a bit of charm on the front step

 The warmth has returned, and it feels summery again; today a "severe thunderstorm" threatened. The threat passed, but the rumbles remained for a while, with dark sky hovering in the distance. It rained some, and then strong winds blew in cool, cool air! Perfect.

Way back in May I gave in to temptation and purchased a planter at the supermarket, instead of a hanging plant. It was early in the month, before such flowers are blooming, but I couldn't resist it. There was phlox in it, dianthus, some little flowers and other things I'm unfamiliar with. It did very well, but eventually things were getting cramped and shaggy; I removed the phlox, and put most of the dianthus in my backyard garden, along with some of the tiny flowers. And I added a pretty sweet potato vine to the pot. I had seen one at Debra's years ago and never forgot it. Agway had a variegated type, and it really is pretty. Now, it's curving all around the front steps. 

It has gone down the side, too.

I also have a bright yellow pansy, which still blooms cheerily. I give these a bit of chicken manure fertilizer once a week, and they have responded to it. 

There are also two or three very small pots out there with what used to be seedlings in them - I had started things to put out in my garden, but when the butternut squash started covering the whole place, I gave up the idea. So they stay in their cramped quarters in contentment, I guess, and add to the grouping, and except for the borage, I don't remember what else they might be. Except charming.

sloshing around

 When you have a garden, you always notice how much more the plants respond to a rainfall, as opposed to the water they get from the hose. After a couple of thunderstorms, I won't have to water for a couple of days, at least.

And I never put on my little wellies without feeling around inside them first - you never know.

water

 We had rain today. The real thing, and not for just two minutes. 

a hurricane cometh

Well, I don't mean to joke about it;  it's heading right for us. Technically, there's a hurricane warning at the coast - we inlanders have a tropical storm warning, but still. A lot of rain, a lot of wind. In these situations I like to cook as much stuff as possible, to have some food in a state of readiness, so to speak. I grated a huge zucchini our neighbor gave us and made a chocolate zucchini cake. I also put handfuls of it into our mac and cheese and there are still eight cups left; it filled a whole mixing bowl.

I've got some bread in the oven and there's a chicken that's defrosted - I'd like to cook it ahead of time. Maybe in the early morning. It might be nice to have some flavored popcorn. All the laundry is done, except for some towels I've been using this evening. 

 Two days ago we had a spell of torrential rain, and I got my camera. What looked like a small river was rushing along the side yard, to the street.

 Then I stood on the back step, and could see the water flowing right up under the bridge.

So, here we go again - I just hope it doesn't flood our property. 

keep us all in peace

This was in Magnificat today:

For those who wander in the deserts of disbelief and despair,
                   Lead your people home!

For those who browse for food in the pastures of untruth,
                   Lead your people home!

For those who do not know that they are lost,
                   Lead your people home!                 

There were two more thunderstorms last night, with loads of rain in attendance. I lay there during the first one around 2:15 amid the flashings and thunderings, and wondered how high the brook was getting, and if we'd see the bridge overturned in the morning. The next was an hour later, but mild in comparison. This morning, all appeared normal. But you can hear the rushing of the water from the house; if I wasn't nursing a headache I'd go out and film it for you, but, maybe tomorrow.

May the God in whose ways our fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,
 the God who has been our shepherd from our birth to this day,
 the Angel who has delivered us from all harm,
 bless us and keep us in peace. Amen

too much rain

We have had so much rain lately - so much.  Everything has an overgrown, semi-tropical look outside, and thunderstorms! We have thunderstorms almost every day - for weeks! I'm not exaggerating. 

Yesterday they issued a flash flood watch for this afternoon, through till tomorrow evening, so I decided to hurriedly make a grocery delivery order, rather than go out in rough weather. Glad I did, because it rained and thundered and rained more until I could see, from the kitchen window, the brook rushing right under the bridge. The brook isn't level with the ground - it's a couple of feet down, but the water level was up there all right. And on the street, the storm drain at the end of the driveway was overflowing, not to mention a "stream" which ran down the side of our yard along the fence, a path the brook originally took before being diverted by the developers, but it seems to still remember. My brother voiced concern that if the water overturned the bridge, it might end up damming the brook. And then there would be a mess. That was three hours ago - I can't see the water anymore from the window. I've been looking at photos from the flooding in Belgium - may God have mercy on them. 

Just like last month wasn't very June-like (much hotter than normal), this month doesn't much feel like July - it's way too wet, and swings from hot and very humid to cooler than normal. It isn't nice enough to spend much time outside. I wonder what August will bring. 

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
Who split the Red Sea in twain,
for his mercy endures forever;
And led Israel through its midst,
for his mercy endures forever;
But swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea,
for his mercy endures forever.

- from Psalm 136

cotton nightgowns

Another one of the pleasures of summer.

water

We've been having very regular rainfalls this summer, and we're more than five inches above the average, according to the weatherman this morning.

The brook usually dries up in August, but I don't think it's going to this year; the other day I went out looking for a rainbow after a short downpour and heard the water raging. It comes from streets up above us, down a hill and then turns a corner right on to our property and it was brown from all the soil carried along in the fast-moving water.

Water Never the Same

Beside a flowing river sit and gaze,

And see how it perpetually runs

In wave on wave, in many thousand turns,

As through the fields it takes its fluid ways.

Thou'lt never see again the wave which first

Flow'd by thee; water never is the same;

It passes day by day, although the name

Of water and river doth persist.

So changes man, and will not be tomorrow

That which he is today, he cannot borrow

That strength which time doth alter and consume:

Until our death one name we do retain;

Although today no parcel doth remain

Of what I was, the name I still assume.

   -   Jean-Bapiste Chassignet,   (trans. by Frank Warnke)

{p,h,f,r}

It occurred to me that we have a {pretty} brook going through the back yard - I heard it babbling after a rainstorm, so I thought I'd take a picture

(don't know how pretty these photos are)


I was running the bread machine today, and Henry, being unused to the sound it makes, was trying to figure out what it was - he looked kind of {funny} - at least, to me he did.

I'm {happy} that I'm almost finished with a wall organizer, which - I hope - is going to eliminate two things:

an organizer on my wall now that isn't as neat looking as I want, and a box on my desk which I stuff papers and things into.  Too messy.

I saw the design in an old craft book we have at the library - it was the only thing in there that caught my eye, and I have high hopes for it. Seven pockets should be enough. The button is to prevent a full pocket from hanging out too much - I may need to add more.

I now only have to hand-stitch the binding on the back of it, and affix 2 loops to hang it up with, and I'm done.  I wish it were plainer - I used fabric I had at hand which matched my room. We'll see how it works - in time I may see a better way, and make another more tailored to what I need.


We had a tornado warning the other day, which ended up just being a thunderstorm, and heavy rain in places.  But later, I heard a sort of crash, and went outside to investigate.

This tree is very close to my brother's shed - thankfully the limb fell in the other direction.  But, look -

see the black on the trunk?  I wonder if it means it was hit by lightning.
Anyway, that's my {real} for this time.  It could have been realer, and I'm glad it wasn't!