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Friday, July 29, 2016

Almanac

Not from today

Anvil clouds are piling up, ready for the hammer. It is dry, dry, dry, and the east wind is tugging at everything not nailed down, billowing the laundry like the sails of a ship, and intriguing the pup with strange smells.

There is a frog in the garden pond again, just a little feller. There were several, including a big one that appeared to have wintered over, earlier in the season, but they left for better venues. The kids bought a few more goldfish and some guppies. What fun it is when they feed them and the ones I had from last year.

The water fairly boils. 

While I was hanging out the laundry...yes, on crutches....Liz carried it out for me, but I hung it up....a mayfly plopped some eggs into the pond. Dab. Dab. Dab.

Flop. She bumped over to the oak log that is a feeder in winter and rested there a moment, just about spent. Without a functional mouth, and having fulfilled her purpose after a year under water, she is done and will no doubt die now, having laid those precious eggs. I wonder if they will hatch and grow and winter in the pond. Or will the guppies polish them off before they even sink to the bottom. 

When we were kids and staying at the lake there were mornings we couldn't swim because there was so much detritus left from the mayfly hatch. Who wants bug shells all over them? Not I.

I have so many beans that need to be picked, but I guess they will have to wait a bit. Don't think I can manage that job yet. I only planted a few squash plants and they are feeding us well, although if it doesn't rain in the next hour or so I am going to have to water. Did I mention that it is dry?

It is hard to get used to after all the soggy years in a row we have experienced.

Found out something interesting this year that I had never thought about. One of the morning glory seed packets I planted suggested growing them in a hanging basket. I gave it a go and the ones in the basket are blooming way before the ones in the ground are showing any sign of same. Very nice pink frilled ones with white edges. Even the vines are pretty, climbing out of the basket and down the hummingbird perching strings.

It was good to get outdoors even if only at a hobble. I hate being cooped up inside.

Just as it came from the camera last week



6 comments:

Jan said...

Good post. I'm glad you got out and shared your world with us.

Cathy said...

Those cloud pictures!!! And the color on the last one!
And -trust me- we understand that drought concern.
Our lawn down here in central Ohio . . when you walk across it - it feels like your walking on an upturned bristle scrub brush.
We finally got a lovely 15 minute steady rain this eveing.
I hope you're pitching those crutches soon, my friend.

threecollie said...

Jan, thanks, a little better today.

Cathy, amazing year for clouds. Everywhere I look, whether outside the window or on the Internet I see them. Our lawn is exactly the same and I have to water the flowers and vegetables here by the house at least once a day. Sometimes twice! I am walking better today, thanks Mostly need the crutches for the porch steps.

R.Powers said...

I like that big wet cloud. We have had the same weather all summer, HOT and very sporadic rains instead of the "usual" summer showers in the afternoon. Perfect tourist weather, but I was happy for the solid rain last night.

Hope you continue to mend!

Terry and Linda said...

I'm doing baskets this year also...although, mine are not doing as well as the the ones planted in the ground. It's always fun to try new things.

Love your sunset! PURPLE!!!

Linda

threecollie said...

FC, I rarely look for rain, but we really needed it. And we got a lot! Garden pond was down at least five inches and now it is overflowing. I was getting pretty tired of watering so many plants. It can slow up now though. Four inches just last night.Thanks for your kind words

Linda, I simply love container gardening. You have so much more control over what is happening. Of course not everything can be done that way but so many things can. I was astonished by the morning glories! I will do more that way next year. They are pretty.