"Gather ye rose-buds while ye may." Robert Herrick

"Gather ye rose-buds while ye may." Robert Herrick

Hello Friends!

Friends, Romans, countrymen...y'all. Foodies, gardeners, artists and collectors - let's gather together to share and possibly learn a thing or two in the mix.

Donna Baker

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Rain


"Rainy days, we stay inside together.  The weather's wet.  The tea, is from Tibet."
The Art of Tea by Michael Franks

Rain be damned, I'm going outside.  Yes, after nearly two weeks of almost drying out, the rain has returned.  I can abide the soft, sprinkling kind of rain, for a day or two, but toad stranglers kind of rain, well, you know.  My pomegranate is loaded with blossoms this year.  I'm really happy about that.


Well, this lady beetle is having a walk about in the rain, doing her beetle thing, so I can too.  My blueberries rarely make it past my mouth.


I don't think I told you, but the heater ran out of propane this past winter in my greenhouse, and to a plant, the leaves and fruits fell off immediately.  The entire lot of mostly citrus plants, were within an hour or two of death before the sun came up. The leaves have returned and a few of the plants have even put on blossoms.  I might just get a citrus crop this year after all.


It has been so wet this spring that mushrooms have begun to grow on the deck outside.  Mind you, this never happens where I live.  Hot and dry summers.  A tropical storm is headed to Texas as I write this, then will swing up this way.  15 inches of rain predicted in Houston where there has been awful flooding and lots of rain too, but they are used to it.  We are not.  

The husband's at a conference this week in San Francisco.  I think I'll go paint.  Now where did I put my muse?


21 comments:

The Weaver of Grass said...

How very different your weather is to that over here in the UK. I supposeit is what you are used to.
I certainly have never had fungus like that growing on the decking.

donna baker said...

It is a rare occurrence here. To top off the days of rain aka the end of the world scenario (in my book), a squirrel just bit the line on my power pole outside and all the power is out. I keep forgetting and go to flip a switch or make a cup of tea, etc. and remember it's out. More rain and now no power.

A Brit in Tennessee said...

More rain.....bugger.
Send it our way, crops are wrinkling up.
The plants look promising, the fungus magical......
Bad squirrel.
~Jo

Joanne Noragon said...

Moss grows on the north side of our house, but no fungus on the deck (yet!) My granddaughters love pomegranates, but I've never given much thought to their origin. We could import them from another planet for all I know.

Frances said...

Here's an odd thing...while I was reading this post and enjoying all your photographs, a very strong summer shower began to fall here in New York. The city took on a slightly green tone, and the temperature dropped. I think the shower's now over at 5:30 pm. Funny coincidences like this do amuse me.

Cheers!

donna baker said...

The creek out front is like a river.

donna baker said...

You could grow one Joanne. Only need one; it is self pollinating and you can get one at Logee's greenhouse out of Connecticut.

donna baker said...

Frances, in Oklahoma, if it starts to storm and turns green out, you better run. It does that when a tornado is coming.

La Table De Nana said...

What's up with this!?
I am not getting your posts..

I have no blueberries this year..my son-in-law also..we think it is the frigid winter we had..he had twice as many as I did last year..I was sure he would have some..none..like me..

You didn't want to join your husband in SF?
I hear many leave their ♥s there..
I think I would like to see:)

Michelle said...

We are getting some odd storms in the afternoon, here in KY. Very hot....

donna baker said...

Monique, I haven't a clue. Still have some problems with blogger, but at least much better than before. I have to hold my breath when I post. I comment on everyone's posts too, but the are always returned saying permanent failure etc. I have 6 blueberry bushes and am just starting to get a crop from them. When hubby goes to conferences, he is in meetings all day and I just don't want to go around in a strange land by myself. I always had kids to care for and now Sister. With her diabetes and shot and her eyes have been a struggle since her November surgery. She developed corneal ulcers (though she has been on meds since the surgery) and at one point she had holes in her $7000. eyes. With all the drops throughout the day, I can't leave her. She's like one of my kids. The family just went on a beach vacation, but I stayed home with Sister. I just can't leave my Emmy and Sister.

donna baker said...

Michelle, though I was thrilled to see the rain end, it was pretty miserable during daylight hours. We missed a spring and have gone right to summer. Summers here are very hot too. I can only go out early in the morning (which I seem to rarely make it) or later in the evening when the mosquitos are feeding on me. I don't know why it can't just stay 70 degrees year round.

La Petite Gallery said...

Thanks so much for the comment. Golly I grew up in Houston, Can remember The 3 Theaters,
Texan, Iris and Can't remember the third, but there was an underground that went under the street. There were Restaurants, Oyster bar and games. Dad was an engineer and ran all three. I saw lots of movies.
Mom had a hat shop and I can still remember the Lamar Hotel next door. I was always in the soda fountain.
I had my first CRUSH on a bell Hop Benji Amato. I understand he owned some Grocery stores and did well for himself. Here comes Rain here in Maine.

Frances said...

Actually, that was one of the reasons I mentioned that faint green tinge in my comment. I think we got off lightly yesterday afternoon. The past years many tornadoes in other parts of the country are truly horrifying.
Hoping that no twisters stop near you. xo

donna baker said...

Wow, from hot, steamy Houston to beautiful, cold Maine. I lived in Bellaire when the small old houses still stood. They've leveled them all now, (including mine) and built multi level mansions on the lots. Even the Heights and Montrose area is all exclusive now. It isn't the same as it used to be, but the mexican food is still great.

Debbie Nolan said...

Oh Donna so sorry about the rain. We are now getting bunches as well. I am like you if it isn't heavy I still putter in the great outdoors. Try to stay dry. Painting sounds like a wonderful way to put in those rainy days.

donna baker said...

The deluge begins later today Debbie. Hope I get home from the vet before it begins. When I went to feed the farm animals this morning, in flip flops no less, the mud was spattered all up the back of me. I don't know how they deal with it in Seattle and Scotland.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Interesting what you say about sparrows in your answer to my blog post donna. When we first came over to the States the trees around our first hotel were full of grackles - we thought they were amazing birds, only to find out that the locals hated them and wished they would find somewhere else to roost at night.

Jacqueline @ HOME said...

Being British, I know all about rain !!! haha
Your photographs are wonderful …. Oh to be able to have pomegranates …. they are one of my favourite fruits Donna.
You are certainly working hard. XXXX

donna baker said...

I think grackles are also considered trash birds Weaver. Just heartbreaking.

donna baker said...

I guess it is what you are used to. I don't like cold and snow either and wonder how people can live in it. It just doesn't rain that much here. In a perfect world (for me) it would be 70 degrees and sunny, with sporadic rain coming only at night. So many of my fruit trees have drowned (five so far) but I will have a few pomegranates and blueberries and possibly citrus