I woke up because the little brown dog had wedged herself between Steve and me and was staring at me and wagging her tail percussively against my legs. I laughed and sang a couple verses of "If you're happy and you know it wag your tail" until she was wagging, writhing, licking and rolling on her back in sheer glee. I got up, topped off some water bowls, got distracted by a hummingbird, and went out back to admire my new raised bed. My peppers have been covered in fruit since mid-May, which is astonishing, because I'm not ordinarily able to even plant them out until Memorial Day Weekend. I walked through all my backyard plantings and am overwhelmed how awesome they look this early in the season. This summer (even though it hasn't started yet) seems to be apologizing for the crappy performance of last...

Izzy and I ignored the fact that I was wearing my PJs and she came out with me. While I did some minimal weeding and deadheading (my basil is putting on flowers already?), she went on chipmunk patrol. She alerted me to the fact that a chippy had run up a bit of sump pump hosing I'd used for winter diversion from my rain barrels, but not yet put away. She gave me "the look" so I obliged by picking the hose up and shaking the bugger out. It landed on the driveway between my bare feet and scampered over one of them as Izzy excitedly tore after her.

They both ended up in my lilacs, and I watched him run down an entrance to our elaborate chipmunk labyrinth that I'd never noticed before. Izzy yipped in sheer excitement (the Germans call dogs with this tendency to "give tongue" while in pursuit "verbellen"), and Steve, fearing her wounded, rushed outside in his bathrobe to find us still laughing about and pacing after the long-absent chippy.

I came in, made and drank a quadruple espresso shot, and am contemplating my day. So far, my two highest priorities seem to be to buy and test drive a new outdoor pillow for my (already well-used) hammock, and to make a rhubarb pie...

Awoke at six, still fully clothed on the daybed in the living room. I'd had an exhausting day working in dirt, cooked a very late supper, and was going to rest a spell to recharge my batteries. My DH, knowing my tendency toward insomnia respected the fact I'd crashed and he made out the lights and tip-toed off to bed leaving me with our Iggy by my side for company.

The dog was still sleeping, so I got up and nuked what little coffee was still in the urn and headed outside with my cuppa to see the aftermath of last night's storms.

Even the roosters were sleeping in and instead of the usual morningsong, were only the gutteral primeval grunts of some gamebirds in the woods and thickets and a few woodpeckers. The air was heavy with mist and the smell of honeysuckle.

Surprisingly the flowers were mostly still upright, and there were no trees down. Came back inside, made a fresh pot of Joe for the husband and just puttered around until the rest of the house got up.

I woke up to the beep-beep-beep-ing of the machines up on the road clearing the last of the debris left by tropical storm Agatha. (Most of the road clearing was done in the first few days by the local people. Whole families were out collecting rocks and dirt to use for building, or to sell. But now the machines are finally here to finish the job.)
My sweetie made breakfast and afterward I took my morning walk around the garden. Weeds are getting out of control with all the rain. But my Heliconia rostrata finally has some blooms on it after a year and a half! I'm not sure why it has taken so long but I'm glad I was patient with it, I think it will be worth the wait.

Woke up to 72 degr, as usual shortly before 5 AM. Fed cat, let her out, fed neighborhood outdoor cat and got newspaper. Checked the weather report and went on my ramble. Was back by 7 AM, had my cup of tea, filled birdbath, fed the backyard crew and by 8 AM started the lawn mower. 3 hours later I was dripping, but front and back were mowed and trimmed, the vegetables weeded and watered. That's when I decided that after a shower I would start my weekend, it's too hot for anything else.
Well, the birdbath needs his 3rd refill shortly. Those 3 large saucers are in constant use, what I need is a little brook.

DH awoke me at 5:45 b/c this was my week to do quotes and I try to get them online fairly early. He turned on the computer for me--he'd been up since 3:30--, so it was ready to go. Cat Maggie hopped on the bed before I was out of it, as she wanted her breakfast. Her food bowl and the computer are in the front bedroom, so we made our way there, she running ahead as if she'd not eaten in days!! I got the quote typed in, but the gremlins wouldn't post it! Hence, the "2nd try" sometime later.

Sat. morning is the one day of the week that DH and I eat breakfast together and it's usually eggs, sausage, and grits. Fixing that kept me busy for awhile, so I didn't venture outside. When we were thru with breakfast, he got on the computer--and Maggie and I went back to bed for an hour. My internal clock wants about 45 minutes more sleep than I usually get!

Woke up to threat of rain and more storms. Cuppa tea, paper and outdoor cat on lap on front porch. Watched the robins polish off the last of the service berries. Laundry, checked weather and called mother and said not a good day to go to cemetary to plant flowers (we are behind on this due to vacation and weather. I keep telling mom, we did plant some perennials so they were not bare for memorial day), Managed to get 8 qts of strawberries picked from the place down the road before the storms and tornado. One was sighted between us and the next town. Have 2 batches of jam done, taking a break before making 3rd. Dh got called out to man some pumps for the city, a street flooded. Dd is babysiting six-yes six- kids age 7 and under. I grow faint just thinking about it. She is not even fazed. I have a quiet evening planned.

Coffee in a six shot Bialetti, makes my one big glass mug full with steamed milk and a spoon of natural sugar. Read puter stuff shower dress and go trim an oak. Nice people to work for.

I've been in England since Tuesday (London and Leeds) and today in St. Helier, Isle of Jersey. Spent several hours of the day at Durell Conservation Trust, a place founded by a man named Durell with a focus on saving endangered species. Not what I'd call a "zoo" as much a very "natural" place where animals, birds, reptiles that are losing out on survival are kept in good conditions and, hopefully, they will breed and some even reintroduced to the wild. Those meerkats, always at least on guard, were among my faves, but I also loved the ringtailed lemurs, with the two females running about with their babies on theit backs, including a set of twins.
Tomorrow the German war tunnels, a garden, and a cream tea. Life cannot get much better than this.

Suzy is the only one who falls asleep the way I do---too often!

--waking up----you guys are all seem so civilized,
---ESPECIALLY PIDGE---she's in her element right now, for sure!

----anyhow, woke up to the fourth day of dreadful heat---August swim-though-the-thick-air heat. I only use A/C when it's really bad---it's been on the four days....

Got coffee---6:15, let the cats out before it got any hotter, took coffee cup and went out to the garden.
Daylillies began blooming a couple days aqo---this is a good year for them---very tall, strong scapes and vibrant blossoms---used a bunch for nursing-home-church today---gorgeous, mixed in with tall, white Yarrow and Wild Carrot for greenery....the residents always love it, no matter what it is I throw together.
I'm sorry---I was 'sposed to say what I woke up to today, and I just start rattling on---I can't hold the party in very well, anymore!

Well, at least you all know I don't mean any harm---I just rattle along 'til I come to a stop sign somewhere.
Cheers!
KJ

KJ, the cream tea is for you!
The best thing about England on this trip is that I'mhere in June and not March or April and the sun has shone EVERY DAY, including this morning.

To a cold home. Ah. And singing the newest Hershey's jingle. I sing something every morning, but this one won't go away! What is it y'all call that, an "ear worm"?

Last week, while on vacation, but stuck in the dark house (all the shades and windows closed (after being open all night so as to cool it down) to keep it cool), and waiting on techs to finish working, I got this brainstorm to try to make a little memory. I kept seeing that Hershey s'mores commercial with Rascal Flatts, and it must've burned into my brain.... so I got out really long skewers, a tiny tea light candle, and mini marshmallows. We didn't make s'mores, but roasted marshmallows inside. We had a blast! Talk about cheap entertainment. By the way, one mini is too few to do at a time, it takes too much time, and five is too many, the flame is too big for inside. Three was the perfect number. The words to the song fits just perfect for the making the memory I had.

:)

Here is a link that might be useful: pick listen to a 30 second preview to hear it