running on empty....

Barberry or Red Leaf Japanese bush.... tiny yellow flowers; long sharp thorns....











Mayday blossoms still look like fuzzy caterpillars but soon will be gone....the tiny blossom petals scattered on the breeze like so much confetti..... .. a scent like spicy exotic perfume.

Yesterday was perfect for staying inside ......dull, cloudy... spitting light rain. The perfect baking day. Had it all planned. Begin bread dough... while it was doing the first rising... mix up some muffins.... while they were baking... get the biscotti dough made... you know... planned. When I turn on the oven, I like to bake several items... seems such a waste to heat it for only one thing.

But, within two hours ....before I actually put on my baker's hat... the sun broke through those big black clouds. Now they were puffy and white ... there were patches of bright blue sky. ..... .....a window of opportunity for mowing the lawn! The fertilizer is kicking in and I have to keep on top of things. No gas in the red plastic jerry can..... darn it! Not much in the mower either.#$%^&... Not going to the gas station! My mower has two speeds. Tiny pictures on the lever indicate which speed you desire. A little turtle for slow....a rabbit for fast. I always refer to each speed by either "turtle" or "rabbit". When I saw how much (or should I say how little) gas was in the mower... I turned it to rabbit speed, pulled the cord and fairly sprinted around the yard. I went rabbit speed all the way...even the edges, which usually I do at turtle... to make sure I don't hack the edging or kick up rocks from my gravel areas... or wipe out my tiny plants along the garden fronts. Hah! Not today. And.... just made it. It sputtered a few times on the last pass around the spruce tree.... hahahahhah ....... then it quit. ... totally dry.... it was mowing on fumes by then. The neighbours must know by now that I'm certifiable...but it only serves to confirm their belief when I let out a big "Yessss"! to nobody in particular ...then continue with ...... "woohoo! made it"... again, only to me. Who cares... I'm enjoying my own bit of humour....

Cocoa...a huge Rottweiler came bounding down the alleyway to see me...dragging her Mom behind. She smeared me with doggy drool. See? Some of this getting dirty in the yard is just not all my fault~! We talked a bit (her "Mom" and me, not the dog, although I did talk to her too, but not quite as much... well, you know what I mean..) .... but noticed how black the sky was getting so quickly swept up... picked a few more weeds... dragged 4 bags of shrub clippings, dead stuff and grass to the garbage pickup spot... closed up the shed and walked into the house just as some big fat rain drops splatted on the driveway.

A bit later I heard ...ping....ping.... what th?...I know that sound.... pingpingetypingpoinggg!! oh, noooo! not hail! oh, please let my little Delta ladies be made of stern stuff. Can't have any swoon-y or fainty southern belle pansies out there in this! I have heard though, that southern gals are not quite as fragile as they may seem.. keeping my fingers crossed. Noticed that Joan, across the street, was madly dashing in and out; dragging her planted pots into the garage... getting pelted for her efforts. I'd look at my little ladies later.....

























lovely, delicate, blue flax.... almost always in motion... waves in the slightest breeze.