Good Times

I just got back from a very very long day in C'ville- a very long wet day. It rained all day, as it had been for a few days, and really poured on the way home; more than I expected. After skidding a few times on the highway, going through large pools on the country roads and stopping to pull a large branch off the road, I decided my neighbor's car could not make it up my flooded driveway, although it had at least finally stopped raining. Walking isn't a problem itself, the water complicates it a bit but it is actually nicely warm today, and I only had three bags of groceries. But I decided to take off the flats I was wearing since there was more water on the drive than I had shoe, and I was wearing my "going out" (aka away-from-mud-city-clothing) white shorts and an actual-factual nice blouse; you could say it was better for climbing up a muddy semi-flooded drive than say, a cocktail dress- but only by a little bit.

No, Mom, I don't think it is a shame no one got a picture. I am already considered quite crazy enough, so I will probably live without this moment being recorded.

Along the way, I found a most gregarious small box turtle in the middle of the drive, and as I didn't feel like climbing the steep sides to get her off the road, I picked her up to carry to my garden; she was headed that way anyway. Shortly after this it started raining again.

Wetly later, I arrived home freshened as only a climb in the rain can do, bags, shoes, turtle and drowned rat-itude in tow.

Course I still have the shorts to clean, so not overly thrilled bout that. Blouse is good.

Watermelon

Autumn Equinox

Had the rest of the pear molasses spice cake from the freezer for breakfast. Celebration, I got you covered. Ha.

Somerville, happy for sun today after all the rain.

Yarrow, Chickies and Trees

Morning......

Lovely breakfast of milkstand leftovers for the Brothers Grimm-

also known as Spearfighter 1 & 2.

Mr. Yarrow

Afternoon nap.....

Miss Marple and Poirot

Yarrow

Primrose, Spearfighter 2 and Spearfighter 1

Evening.....

Randomness and Bread

Daily Dose of White Oak

Finally have a pretty good recipe for Focaccia,

though still needs a bit of work.

BUT I used the fabulous blueberry salt Grace brought me back from Iceland,

which makes it totally awesome regardless. 

While it was baking, Fritha took to her toys with great exuberance.

Which only happens every other waking minute.

In case your day needed some insect porn,

I found these walking sticks mating on the side of the house, fairly high up.

Might need to click on picture to see.

Apparently a ritual that lasts from hours to days.

No idea what variety of walking stick this is, but pretty big for here- 

the large is the female.

For perspective.

Finished Focaccia.

not particularly fabulous looking but I know you wanted a pic anyways, Grace.

It was very good.

Kipperkites

Also known as Miss Kipper, Kip-Kip, Kippers...

and the nicknames only go downhill from there.

16 years and then some.

Until the last week, which was sadly pretty bad, not even dementia-

and alack of awareness of most happenings around her-

could slow her down. 

Although the lack of awareness thing eventually increased the chances

of anyone else holding on to their food long enough to finish it themselves.

Roses and Rainbows

It is a pity the Lockn Festival is having such poor weather. Yesterday was all right, until the downpours overnight, and today is wet gloomy and not overly warm. Latter might be best, actually. 

My bedroom window

Lovely Moss Rose I have this year-

not technically a rose but hey, it's in the name.

this one is blooming below my Zephrin Drouin, next to the thyme. 

It is a happy little fellow, so I am collecting seeds for next year.

Rose during rain....

And the rainbow!

Little Garden Bits

Forget-Me-Nots

Closed Gentian, slightly worse for the dry spell and the chickies

Ice Plant bud dancing open next to her shredded brethren.

I suppose that should be sisteren if I am using female pronouns.

Is there a feminine version of brethren, or do you use it either way?

Maybe you have to switch to comrades or something.
Actually, since you can hardly see the other shredded blooms in the fuzzy background,
I should probably just use a singular 'sister'. 
That is pretty boring, though.

Such questions I ponder.

Ta-da!

Yep, I think this post needed another Forget-Me-Not shot.

Dramatic skies , this time with a much needed storm rolling in.

Back Goat Yard

The back goat yard, around 5:30 when it is finally all shade-

From left: Yarrow (newly away from Mom), Genesis, and Whisper.

Miss Marple and M. Poirot have taken up residence in the back goat yard.

There was a great debate among visiting family as to whether this was by choice- 

meaning they got in when the gate was open and couldn't get out-

but I was sure that it was not a forced incarceration. 

Certainly all the other chickens have no trouble popping fence lines.

My only proof of this, however, seems rather hallucinatory.

In the space of one afternoon, after over a month of staying always within the fence,

I saw both Miss M. and M. P. in the front garden, then in the chicken yard,

and lastly foraging in the front goat yard.

By the time I went for the mail at 5, they were nestled down in the back yard,

for all the world as though they had never left.

Never, ever, ever trust chickens.

M. Poirot left and Miss Marple right

The past couple of days have had very dramatic skies,

here over the back goat pen.

Dramatic my friend, dramatic.

To evening and rest.....

Though Primrose remains unimpressed.