Dear Scary Storms, Please go Away!

As I was peddling away in Spin class, I noticed the sky getting dark... I realize I

should have been, in the zone and therefore incapable of paying any attention

to what was happening outside, but tonight I just wasn't. How could I be?

The threat of Tornado-producing storms was warned and I now drive

a convertible Mini Cooper, which basically constitutes a golf cart

attached to a sail. So I jumped off my bike and headed home!

Fortunately, I beat the really heavy rain and wind home. There may have been several

speed laws violated - But none noticed by those cars equipped with the Christmas

lights hidden behind the grill just above their bumper. All that aside, just as I began

wiping down the Cooper inside the garage, the heavens opened up and it poured!

Which reminds me of a story... You see, just after we entered into contract here, the

owner called me in Monterey to report on how Spring was coming along. She even

mailed me a tiny crabapple she said came from one of the, soon-to-be-mine trees in

the soon-to-be-mine yards. (She was) Strange, since there were no such trees on the

property at that time. But I digress. Where was I? Oh, yes, the rain! During her

report, the (wing-nut) former owner told me they'd just had what she called, a

real Frog-strangler. I had never heard that term before - And, at that point,

considering my source, I kinda wondered if she believed there was a serial

frog killer loose in the neighborhood! After that I stopped taking her calls.

Turns out, that's just one of the nicknames locals have for this volume of rain. Since

relocating, I've heard, Frog-strangler from others, as well as, Gully-washer. I have

yet to adopt these phrases, (and please don't hold your breath waiting...) After all, I

am still trying to win the whole buggy vs. cart debate I get into while shopping. I

say, Buggies are pulled by horses, shopping carts are pushed by people. But

the response I get is crickets. I know. I've got a lot of work to do. Back to

the rain... Still won't refer to it as a, Frog-strangler but I will admit to

hoping these guys weren't harmed after the way it just rained! 

Truthfully, the weather here freaks me out! Coming from Monterey where weather

is a non-event, and having lived in Kansas as a teenager, where tornadoes never

got any closer than the television when we watched The Wizard of Oz, to central

North Carolina where every season delivers the potential for disaster and/or

death is more than unnerving. Especially when each disaster can, (thankfully)

be forecasted days in advance so that the anticipation can rub my nerves too. I

say... While also not ideal, given a choice, I'll take a small, can't-be-predicted,

earthquake that shakes the house a few seconds every few years over spring-

time tornadoes, summer lightening storms, fall hurricanes and winter ice

storms any time! I worry when it storms. I worry about those too far away,

especially the Ranger and our friends and our neighbors too. And of course,

I worry for our belongings and Bing, if God-forbid our home were destroyed!

I also worry about our landscape. You see all of this isn't just pretty. It's also

a huge investment and the primary source of enjoyment for us at our home.

It is also food and shelter for too many critters to count! Now, before anyone

bashes me for talking about losing our landscape as a result of severe weather,

when agreeably there is much worse that could happen - Let me just state what

I believe is the obvious, that any loss of life should not and clearly cannot be

compared to losing a few trees and bushes. I'm just sharing the value I place

on our gardens and the wildlife depending on it, which is often overlooked...   

Especially when you consider that none of this can be insured against loss! Not
that we wouldn't want it insured... However, homeowner's insurance does not
cover for the loss of your landscape. Our pool? Yes. The outdoor furniture sets
and umbrellas? Yes. Fountain? Check! Decks, fences, and the shed? Yup, paid in
full. But plants and trees? Not a single one. Of course, we believe they should be...
Because if the acres around our home were stripped clear, I wouldn't want to stay!

We learned this fact after trees fell into the solarium and the shed during an ice storm,

(not because we read our USAA policy documents!) Turns out, even though trees

took out a room connected to our home and our shed, and both were replaced

under our policy, the removal and replacement of said trees and the others

that came down, was not. Have you priced the removal of a 40-foot tree?

It's not cheap. And it gets even less affordable when you multiply it by four!

Therefore, every time the skies clear following a storm and I take my hands away

from my eyes to find that everything I love about our landscape was spared...

I breath a sigh of relief, and say a prayer of Thanks!

So long as my beautiful landscape is
safe, and the trees are still standing...

I don't mind that heavy, and potentially
Frog-eliminating rain makes their noses run!

This is such a beautiful time of the year here in North Carolina. Every bird house on

the property has a nest being attended to by busy bird-parent pairs. Last weekend,

after storms threatened, I asked my handy-guy to put a few extra screws into this

one to keep it from flying off the post. Four pairs of bluebirds are depending on us!

Think I'm kidding? Just as soon as I took the
photo above, one of the moms popped out!He says this bird condo-complex weighs too much to blow off. I say she is counting on
us to keep her nest in that house, and that house on the ground... So more screws!

Have you seen the pond lately? I can't imagine a shade of green that's missing here!

I'm so lovin' the green!

Another thing I'm loving is this fern. This week is the anniversary of its

planting. How do I remember that? Because it's administrative professional's

week, and this, (then little) lovely was tucked into the very first arrangement I

received as a new executive assistant at HbI. It's one of my favorite ferns here

at the pond. And, because it has since multiplied, I enjoy it in a few places!

Speaking of Admin. day and ferns... I received these this morning! And, you

can bet this sweet little fern will have its own place by our pond very soon!

Speaking of new additions to the pond landscape... We stumbled on these ceramic

bark planters last weekend and thought they were perfect for this spot in our

garden. This is the smaller of two we bought. I asked for columbines to fill

it, and that's exactly what I got! And, one random hosta it seems. Hum...

Before I wander away from the pond I'll show you another 1st Admin. day

arrangement addition to our pond, which has also multiplied since being

planted. It's this sweet cluster of tiny blue flowers. Sorry, the gardener

isn't around for me to ask at the moment... So, little blue flowers it is!

I'm telling you... If you have a problem with elevated blood pressure this is

all the treatment you need. Just being down here makes me say, Ahhhh!

And yet, USAA considers landscaping an, uninsurable asset. Now that I think about it,

they may have a point. Does anyone really know how many zeros to put after priceless?

The mallard pair just dropped in for their
dinner and they tell me they don't know either!

Speaking of priceless... The pink azalea on the side of the house is about to pop!

So is the Wisteria on the arbor!

Together, purple wisteria clusters and pink azalea blossoms make this
side of the house and garden worth the trip across the yard to see!

This is what I call my permanent Mother's Day bouquet!

It always blooms just before Mother's Day. And, by Mother's Day,
this side of the house will be a solid blur of perfect pink blossoms!

Saves the man I love and our sons plenty on flowers for Mother's Day!

This is a nice surprise! We picked this weigela up at the Farmer's market last fall.

I vetoed it after learning it is deciduous... Because I'm a, green-all-year-long kind of

girl; however, he bought it any way encouraged me to give it a chance because he

said its spring color would make up for it being naked during the fall and winter

And, as usual, he was right on the money about it!

Now that the grumpy sky is clear and it's safe for the bluebirds to come

out to feed, I'm going to leave them to it. Because the more mosquitos

they munch on, the fewer mosquitos there will be to munch on me!

Thanks for walking the gardens with me this evening...

And, do know that while I may occaisionally complain about the scary weather

here in central North Carolina, you must never doubt my appreciation for how

spectacular this area is or how fortunate I know I am to live here. Also, I hope

you won't judge me too harshly for not getting with the local slang. Now, if

you judge me on my complaints about the former owner of our home, I'll

be forced to whip out other proof I have that she really was a fruitloop!