Garden Surprises

It just keeps raining.  We've had so much rain in the past three days, that school was canceled this morning.  I am nervous our trees will simply topple over. 

This pretty bird flew straight into one of our windows.  I heard the smacking sound and ran for the door knowing what I would find.  Sometimes the bird is simply stunned and I try to save it before Evie the Cat has a chance to pounce.  She was onto the scent, but I beat her to the bird only to find it a gonner.  I carried him inside to show Hugo and then placed him under the hydrangea.  Evie had to drag the poor thing out into the grass to be sure it was dead.  Our murderous cat.

Hugo and I decided that we have ignored the garden long enough and went out to investigate.  He found all sorts of tiny watermelons we've never seen before.  Along with tiny zucchini, cucumbers and giant green beans.  My gardening skills get a big ole F+ this year!

Storm Damage

As I raced to dress the kids and move us out the door to deliver Ira the Squirrel to his new home yesterday morning, I never took a peep out the kitchen window.  Walking towards the van Hugo and I stopped dead in our tracks at the site of a downed tree stretching across the lawn and flitting into the drive.  Hugo thought we'd never make it passed the tree with the van.  I knew it wasn't that big of a deal, plus I could have always driven around the house if the tree had really obstructed our path, which it didn't.  We were going.  I needed to get Ira out of my shirt and onto the business of shopping for school supplies!

The kids loved, loved, loved playing in and around the fallen tree.  Hugo fell once while climbing.  Gave himself a good knock on the nose.  I threatened him to not climb on top of it again.  I think I sounded pretty mean and like I meant it, cause he didn't do it again.  Maybe it was the knock on the nose which kept him from his monkey climbing ways, I dunno.  The fallen tree turned into a kid paradise of fun for our children.  We are so blessed to have had no other damage.  A tree fell, but it did not strike one of us or our vehicles or our house.  We were blessed.

Check out Beanie Girl sporting her brother's shades upside down as she sleeps.  This girl takes her shoes off the minute I turn to exit the back of the van.  Every time.  Every trip.  Kinda makes me nuts.

Eye Of The Storm

Hurricane Irene has come and gone and thankfully, we are safe.  I purchased extra drinking water and dry food stuffs for just in case we would be without power for a time.  The grocery store was full of people but all seemed calm and patient as the aisles were crowded with carts and the shelves were emptying.  It was nice that upon check out, nearly all the lanes were open, making for a swift exit of the store.  Cesar thought I and everyone else at the market were silly.  I was happy to be safe rather than sorry later on.

We woke Sunday morning to a steady, pouring rain.  And it rained, and it rained, and it rained.  And then we all took naps, except for Hugo who opted to watch a movie on Netflix.  I slept deep and hard, hardly knowing who or where I was upon waking.  It was surprising to discover that the rain had stopped, that I could actually see some blue sky and sunlight!  We all ate and dressed and were about to jump in the van to tour the flooding when Evie the Cat brought a baby squirrel into the house.  He was alive and young, his eyes were still shut, so he was wrapped in a tea towel and rode along with us to survey the village.

The pics I'm sharing are of the dam and beach front on the Esopus, which opens right into the Hudson River.    Debris of all sorts was in the water and it was moving very fast.  As we drove down to the waterfront worried faces were abundant, I began to regret our decision to view these strangers, our village neighbors, hardship.  Cars were everywhere.  We were caught up in a viewing spectacle parade.

Driving towards the Big Deep we decided to turn around and head home.  The sky looked wrong and soon, tiny rain drops covered the windshield.  As we gathered all our chicks indoors the wind came up again.  I'd thought we were home free of the storm, but was wrong.  This bottom part of the storm held high winds which made our power flicker and cable go out.  I had a pork loin in the oven and had all my finger and toes crossed that the power would hold till it's baking was finished.  I watched out the kitchen windows as our cedars bent eastward in the wind.  I was too afraid to look at the pines.

Dinner completed it's cooking and was devoured by the five of us.  No baths tonight, just pajamas and shooshas for the girls.  Cesar read and snuggled with Hugo while I cleaned up the dining room and kitchen.  After watching a Chinese movie together we climbed into bed (with Ira the Squirrel) and hoped for the best for our trees.