Sunday, May 5, 2013

Green and Wet

Sunshine was fitful on Friday morning with grey clouds piling in the northern sky.
These waved sphinx moths [ certomia undulosa] in their perfect camouflage stayed on the garage wall scarecly moving, most likely drawn there overnight by the automated yard light over the
garage door.


I touched one gently hoping to see its wings out-spread. It fluttered to the ground, then clung to my fingers when I picked it up.  I coaxed it onto the splintery wood of the door frame.

Through the day I alternated between housework and outside chores, keeping an eye on the rain clouds as I had laundry pegged on the lines.
I clattered about sweeping, mopping floors, trundling the vacuum cleaner through the rooms, to the distinct displeasure of the cats.
I contemplated digging the holes for my newly purchased roses, but by the time I had collected the washing rain began to spatter down.
The iris in the top perennial strip, still in their neatly whorled buds on Thursday evening, were open on Friday morning--just in time to be pummeled by the rain.
I went out with my camera hoping to take photos of the blooms in their prime.
The wind was whipping them about and all my close-up shots were blurred.




The dooryard is fragrant with the spicy sweetness of the pinks which have happily taken over a corner of the top perennial strip.

The pink clematis, Nelly Moser, trembled under the onslaught of the rain.

The boy cats dashed in a mad chase under maples nearest the back door just before the rain began.

Edward and Bobby in a tussle.

Thuds and mock snarls as the game played out.

Bobby, with ears back, has declared himself the winner!

Saturday was a day of green darkness, sudden bursts of rain followed by a steady pattering.
This is how the upper garden looked on Sunday morning.

I can only hope for a few rain-free days as the peonies open.
Where ever I have lived I wait for their bloom season with anticipation tinged with the realization that it always rains on my peonies!

The newest small strip of garden just beyond the clothesline.
I have already dug and weeded along the edges twice--you'd never guess that looking at the ragged meandering line of undesirables.

It is not a day for outside work.
We've had enough rain that garden chores will need to be postponed until a sunny day has
 dried the ground.
The boy cats have been in and out since 6:30 this morning.
Each time they return from their squelchy forays they rush to jump on a bed or a convenient lap to dry their soggy fur.
I'm keeping an old, easily laundered bedspread or sheet on the beds.
As far as my lap--I suppose blue jeans won't suffer much from muddy paw prints!
The sky has lightened a bit between showers, but I've built a fire downstairs.
If I can't garden, I'll make a quilt!

7 comments:

  1. Great looking moth. You look pretty water logged there. We had several days of rain this past week too, with Thursday being the worst. But we needed it so I'm not complaining.

    Hang in there enjoy your clean house and working on another lovely quilt. Your gardens will be waiting for the sun to come out.

    Love and hugs ~ FlowerLady

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  2. I remember my cats leaving muddy prints everywhere! Not a lot you can do about it, unlike a dog, whose paws you can grab before allowing them in.

    Beautiful moth by the way. It's sunny here!

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  3. Beautiful rainy day pictures.
    Lillian

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  4. If I can't garden, I'll make a quilt!

    A girl after my own heart! I loved the moth, I thought it was a pewter pendant when I first saw it.

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  5. Your gorgeous garden has burst into life ..it is beautiful and natural...almost a 'country garden'.xx

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  6. This was a perfect post for me. I like Iris, they were my Dad's favourite flower and so always remind me of him. The photo of the cats are lovely, especially the one of the foot under the chin, and I shall now look forward to seeing the peonies in full bloom, such a shame they don't last long though.
    Briony
    xx

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  7. Your boys fight just like my boys. They start off with it being for fun, and then someone gets carried away and there is a yell of pain and then it's no holds barred! They are much more fun than the girls, who are just bitchy towards each other.

    Your garden looks so beautiful (and ahead of mine - I just have alpines and pansies and bulbs out, oh and cowslips.) I love your pinks - reminds me of the garden when I was a child. Sorry about the rain. You will have to put umbrellas over your Paeonies . . .

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