Should have entitled it:
Tropical Storm Lee comes to Oklahoma.
That's more catchy and completely accurate too.

I went out and took LOTS of photos...in case anyone wanted to see our BIG SKY and ominous CLOUDS.

This will move it on down the list anyhow.

Annie- Congratulations!!! It's about time...I hope it rains for days...a nice, steady, soak in the ground, rain :)

That's such great news Annie!!! I'm SO happy for you but surprised to read that Lee has circled around and is bringing you some much-needed rain! I didn't know they (storms) did that! Lee certainly did his level best to drown New England. My rain gauges measured 5" from TS Irene and another 5" from TS Lee a week later. I'm amazed (but relieved & grateful) my cellar wasn't flooded after so much rain. The flooding in other parts of the northeast wasn't quite so benign.

Enjoy your long-awaited wet weather and the benediction on your garden.

Fantastic! Now if only poor TX would be so blessed :(
Yes, pictures, please ;)

You hoggin' all my rain?

Glad to hear rain is coming your way. Can't wait to see the pictures Hope it is raining as I write this!!

I Hope it is raining for you right now too!

Congrats, annie, hope you get even more rain than expected..

Hoping some rain comes to Texas soon, too.

We got a trace amount of rain from two of the several storm bands that came through the state (at least here where we live). Looking at the storm clouds that blew over all day yesterday, one would have thought we were going to get a real drencher.

These 2 pics were taken from up on the ridge top in our meadow above the house. It is the best place to go watch approaching storms and look for tornadoes. :)

We didn't even get enough to soak the dirt. It washed the dust off of things and cleaned the ragweed pollen out of the air for awhile anyway. There are still clouds forming and floating over today. Pretty! I am digging this 80+ degree weather. Yes Ma'am!

That's a beautiful sky!!! Sorry that you didn't get a big soak. :(

It has turned chilly now...and we are finally getting some rain. So far it is been coming down in a light mist rain, but it is so welcome. I hope it continues. It feels like November - 40s & low 50s at night. Sheesh! I sure hope we don't have an early frost, but it sure looks like we might!
The good thing is that the cold night temps appear to have killed some of the chewing insects. I found lots of dead ones laying all over the garden today. Yeah! And no more mosquitoes! Yeah again!
Am enjoying wearing jeans again. :)
~Annie

Sorry you didn't get a good drenching, soaking rain from TS Lee but it seems to have broken that awful heat anyway. Yesterday morning it was humid & 72 here. This morning it's 41. That's just too big & too sudden a drop. That's shorts & a tank top weather followed in less than 12 hours by jeans & polar fleece layers weather! I'm guessing it also stopped my summer sown perennials in their tracks. They'll probably go into winter dormancy after this. Would we still love to garden if it didn't present us with so many challenges?

Same thing here "gardenweed" - We went from 109 to 69 day temps overnight! That is too fast! I was wearing tanks and shorts and flipflops one day and the next day jeans, sneakers and long-sleeved t-shirts. I had to wear a poncho yesterday afternoon. I was so hoping for a long, pleasant normal September. Oh, well. I'll take this over the triple digits and drought any day. My Scottish Heathen DH is LOVING this! Feels and looks like Scotland and Holland he tells me.

My flowers are going to town! They love this weather. And the grass is greening up fast. New leaves are coming out on many of the trees and plants that went dormant. Yeah!
Even if everything doesn't bloom, it'll be nice to see a big flush of GREEN before the first frost.

Going to enjoy it while I can.
~Annie

OOOH, Annie, that's great! Post pics of your greening stuff if you can.
I bust out laughing at "heathen" DH. ???? What does it mean here?

Oh, I just call him 'the Heathen' from time to time. He wasn't raised in a church and his Mum was agnostic. And being a Scotsman of the Highlands, the heathen part just comes natural. He looks kind of like Sean Connery. Not the average looking guy. He's also a really gentle soul and such a sweetheart. Super smart and he makes me laugh when I need it the most. :)

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! okay, that was a fun read! :) Nice to have such a great person to share life with!

The Heathen

We were sitting out in the garden, enjoying and playing with our cats. One by one, the cats came out to join us under the weeping willow.

~Annie

Yay!!! He does look as if he belongs on a blustery moor ;)
Ooooh, pretty kitty! ! It's great to be surrounded by soft, affectionate friends- it sounds very sweet and relaxing :)
If you have time, take a peek at daylily forum if you want to see the abandoned kitten I've been taking care of. It's so teeny it still has the umbilical cord attached.

OMG, that kitten has to be only a week old or less!
Poor little thing.

I just lost one of my kitties. She just died about an hour ago. I sat with her stroking her ears and kissing her sweet head. If I stopped even for just a second, she would look up at me and moan, so I stayed with her, rubbing her and talking to her. My poor Miss Bitty. She was so sweet and so pretty. I am just heartsick. She got Bobcat Fever. There is no cure for it. They die within 24 hours. She is the third one we've lost to that disease since living out here. The only good thing is that they go fast and go easy. She went to sleep while I was stroking her sweet little ears.

It is cold, dark and rainy today...a fitting day for the way I feel.

I will go take a peek at your new kitten.

Oh Annie, I'm so sorry to hear about your kitty. I'm glad you were able to be there to comfort her.

I am sorry as well, but so glad she had a good, much-loved life with you!

Sorry to hear about your kitty. I never heard of that disease before so I googled it. Maybe this is a way to prevent any more of your sweet kitties from getting it?....
"The key to protecting your cat is prevention because there is no cure for this disease," said Sharon Grace, DVM, clinical professor at Mississippi State University (MSU) College of Veterinary Medicine. "Owners need to apply a topical product that will kill ticks that carry the pathogen."

"Even indoor cats need tick control because the American dog tick, the carrier of the disease which picks up the pathogen from an infected bobcat, can unknowingly be brought into the house by a human or a dog, she said.

The product must contain fipronil for tick control to be effective, Dr. Grace said."

I'm so sorry Annie.:( I know too well the sorrow of losing a beloved pet. Please know your heartache is shared so as to ease the pain. Sending healing energy and big rain drops your way! :)

On a lighter note, your husband looks SO much like my DH! My guy is also of Scottish heritage as am I. He was always known as the Sean Connery look alike in his younger years. He still looks like him! To me he resembles Santa Claus more these days but hey...........and he is very gentle and affectionate with the dogs....always saying good night and goodbye to each of them when he leaves for work in the morning. " I love you puppies" he always says! :) It almost kills him if we lose a puppy in a litter or even worse, one of our adult dogs.

Ginny Garden
Gairden's Shelties
Edmonton AB

We now think she was poisoned. We have yet another cat who is sick. The reason we think this is that with Bobcat Fever, they lose massive body mass. The disease just eat them up and it is so fast! Well, Bitty didn't lose any body mass - none at all.
She was vaccinated for everything and like all our cats and dogs she got the necessary drops to prevent ticks and fleas and etc. every month. We see to that. That was why I just couldn't believe she could have gotten it.
Now, Little Brother is now showing the same signs.
We think maybe they were poisoned. In fact, one of our other cats disappeared last month - Binx. He was a sweetheart of a cat too. He raised Little Brother, Jackie Cat and then tiny little Terra like a mother cat. Then we lost Edward de Long Tail right after that. He died a more violent death. Too many cats gone all within a short period of time. Suspicious, isn't it? I am so sad.

Thanks everyone.

Gotta go. My evil father-in-law is coming for a visit. I wish I could go somewhere and avoid having to deal with that thing. He is such an ass and so mean to me. Just what I need right now. I may take the car and go somewhere.

Annie, that is terrible. And I'm so sorry you're going to have an even more miserable day with your FIL coming for a visit. Why do people have to be mean? I hope you were able to drive somewhere to find some peace.

Annie, sending big hugs your way.

Annette

Annie, yes, it does seem suspicious. My heart goes out to you. Our furry friends are such a nice part of our lives. I'm sorry for your losses. I'm hoping Little Brother will be all right, and that you find out what's going on.

I hope you are feeling somewhat better today Annie. I can only imagine how angry you must be on top of the hurt to suspect poisoning! One of my daughter's kitties was poisoned and it was devastating! It very well could be, especially if you are in the country. Maybe ask around at the local vet clinics to see if anyone else has had the same problems. I don't use anything on my land that will hurt animals, wild or domestic, but many people intentionally poison! Again, I am so sorry for your loss(s). :(

SS ~ Yes they are shelties. Pictured left to right is Painter, Chloe and Cricket. I have 5 adults and they are always full of funny antics. Next litter will be in the winter I would guess. :)

honalee,

We love Shelties too. I love the names you gave them. How cute!!

Right now, we have a male Sable Rough-coat Collie (Angus McColly), a large English Shepherd, black with sable (Sheppie) and a female Bluetick Coonhound (Bonnie Belle). Lots of fun and games on our place from them! All were adopted. We adopted the boys and Bonnie adopted us! :)

My DH liked your pictures of your DH with the Shelties. We plan to go for smaller breeds eventually. He wants Shelties; I want Corgis. :)

Our dogs are so big. In this tiny cottage, it is congested traffic 24/7. You literally have to step over the furry bodies to get from room to room. :) And when they all get excited and rowdy, watch out and grab hold of something to anchor yourself! :) All sweet pups though and very loyal. We sure enjoy them and love them.

Our 12 remaining cats tolerate them, because "dogs are handy when you need a warm body to cuddle up with...so I guess they are good for something", or so the cats seem to regard the dogs :)

I started Little Brother on Clindamyacin two days ago. He seems somewhat better, although still running a fever and feels cold. His stomach is very tender when touched. You have to lift him carefully or he cries out in pain. He is using the potty box and drinking a tiny bit of water. He acts like he is sick to his stomach, but is not vomiting anymore. That is good. The medicine is staying down him. He started making "biscuits" on his bed this morning and purring again. :) I rubbed a little bit of tuna broth on his gums and let him lick it off so he wouldn't get choked. Keeping him warm and comfy and giving him lots of loves. That's about all we can do.

Thanks for the hugs and well wishes everyone.
~Annie

Annie ~ My DH was reading your comments over my shouder and laughing. He says, "That sounds like our house only we have a sheltie carpet". And they follow us everywhere; even into the bathroom!

I wish I could advise you more on the kitties. Fluids are very important. If they have been poisoned, death by dehydration is how most poisons work. See if you can get water into him with a syringe or eye dropper even. Or if he will drink a watered down broth (salt free) or milk. Poor kitty. :(

I just checked out the conversations forum on here. Great chats. I shall have to tune in more often. Of course I would never get anything done! But probably better for off topic discussions. It's fun to get to know others who have the same interests I do.

PS. I have been known to give puppies away......:)

honalee,

I have been giving him water with a syringe.
He is better this afternoon. His ears aren't ridged now, which indicates he is not in pain like he was. He climbed up on our bed and took a nap with daddy. Good signs.
I will continue the meds and regime.
I read your post to my DH. "Puppy?" he said. "Do you want one?" :)

Annie ~ So good to hear that he is feeling better. :)He's in good hands!

I meant to mention that my next breed will be an English Shepherd even though no one seems to know what they are. I bred Border Collies years ago but they are just too much dog for me now. When I was about 13 we had a Tenessee Walker Hound by the name of Lou. No one ever heard of one of his kind either. And I digress....

Check out the latest pic of the male from my last litter on the Gallery. :)

Sure hope you guys got rain.""""""""