July 25, 2014 More Rain

A hawk sitting on Miss Kitty

Wednesday 7/23.  Lots of smoke in the air this morning, which is odd considering all the rain we had.  There was a short downpour a little after 10:00 am and then sun popped out just before the first thunder rolled through.  A long roll of thunder.  We had more rain an hour later but it stopped and I could see blue sky by noon.

Meanwhile, since I have been sorting and organizing everything else in the house, the stacks of paper on the coffee table are still sitting there.  Staring at me.  Which is exactly why I am getting so many other things done. . .

I drove Miss Kitty down to Larry's and Elsie's a little before 1:00 pm to let their dogs out for a while, so they could do some errands after work and not have to worry about rushing home.  Elsie had left a bag of fresh blueberries in the fridge for me.  Hmmm, maybe I could let the dogs out again tomorrow.

Back home I decided that since the hot weather is supposed to return over the weekend, I would get as much wood split as possible while it was still cool.  I just finished splitting and stacking the second wheelbarrow load at about 3:00 pm when it began raining again.  By 5:00 pm, the wind had blown most of the clouds to the east and north.

On Monday I had pulled some small, new potatoes and onions from the smallest plants in the garden.  Today I made chicken stew with them.  There's just something about fresh food from the garden. . .

The wind turned cold this evening and brought in more clouds.  By 9:00 pm the temperature had dropped to 49 and the wind was gusting into the low 20's.

Thursday 7/24. It was 49, overcast and still windy this morning.  Feels more like October than July.  Not complaining, just stating a fact.  After holding off for more than an hour, I finally put a fire in the wood stove.  Just watching it made me feel warmer.

For breakfast I had the fresh blueberries on my hot cereal.  Yum!

The wind was soon gusting into the low 20's again, blowing away the overcast but continuing to blow smaller clouds overhead.  This has certainly been the year of the wind.  But in spite of it, I got outside to split and stack three more wheelbarrow loads of wood.  Have now started a fifth row in the woodshed.

As I was putting on my boots and getting ready to take the dogs for their walk, I glanced outside and saw a hawk sitting on Miss Kitty.  Never saw one so close to the house before.  Jesse saw it too, but fortunately didn't start barking.

The girls gave us three eggs today.  I had put an extra bale of straw in their hen house under the nest boxes.  They have created a nest on top of the straw and that's where all the eggs were today.

No smoke at all today.  Can't see it anywhere.  According to JB the fire to the north is more than 50% contained with the help of all the rain.

Am going Down There tomorrow for some groceries and errands.  It is supposed to be a comfortable day in the 70's.  Let's hope NOAA is right.

Friday 7/25. It is 49 again this morning, but with clear skies and the promise of warmer temperatures.  Hope to be on my way by 8:30 am.

Thought for the day: Most people to not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply. Stephen R Covey