Weather Extremes

This past week of early summer has been dominated across our nation with nature's fury.  With out of control wildfires out west and threatening tropical storms in the gulf, it has been a week of extremes for this country.  Between families losing their homes to the fires from record high temperatures to those losing theirs to the unrelenting winds, rain and eventual flooding that follows, it has been a tough week for many.  Our state has seen many record temperatures already this year, but we've been so blessed to not see the damaging aspects of Mother Nature's wrath yet this year.  As I have cousins on the Gulf and more family out in Colorado, I need to be checking to see how everyone's doing.  

This week has been dominated with dogs.  It was time to give the dogs their summer grooming and because things went well when I attempted this on my own before our Spring trip to Florida, it was time to give everyone their hot weather-do.  They weren't particularly thrilled to be put under the clippers, but after several days of plopping them on the picnic table under the deck and trimming away the majority of their cool weather coats, I must say, they are ready for the warm weather that awaits.  And as typically as it usually happens, we have a nice crisp morning today in the low fifties, so I have four shivering, shaking and shaven malti-poos.  I'm going to enjoy this refreshing morning because once it reaches highs around eighty today, I believe we are headed for a heat wave where our highs will be in the nineties for the foreseeable future.

We are also getting close to drought conditions here in Scott County.  I've been watering each evening and our water bill reflects my efforts.  Hopefully, we'll eventually have some produce from the vegetable garden, though it appears to be a slow process of growing this year.  And, although I had to eventually cut down the majority of my poor hollyhocks that did not survive the rust fungus, I did plant some Morning Glory seeds and they are coming up nicely.  I believe there are still three of my hollyhocks that survived and I'm not sure what will be in store next Spring for them. The flowers I'm most enjoying now are the varying shades of purple petunias and the peachy colored lilies my friend, Billy brought over last year.  Yes, I call them Billy's lily's. I'm also hoping my hydrangeas will add some blooms and I have a few little bulbs to try planting that my sister gave me....we'll see what happens.

The birds continue to entertain and exacerbate us.  I occasionally see the bluebirds, the first brood of five, and also the parents as they make a decision to start brood number one at their little house.  And, we continue to be under siege by the Summer Tanager pair, though not quite as often.  We are especially enjoying the hummingbirds under the deck.  Never tire of them.

We've had some recent encounters with deer on our last several walks.  We were not surprised to hear a deer startled and spooked last week as we passed by, but it was a surprise to hear what sounded like someone doing a cannonball off the diving board into a pool, as it apparently jumped right into a roadside pond.  It was a shock hearing that and I did get to see it as it climbed up from the water.  Several days later, another deer decided to run across the road, just in front of us.  I'm just glad we weren't a car or that he didn't run us down in his haste to get to his destination.  On the home-front, I did get to see my first glimpse of a mama deer and her little fawn.  I've known they've been close by as Pepper has managed to come home covered in fawn poo where he enjoys rolling around in it. 

At our little church we have bid farewell to our former minister, Andy, and have welcomed our new minister, Jeremy.  It's always difficult to have change, but as a small church, we are a learning ground for newly graduated seminary students to spread their wings and learn to fly.  We enjoyed our flight with Andy and it looks like Jeremy is off to a great start.  He is an Okee, though not from Muskogee, and he looks like Doogie Howser, aka Neil Patrick Harris.  Andy's wife, Laura was an integral part of our women's Bible study on Sunday morning, and we'll miss her terribly, but it was so nice having Jeremy's wife, Meredith join us.  We've decided to start the Bible Study from Beth Moore on the Psalms of the Ascent once more.  One session for each weeks worth of material was not enough, so, after viewing the DVD's during our hour the first time around, these next six weeks will be spent on discussing the material.  We're all looking forward to that.

And as the sun has climbed in the sky, I realize that the sooner we get out for our morning walk, the better.  I hope you have a great day.  Stay safe, luv, Susan