We’ve had unbelievably overcast weather the last week or so. Rain showers come and go quickly. It began to feel like we lived in some tropical land at rainy season. As of now, it’s been about 68 hours since it rained at our house, even though it rained in town and within a few miles of us yesterday. We aren’t used to not seeing the sun. It probably shines 340 days of the year here. I drove around the lake yesterday and there were many, many people out enjoying the holiday plus sunny weather.

Stopped in a few minutes at my parents place to see what they had blooming right now. Two of the numerous species:

We had  been talking all week of maybe running to a plant farm nearby to get some plants for our place. Lois got the notion to see if Sonya wanted to go with us. She called her and they were planning to leave soon for a nursery out a different direction. So, after hearing that this was a pretty good-sized place, they decided to come with us instead. Well, actually, we rode with them in their van which was pulling a trailer.

And o my word! Were there ever plants there!! There must be plants in the millions. There are 32 greenhouses that are 150 feet long. Not all of them were full and a few were completely empty but it was a study in discipline to not buy every pretty plant we liked. Here are a few of the pretties we saw:

All is wet and sticky in this southern clime.

And green. Did I mention green?

I helped my sister pick some wild blackberries last night. I say “helped her” because even though they’re in my fridge too, I don’t really care for them. It’s the seeds that get me. Give me seedless jam and I’m fine. Sure wish they were red raspberries. I love raspberry anything. Except the seeds.

They low to the ground, a lot like wild blueberries in Canada. With all the rain we’ve ben getting, many berries were soft even if they weren’t quite ripe.

Then while we were picking the wind really picked up and it felt even more hurricanish than it had earlier in the day. I heard a crack and a thump and say a hugh pine tree had fallen to the ground mere feet from me. See here’s the proof:

Okay, so it wasn’t a hugh pine tree and it didn’t thump, but it would’ve scratched me if it would’ve hit me.

 

Take time to find the little details around you.

Then we worked outside, Lois weedeating and me mowing the grass. It was a lovely evening to be out. The clouds were quickly blowing past and we were getting a good glimpse of sunlight for the first time in days. Marcus and Sonya drove past on their way home from BK supper and they offered to bring over ice cream.

So we sat outside in the cool evening air, eating ice cream with fresh peaches and blackberries on top. The children then went off to play cops and robbers, and the adults talked of the cancelled ordination and of what the purpose of the church is.

It was such a fun, relaxed evening. I could handle more of those. Stop in for ice cream and blackberries. I’ll be glad to share the blackberries with you.  

 

Preparing the table for friends…