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 and 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 it. 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?

I have so many beans that need to be picked, but I guess they will have to wait a bit. 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

from Northview Diary http://ift.tt/2amy7z5