually looks pretty good, quelling some of the discouragement I felt last week. In fact, over the weekend the little spinach plants grew leaves big enough to pick. Here's a picture of a wild rose that "volunteered" at the woodshed. It shows one pink blossom and lots of buds.
The pear tree is setting its fruit.
Mike took his mountain bike and went for an exercise ride in the late afternoon. Nellie insisted we go for a walk. Here she is on point above our lane near Plank's, waiting for me to approach her. When I did, she flushed a pair of huns. Proceeding on up Plank's Pitch, I met the FedEx man with a package for Mike -- ink cartridges for the printer. He said he didn't know there was a place "back here." I accepted the package right there and he went his way. Out on top, I met Neighbor Pete who advised me of packages in our mailbox and offered to give me a ride, which I declined.
Then the wind came up -- just like that. I hurried to the mailbox (one mile from the house), pulled out the small packages, and calling "back" to Nellie I slipped into my fastest walk. I felt the occasional drop of rain.
I paused long enough to take this picture of a garter snake sunny herself by a pool of water. I retrieved the package I had left at the top of Plank's Pitch. Now I'm managing three lightweight but bulky mailings as I scurry down the road.
When I arrived at the house, the wind was blowing in earnest. I removed the mostly dry clothes from the line and got supper. Nellie hid under the table at my feet and went right to her barrel house in the woodshed as soon as the dishes were finished. The rain didn't really commence until 7:20 -- the predicted time frame. We had no hail but periods of heavy rain and wind. KW
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The storm was kind of a fizzle up here although we did get quite a bit of rain. Today is cold, breezy and cloudy. Dark even.
Glad you make it home in time!
The storm wasn't as close as we feared it might be. We had some lightning play but the thunder claps were in the distance.
Yes, this is a "dull" day, as Ina would say. It's cold -- 45 -- and rainy. I had thought I might pick some spinach for supper and changed my mind. Those leaves can stand to be a little larger anyway.
So glad the clothes outside were nearly dry. In Southern California, we have many overcast days in June. It's known as June Gloom. When that phenomenon begins earlier, it's called May Gray. Cute names for gloomy sunless days. Yesterday no sun at all. Today sunny & bright all day. I'm happy.
Nice to see the spring awakening via the photos.
What is Nellie's "barrel house"?
I always think of you Californians as basking in the sun every day.
Nellie's doghouse is a 50-gallon drum (set into a brace, of course) in the woodshed. Her bedding is wood shavings. I've always imagined that, like Snoopy, the house we see is only a fraction of the house that exists for her.
Calif. allows more sun in the desert areas & for those that live inland. I'm very close to the coast, about 8 1/2 miles. There is something called the "marine layer" that hugs the coast in late spring & early summer. After July 4, we get lots of sunny hot days. Being from the midwest, I have on occasion called the "marine layer" fog. I've been corrected on that. It is merely cloud cover just like any cloudy day any place else.
Give us a photo essay of Nellie's drum/doghouse/easy life.
Okay -- I'll show you Nellie's "digs." I'll take some pictures here and also in town. I probably won't be able to show you her basement "play room" or the guest room upstairs. (LOL)
Have you got stuff all over the guest bed again?
The rose bush looks so much better with leaves. I can hardly wait for it to flower (and it will).
I don't know where Dad got the idea to use a 50 gallon barrel for a dog house, but the dogs seem to like it quite a lot. The wood shavings clean their coat, make them smell pine fresh (for about a second), and are easy to manipulate into a comfortable bed.
Anyone who has ever seen a dog work on its blanket in its bed before settling in for the night knows how dogs think. If the bed is outside...same thing. It's an instinct to "prepare their nest." Fun to watch.
Guest Bed? I'm just teasing that the exterior of Nellie's house belies an opulent interior. I'll reserve my comments on the history of the barrel house for the post.
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