...and Chicago thought THEY were the windy city...HAH!

 This is the first peony of the season. It's a short season,  and full of ants.  LOL


  Well...we closed out the month of May with a BANG! around these parts. 5 tornadoes in various areas, all where I had family and where I live. 10 miles from me a high school was hit,  and all around me varying amounts of damage, from demolished houses to ripped off roofs to uprooted trees to thrown around patio furniture. Whew.  It came from across the river and headed straight for us. We personally had about a half hour of crazy winds and lightning and rain...the bulk of it sailed over us and went straight to Gillespie.  That was the tornado portion of the program. It had already been raining and blowing some. And afterwards it continued raining like hell and blowing like crazy.  But there's no mistaking those tornadic winds from , well, WIND. It sounds like a freight train. It feels like nothing you've felt before..it has an energy all it's own.  And then BLAM! it's over.  Leaving decimated buildings, overturned cars, and broken pink plastic flamingos in it's wake.  So far, there doesn't appear to be any fatalities this time. Thank Goodness.  Oklahoma got hit again too last night.  Mother Nature is on a rampage lately.



 It's eerily quiet right now. Every single animal I own is outside. (Well, not the bird, but he's even quiet). I think they're all suffering from a bit of cabin fever from the past few weeks of rain rain and more rain. This time of year, the cats especially take more to the great outdoors.  They all turn into wild things, and you can find them stalking the garden or sleeping under a lush bush. They love the heat, laying up in the shade or where ever their little hearts desire. They are cats, after all.

Sometimes they like to supervise. Other times they just want to stay in your way.  lol


  Tomorrow is the family reunion. I am making bbq country ribs and Asian slaw and some kind of dessert.  I just talked to my sis and she's making her world famous peach cake, so maybe I'll do something with blackberries or strawberries.  I don't know.  I was also supposed to go to a grad party, but it's an hour and a half from here, and I just don't think I have the energy to do that and make the food and make the drive tomorrow there and back (2.5 hours each way).  arrgghhhh...I'm pretty sure I'll see the little one tomorrow, so I'll just bring her card and gift then. And that reminds me that I have to get the gift wrapped and card made for my baby brother, who turned 52 today !!!   I just called down and talked to him. He's in heaven--rocking his baby grandson to sleep. They came up for 2 weeks from Florida, and he's crazy for that baby.  lol


  We will be going to Wisconsin in 2 weeks for the family reunion for my husbands family. More for Fathers Day, really...but we'll be gathering  and camping at a little place with cabins. It  will be fun. I am trying to figure out what all I need to take...and have to call my SIL and find out for sure, because my husband is absolutely no help when it comes to that stuff. He's talked to her at least 3 times since I asked him to get the info from her (she's the one that set it up...who knows the facts).  I should have just called her in the first place.  LOL  He's been making these trips by himself for the last few years...I need to go this time. My son is going to look after the animals, so I can go.  


  Well...here's a couple of more pictures of my beautiful flowers...it occurred to me that I haven't taken one shot of our wild roses, which are so beautiful this year-loaded with flowers and fragrant as all get out.  I should go do that... 

Wild Roses

And more wild roses

And Budding Hollyhocks

A Garden Update--Edamame !

And the salad bed.

And just to show you how different things were this time last year, here are snow peas:

And here are snow peas.  

  And I did not plant early last year, like lots of people did...but I sure planted earlier than I did this year.  Weather and all.  You know...sigh.

 Walking around outside taking those rose pictures, I got an even better idea of just how much rain we got last night. I was sloshing and schlurrping through the grass.  And there are standing puddles of water on the lawn, where the ground is so saturated it just can't even absorb any more.  All I can say (once again)-- is thank God for raised beds ! Otherwise I suspect all my plants would be rotting at the roots.

  Okay. I'm outta here. Lots to do, and the Irishman was hinting at going to a movie (matinee) this afternoon. Probably won't, but I'd better get busy anyway. Lots to do....

  Have a grand weekend all.  And Beth---love and extra lovey hugs coming your way.




Namaste.