Did I say the sun came out and it stopped raining Wednesday afternoon? Silly me. Well, it didn’t rain but by Friday 5ish it had completely clouded over and was thundering in the distance.
Saturday dawned, you guessed it, overcast. The little backyard needed mowing and the rest of the yard needed trimming, something I had not done so far this spring/summer so I decided to take advantage of the overcast and therefore cooler temps and get both tasks done. So, bandana tied around my forehead (because menopause totally flipped my internal temperature and now sweat rolls off me whereas before I only ‘glistened’ with perspiration), work in the yard clothes on, and doused with mosquito repellant (legs, arms, clothes, hat) I got both tasks done. The sky had been steadily darkening and by the time I cooled off enough to take a shower it had started raining. Again. And then it rained again sometime during the night. Ask me how I know. A little neurotic dog told me. But no rain Sunday, no rain Monday and so far no rain today. Forecast says we should have an unprecedented (lately) six days in a row with no rain. Regardless, the big black mosquitoes are back having given way to teeny tiny ones for about a week. It’s not enough that they attack you the instant you step outside, they follow you in hitchhiking on your clothes and continue to attack you in the house. I just came in from picking green beans with blood streaks down both arms and legs.
Enough about the rain.
Before I got the yard work done Saturday, Mikey came over with Paisleigh and Harrison. The kids have been in Arkansas for the last four weeks with their mom and Mikey went to get them getting back Friday evening. He brought them over for a quick visit before taking them to see Robin and then home. Sunday I went across the street to fetch Paisleigh to walk the dog in the early evening, this has become something we do several times a week, and then back to my house until Mikey was ready to head home. She wanted to paint a picture for her daddy and we got the paints out but he arrived to fetch her back before she really got started good.
I pass this enclosure on my way to the grocery store. Looks ominous, right?
First they graded the land, then they erected a knee high steel bar barrier around the perimeter, then the light poles went up, then a chain link fence topped with barbed wire was built outside the steel bar barrier, and then they covered the fence with this black material, not sure when they put what looks like a container in there. Every time I passed it I wondered what the hell is that place? They finally put up a sign, Allied Recovery Services. I looked it up, it’s a repo outfit, vehicles and other property, so I guess this is where they stash the stuff before getting it to its proper owners.
And from the Department of Weird Food, I came across this Sunday when I had to go to the Evil Empire for something I can only get there unless I want to order from the other Evil Empire or drive to Shopping Mecca.
There was a huge display, many flavors of this Korean drink, also 'modern' noodles all on sale for $1 each.
Apparently it did not appeal to the American consumer.
Saturday’s sunset (don’t let it fool you, it rained Saturday night).
Your little artist is most adorable. Lucky you , she lives close enough to just pop over. She is quite the cutie pie.
ReplyDeleteDry as a biscuit up here for a change. It is warm, we have A. C. .
Korean food is making its way around the block! It is well appreciated up here, as well as Japanese noodles, mochi, fermented this and that- sea weed crisps...Not a fan but the noodles are great!Never met a noodle that was. not appealing.
What a beautiful artist! The next generation. This is the time of year when I miss rain.
ReplyDeleteThe forecasters can't seem to get a hold on the weather here. It comes, it goes, it rains, it feels like a sauna (and not in a good way), and then it feels like you're under the broiler when you're outside under the sun.
ReplyDeleteSigh.
Summer in Florida. Texas, too, I suppose.
Paisleigh is adorable.
Paisleigh is so cute. I'm sorry the rain has been so unrelenting - especially because poor Minnie! If the weather cooperates, I think I'll do some pruning this evening after work. I ordered some new pruning shears that are supposed to come today. I want to play!
ReplyDeleteI love Paisleigh's sweet face in that photo. How nice to have her near again.
ReplyDeleteTwo of my grandsons and their parents are back from a month in Rwanda. I was so glad to see them again. They met many of their Rwandan cousins and had some fun but were happy to come home as the boys were not fond of the Rwandan food. My son, Tom, had to get them pizza and Kentucky Fried Chicken and hotdogs instead.
Sounds like the mosquitoes from hell have invaded your living space. No fun, I am sure.
ReplyDeleteMosquitoes follow rain? Modern noodles?
ReplyDeleteEver since the polar vortex started a drunkard's walk annually, we have entered drought and deluge pattern. A natural result of more energy added to the atmosphere. Ironically, too cold also produces violent weather extremes. We had it good. Illinois has had a inordinate number of tornadoes. Tornado Alley is shifting east. North America, on average, is an arid continent, so the rain shadow east of the Rockies will stretch it's length to the Mississippi. May we live in interesting times
ReplyDeleteAn end to the rain's been welcome, but I need to see if Saharan dust has evaded. We're experiencing a strangely heavy haze. I suppose it could be simple humidity, since it's impossible to step outside without beginning to drip. The heat is one thing, but I do hate that humidity; without a breeze, it's hellish. I don't know about all those foods up above, but I have heard that Korean barbeque is becoming quite the thing around here. My new food extravagance is golden kiwis; they're larger and sweeter than the green ones, and delicious.
ReplyDeleteCodex
ReplyDeleteNew post.
Ive seen this synthetic nonsense for a while now. With cutesy marketing messages. The amount of foods in a cup that will restore our relaxation spirituality is incredible.
The mozzies love natural disasters and floods. Noticed the same.
A "dual biotic soda" means nothing to me. I'll stick with water. I do not miss living with mosquitoes. Every once in a while a tiny one shows up in our bedroom, and I think, "How did YOU get here?!" But they're few and far between.
ReplyDeleteWeird Food always fascinates me... but dual biotic soda, WTF? *LMAO* The Marketing of all these elixir promised creations is amusing... don't know how many fall for it?
ReplyDeleteYour weather and your insects sound awful. Nice looking plants that are blooming.
ReplyDeleteDear Ellen,
ReplyDeleteI had to smile while reading this. First too much rain, then giant mosquitoes, then tiny mosquitoes, then mysterious fenced compounds, and finally unwanted Korean drinks looking for a home. Life certainly provides plenty of material for commentary!
The image of you mowing the lawn under increasingly threatening skies felt very familiar. Gardens seem to have their own sense of timing, and rain often arrives the moment the last tool has been put away. At least you managed to get the work done before the heavens opened again.
I was especially happy to read about Paisleigh and Harrison. Those ordinary family moments often become the most meaningful ones, even when they are interrupted by unexpected schedules and half-finished paintings.
That fenced recovery yard does look rather ominous. Without the sign, my imagination would probably have invented all sorts of dramatic explanations. The reality is almost disappointingly sensible.
And then there are those mysterious supermarket discoveries. Every country seems to have products that make you stop and wonder who exactly is buying them. Apparently not enough people in your area were!
The sunset photographs were beautiful. They almost make one forgive the weather for all its recent misbehaviour.
I hope your six promised rain-free days actually arrive and that the mosquitoes decide to take a holiday of their own.
Best wishes,
Anette