Spring Flowers and such

On Sunday the weather was finally decent. Have I mentioned that I've seen the sun a couple times already this week? I thought I should let you know. It's a very important development. Aaaaaanyway, I managed to talk Working Man into being my mule and hauling around my camera equipment at the Arboretum and we spent a couple hours ruining my left eye's ability to see.

No really, after I take pictures for awhile, my left eye can't see in anything but blur. It's really annoying. It's like having something over your eye you can't get rid of. I keep trying to train myself to keep both eyes open but this has been like trying to write with my left hand. It's not permissible in court. But that's neither here nor there. Today is about the pretty spring flowers. The arboretum is in partial bloom. It's a fine line between partial bloom, full bloom, and just green because it's not flowering anymore. So I'm a little early, but better that than late. I've got a few pictures to add to my portfolio. And I recognize, again, my need for a macro lens for this type of work. It's just so expensive! Why are all my hobbies so expensive?

I wonder if I could convince Working Man to do it again this weekend. Something to ponder. Then again, I'll probably be too busy. Maybe riding the bike. If it's not raining.

Just my luck,
FFR

Sunset and the "Ocean"

On Thursday, on my drive over the "ocean" I took some pictures, not just of the water, but of the sunset. It really was stunning. Too bad I couldn't just pull over. The cops you know, they frown on the whole stopping in the middle of traffic thing. I still don't understand why.

Ooooh.


Aaaah.


Booooootiful.

I love the sun and the sky. Well, for now. I really don't like the sun when we get to summer. Then I really just want the clouds back. In my defense, I like the clouds in winter too. I just like to see the sun once in awhile. Basically, I want to see the sun when I'm going to ride the bike. Otherwise...I'd rather have cold and cloudy. I really should have lived in Oregon.

Out of place,
FFR

The one where we all say, "Duh!"

I show you the above picture for the fireplace on the left. It's just a hint. We really don't take pictures of the fireplace primarily because it's painted white. The sister house down the road from us has the same fireplace but the previous owners didn't paint it white. What...the...deuce man! For years, we have lived with this unbearable eye sore in our house. Avoiding thinking about it except to say, "One day we'll clear everything out of the room and sand blast it back to it's original coloring."

Then, out of nowhere, MIL J suddenly has a stroke of brilliance. "If they painted it, why can't we?" Ooooooh. So obvious now. And much less messy. She began painting and painting and hey, we got our fireplace back!

The first few layers.


Already it looks a million times better.


Now with the addition of black and green.


The finished product with red and sealer. One of these days, we're going to put tile on the mantle and hearth but not yet.

No duh,
FFR

For kids, rain is just another thing to play with

We had Cousin M's son, Jake, here yesterday and it's amazing to me how kids can take a crummy day and enjoy every second of it. It's been rainy and everything is soaking wet, not to mention it's been incredibly cold. But Jake took it all in stride. He decided the dog door was the best thing in the world and then he discovered something more amazing. I'll show you:

Can I just say how much Trixie looks like a Gremlin here? Kind of frightening.


Look, oggie! (Translation: Look right where I am, there is a dog over here who looks an awful lot like a Gremlin although I am not old enough to have watched that movie. And I may never watch that movie.) Don't feed her after midnight. Oh yes, and Jake is completely enjoying what must be ice cold water.


And that lawn is a giant puddle too, but Jake doesn't care.


River dance! Or would that be puddle dance?


Stomp stomp.


I wish we could all enjoy so much water so well.


Ig Wock! (Translation: Right here is a big rock. I am showing it to you. Look at it and take a picture of me telling you about it.)

And then, two minutes later, Jake slips and this is the result:

Eww. (Translation: Eww)


Ewwwww. (Translation: Get it off. [The extra w's are what make it work.])


Ewwwwwwwwwww. (Translation: Get it off...NOW)

In reality, he continued to play for a long time.

P.S. Have you ever noticed how kids get away with murder with grandparents?

To be a child,
FFR

Rain Rain, why must you cause floods?

It's been raining. A lot. I mean, a lot. Our yard is flooded, our fields are flooded. Actually, if we didn't have the higher ground, our house would be flooded. Thank goodness for small favors. There's a long bridge between here and work. It's a couple miles long and usually fairly high up. On one side, it's usually rice patties. They'll put some water in the fields (with very distinguishable roads between) to grow the rice. On the other side, cows graze on the grass and weeds and there's a train track further off. I'll show you so you understand what it looks like:

Oh wait, those are the pictures from Tuesday. Notice the distinct lack of...well, distinction.


Hm. Kind of looks like an ocean. With just as many landmarks.


There's still some breaking through. Whew.

On Thursday, someone told me that this bridge was closed because it was flooded. Freaking, flooded. I mean, seriously! Turns out, it wasn't overtaken by water but, let me show you what had happened in two days of endless downpour:

Excuse me...there seems to be a lack of trunk on those trees.


Not funny, where are the rice patties!


I feel like I'm driving on a pier. Next stop, the Caribbean!

Then this morning, it was a bit breezy. And by breezy I mean, I took over three lanes in a few seconds and then blew back into place. No big deal you know, if you go over the side, you don't have far to fall before you hit water. At any rate, the water, the one that's close to overtaking this bridge, was choppy. It has a freaking current and the wind created white caps. Oh. My. Gosh!

On a side note, here was our road on Thursday:

Not too bad and it's improved since then.

Washed out,
FFR

Things to remember in a (minor) emergency

When dealing with an emergency, a minor one anyway, these are the things you should remember. And some of which I forgot in the hustle bustle.

1) Assess the situation. If it's not in immediate dire need of solving, continue. If it is, dial 911.

2) Take a shower. Or at least take the time to wash in the sink or something. Please don't leave the house without it especially if you're going to have to work all day.

3) Grab something to eat for breakfast. If you're not hungry now because you're worried, you will be. And remember, you get grouchy when you're hungry.

4) Take lunch. See why above.

5) Tell your family members where you're going and why...and who you're taking with you. Don't forget that second half. It's very important.

6) Take your cell phone. You'll need that because people will want to know what's going on and if everything is ok. It is okay in a minor emergency to turn around and get it. Believe me, it is. You have to.

7) Get everyone/everything in the car. Then, very important here, CHECK THE GAS!

8) If you're out of gas, switch cars or plan to stop for some. Don't forget to check the gas!

9) Call the place you're going to let them know you're coming and why. That way they can be prepared. Maybe not so good an idea if you're half an hour away. They may forget.

10) Drive safely. Not 70 in the wind and rain. Just a tip.

Ok...so...I forget numbers 3, 4, 7, 8, and 10.

I woke up on Thursday, let Honey out of her kennel and, to my surprise, she was covered in hives. Poor thing. Her ears were all swollen. I didn't take pictures. I was in a hurry. So I grabbed her and all I could think was, if it spreads to her face, she could stop breathing!

So I shoved her in the kennel, shoved her in the car, and took off. When I arrived, my gas light came on. I had zero idea I was almost out of gas. Woops. Anyway, Honey is fine. She's got a big lump on her nose. She got bit by *something*. It started oozing today. A benedryl shot and a few hours later, she was lacking her hives. Three antibiotics later and she should hopefully, be rash free. That's a whole other story.

Not so cool in emergencies,

FFR

Dogs in the Rain

No one really likes the smell of wet dog. Some people may say they do, but they don't. They're lying to you. They just want to be argumentative. It's not a good smell. In the rain, our dogs, sometimes not so bright bulbs that they are, like to hang out in the rain. In the rain. They hang out. Like it's fun to be cold and wet. Then they come in.

With these.


Wet...


Messy...


Filthy...


Feet.


And they leave marks around the house. Everywhere.

So would the boys...but we have them trained to dump their shoes outside. Of course, we're always trailing after them picking up wet clothes as they dump them on their way in and toward a hot shower. One battle at a time.
Flip Flop Rider

Lucy in the Rain

Out of all the times I've taken my camera out, I've rarely gotten a picture of Lucy. Scratch that, I've rarely gotten a good picture of Lucy. I've taken a million pictures of her butt, her moving away from me, and all around ignoring the lens. Finally, in the cold and rain, I managed to get a few decent pictures of my other daughter.

She's a little wet.


Uh oh, she's noticed my huge lens in her face.


I almost got one there.


Did I mention it was raining?


Finally!


She's beautiful.


She's one of my favorites. Don't tell Working Man...

Dog cuddles,
FFR