Tropical Cloud Burst

So there I am…minding my own business…sitting in a parking lot doing what mama’s do best. Waiting.

Oh, I had a good book and a bit of crocheting, but it was hot. Too-too hot to even think.

I fanned myself. I drank my water. I re-parked in a less sunny place. Nothing, however, could change the fact that it was indeed 103 degrees in our little spot of Heaven.

When all of a sudden a few warm and wet rain drops started to fall. Out of the blue. I figured out where that term came from because the sky had a few sunny clouds–but none directly overhead. Nothing…It was weird.

As if they heard my thoughts on the subject a few more brave clouds began to roll in…

sprinkling a few more raindrops. I am positively in love with the smell of rain-wet streets so I not only left the windows open so I could take it all in…

but I pushed the car door open too.

And I can prove it.

In Hawaii, they say that nearly every day there is a sweet little cloud burst. Just for a minute or two. No need for an umbrella.  Hardly even enough to get you wet.

and then it’s gone…

leaving barely a trace.

Ha.

Four minutes–start to finish.

Take that, Hawaii.

Judgement Day Lightning Fest


Remember last week–when we had that eerie, yellow sky?

Wellll, just a few days after that we were landed on with a whole 2 hours of this.

No lie. It started at about 4am–and promptly woke all the grown-ups in the building.  There was absolutely no point in staying in bed–we were all awake. So when Lyndi came in my room and said, “Dude! Are you hearing this?” we all jumped up and ran out to the porch to watch the show.

Oh, it was so much more than your average thunderstorm. In fact, on the heels of the last odd weather–this one brought up the “End of the World” conversations again.

We can’t help it…we’re kinda like that.

It was loud and crashing and beautiful and wet.

But we’re sturdy mountain folk and a little rain–ok, a lot of rain–doesn’t scare us.

Not…one…little…bit.

Welllll…not most of us.

Little Miss Jiffy Chicken Liver would only watch from the window.

Shameful coward.

Golden Afternoon

On Sunday afternoon a really peculiar thing happened.

So peculiar, in fact, that some of the braver folk came out…on the roof for a closer look.

The first thing that got our attention was that everything–everywhere– turned yellow–and that’s while we were still in the house.

When we came outside the whole sky was totally yellow…

no matter which way you turned.

Don’t you find that particularly odd?

I do.

One of the kids said, “Ok, this is really freaky…”

eerie even…

you know, like, the end of the world kinda stuff.”

But as you can see–we’re still here. No apocalypse. No Millennium. No end of the world…for now.

In fact, within minutes the yellow sky started to fade away altogether…

and promptly turned…

pink.

Fickle June

This moment…

A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week.
A simple, special, extraordinary moment.
A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Happy Saturday friends!

Who’s In Charge Here Anyway?

Obviously not us…

or this wouldn’t be going on–let me tell you.

Or this.

And I’m pretty darn sure those willow branches are not suppose to be touching the ground.

So the bald kid and I trudged around making little cardboard Barbie tents out of old boxes…

to shelter my newly planted petunias.

And they promptly got buried.

Be brave little flowers.

Just as soon as we humans are in charge again–Spring is certain to come.

Though I can’t prove it.

“What power shall stay the heavens? As well might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the river in its decreed course, or to turn it up stream, as to hinder the Almighty…”

Ok, ok…I get it.