Rose-Sitting, Nesting and Creating

It seems with the cold, rainy weather my love of gardening has all but disappeared.  Fear not, it is simply hibernating!  It will return!  I brought in the one rosebush that I hadn't yet planted, for fear that I would forget to water it through these cold, dark days of winter.  I leave each morning before daylight and return shortly before darkness sets in again and there is just too great a chance that this poor rosebush would suffer the consequences.  She sits beside me, looking out the window, like a dog longing to escape at the first chance.  While she appears to long for the outdoors, surely she is grateful for the chance of escaping winter.  That is assuming she survives winter indoors! 

I have taken to nesting.  I have sudden and deep urges to tackle things indoors that have been neglected while my attention was focused on gardening and other outdoor activities.  Today I made a Butternut Squash Soup, which was simply delicious; if I do say so myself.  I talked my sweet hubby into drilling a few holes in a perfectly good armoire so that I could adjust the shelf now that it no longer is needed for displaying a television.  My mind is whirring with the possibilities of how I could change the overall appearance of this particular piece of furniture. 

I created a piece of artwork to hang in the front room, over the baby grand piano, using pieces of old piano sheet music.  I think that it turned out great and ties in well with the rooms theme.  See for yourself...

All made with sheet music from love songs...

It's about 3' x 3' sq.

Now and Forever, No One But You, Heart Beats Faster, Sentimental Reasons,

I Believe, Wonderful World, If I Had My Way, Little White Lies,

Who Cares What People Say, Sentimental Journey, Do You Love Me,

I Do - Do You,

Whatever Will Be, Will Be

Que Sera, Sera

This project was a lot of fun.  Very simple.  A couple years ago a friend gave me a huge stack of old piano sheet music and I kept it, knowing that it would eventually find a purpose.  The frame and mats were also a freebie so this project didn't cost a penny.  That's my favorite kind of project!

If I Were a Flower...

You know, I have always had a difficult time… with time.  Not using my time wisely, not procrastination, not the normal time issues that come from daylight savings time… but just TIME, in general.  It’s probably because it’s a number… and anything dealing with numbers just confuses the heck out of me.  This could also explain my incessant need to arrive early to EVERYTHING… because I’m never really sure if I’ve judged the clock right or not.  The sad part is that it’s not even limited to an analog clock.  Digital clocks are just as troublesome. 

To make matters worse, my husband, who is perpetually late; or as he likes to call it “on time” (which it actually is) likes to set the clocks in the bedroom five minutes off; in an effort to rush him up, I suppose.  It doesn’t work.  The only way something like that would work would be if the one needing the prodding were not aware of the adjustment.  And don’t think for a moment he’s not aware of it.  In the mornings as we ready for work, if I look over in a panic and say, “Oh no, it’s time to leave” he’s always quick to remind me that the clocks are five minutes fast.  So really, the only thing he has accomplished is sending me into an occasional panic for no reason at all.

Just today my boss had a meeting at 8:30 a.m.  It was in a building close by, so he was just going to walk over.  As he gathered his things to stroll over he asked, “What time is it?”  I said… “Quarter til”.  The look of panic on his face made me immediately second guess my answer.  It was actually a “quarter after”… or 8:15 a.m.  But in my mind… it was actually… “Quarter til 8:30" or... "Quarter til he needed to be there”.  Honestly, there are some areas in which I do excel! 

If I were a  flower... I'd be a Four O’clock... but I’d bloom at three!

Happy gardening!

Looking Skyward

All spring and summer we tend to walk around interested mostly in things either on the ground or at eye level.  Sure, we'll gaze out towards the horizon and take in the often breathtaking colors of sunset; but for the most part, as adults, we spend a great deal of the time merely shielding our eyes from that burning ball of intense heat in the sky.  Seriously, when was the last time you laid back, looked up and the sky and watched the clouds magically transform into an elephant, a puppy or a gorilla?  It can be very relaxing, and who among us can't use a little relaxing? 

Fall and winter call for looking skyward.  Look up!  There's a whole world out there waiting for you to appreciate it!

Look closely at this last photo... stare at the sunshine; is it me or does it appear to get brighter, then dimmer? 

Remember you can click on the photos for an enlarged view.

I hope you enjoyed a skyward view of my corner of the world.  Let me know if you find anything new in yours!

TRICK-OR-TREAT?

We've only ever had one trick-or-treater in the seven years we've lived in our house, I suppose because our houses are fairly far apart and quite a distance from the road.  Regardless, we always buy candy - just in case! :) 

Well, yesterday, during weak moment, I cut the top off our bag of candy bars and ate two.  I didn't even pick up the bag... just sliced it open right where it sat.

Last night my hubby looked over and said... "What happened to the top of that bag of candy?"  I said, "Oh, earlier, when you were napping... two trick-or-treaters stopped by.  I gave them each a candy bar.  They ate them right there on the porch.  They asked me if I would mind disposing of the wrappers for them.  I thought that was nice... instead of them throwing them down in the front yard."

Hubby asked... "What were they dressed as?"

I said... "They were really cute.  One was a middle-aged, slightly overweight, white woman.  The other was a slightly overweight, white, middle-aged woman.  I wish you could have seen them.  You'd have loved them!"

He just shook his head and said... "Why didn't you just eat them out of the hole I had already cut in the side of the bag a few nights ago... then you wouldn't have had to make up that big ol' story!  Sucker!

I love that man!  Definitely a TREAT!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN TO YOUR AND YOURS!

For Flowerlady...

Flowerlady - This post is especially for you!  I thought I would take a walk around the yard today and snap a few photos so that you could enjoy the changing season along with us here in middle Tennessee.  

 

 There is beauty in everything.

Some of my photos didn't post correctly... so I uploaded them again today.  Hope this helps!

Cold, Rainy Days

The past two days have been cold and rainy and made me long for spring!  I do realize that we must have fall and winter before spring visits us again - but it doesn't stop me from wishing!  Tonight I made a huge pot of chicken & dumplings to warm us from the cold, damp weather that seemed to have soaked into our bones.  We are wimps!  We don't deny it! 

Even I must admit that fall and winter both offer their own beauty.  During our commute we are in awe of the beautiful hues painted across our landscape; rolling hills of yellows, oranges, reds and greens balanced between the blue of the bright fall sky and the cold, darkness of the nearby lake. It seems like a completely different place than it does in spring with the purple Redbud, white Dogwood and greens of newly emerging leaves of hundreds of types of trees. 

Soon the landscape will consist of only the skeletal remains of the once vibrant trees as they rest for their show next spring.  Only the evergreens will stand full, unphased by the seasons - often under-appreciated because of their constant reliability.  I do realize though that if not for the seasons we might never appreciate the bark of the White Paper Birch, Shagbark Hickory, the fruit of the Sweetgum trees, or the flame of the Burning Bush - to name a few.  So I'll try to sing the praises of this season and the next as I look forward to the warmth of spring!

Think warm thoughts... and I'll see you in the garden - we've got leaves to rake!

You've got to see this...

A friend/coworker shared this site with me today... and I could hardly wait to get home to share it with you.  As I watched it I almost felt as if I had been transported to another place.  It was heavenly.  I hope that you'll enjoy it and share the link with your friends. 

http://www.ted.com/talks/louie_schwartzberg_the_hidden_beauty_of_pollination.html

Next time I'll write more... this time... I'll let Louie Schwartzberg steal the show!

See you in the garden soon!

I've found my way back to the blog

Some of you may have noticed that I took some time off from writing… some of you may have not!   I have no real excuses for my absence.  I could blame it on my wilting flowers or the mental drain of my mother’s recent health crisis; truth be told… it just wasn’t a top priority.  A friend/co-worker checked on me via email the other day after I bowed out of a monthly luncheon.  Apparently my lack of attendance there, coupled with my lack of attention to the blog seemed to have caused a bit of concern.  Thank you Martha for your kindness!  Perhaps it was the gentle nudge I needed to find my way back to the things I enjoy.   I am happy to report that my mother has conquered her health crisis and she is back, nearly 100%.  My flowers have survived the summer’s unrelenting heat and what plants are still capable of blooming are proudly showing their gratitude for the attention I did muster through those dog days of late summer! 

As I stood in the warm kitchen this morning looking out over the back yard analyzing how golden and warm the sun seemed as it cast those long drawn out shadows of fall, my eyes landed on the dog house nestled in a triangular area of the yard flanked by tall, green, cedar trees.  There it sat, covered in shade and vacant.  Don’t stop reading… this is not a sad tale of a once vibrant pup who is no more.  Nope, not even close.  We moved in to this home seven years ago and the dog house was part of the deal.  Just like the playhouse on stilts and the tiny playhouse with the tiny front porch, tiny windows with tiny window boxes, and a tiny little door; all extras that made the property feel homey.  There was also a duck house (if you can call it that) attached to the side of the doghouse, which actually looked more like a small carport.  You know… every dog needs a place to park their car (assuming they catch it)! 

There was just something about that doghouse that spoke to my husband.  Perhaps he thought he might need a place to sleep now and then, I joked.  I immediately suggested that we get rid of it, but he looked at it longingly and said that there was just something about it that he liked, so it stayed.  Our neighbor once mentioned if we ever wanted to get rid of the doghouse that he’d like to buy it.  Still, even at the possibility of making a quick buck, my husband didn’t part with it.  I know what you’re thinking… probably a ploy to one day get a dog.  Nope… seven years later, still no dog.  We joke that we have a dog… she just lives two doors down.  Oh, it looks like we have a dog.  We have a doghouse and we keep doggie treats in the pantry for her visits… but that no more means we have a dog than the fact that we have a store-bought cat bed on our covered patio means that we have a cat.  No sir, he lives next door… he just prefers to sleep at our place.  Apparently, there’s no place like home… unless it’s close to home! 

Belated Birthday Laughs and Love

The other day I received a belated birthday gift from a dear friend who was horrified that she missed my birthday. To me, birthdays are pretty much the same as another day and I'm never offended if someone forgets to acknowledge the day; she, on the other hand, took it pretty hard! :) She's one of those people who is apt to do more for you on any given day than most of us do on special occasions... so even if you were one to have your feathers ruffled if your birthday is overlooked... you'd probably still give her a break. Anyway, she gave me something for the garden, as she is apt to do because she knows that it is an area which brings me great joy.

When I got in the car with my husband he spied the gift bag and said, "What 'cha got?" I explained that it was a late birthday gift from a friend. He asked, "What is it?" I said, "It's really pretty wind chimes; but they're kind of loud." He said, "What is it?" I said, "Pretty wind chimes, but they're kind loud."  He said, "What is it?" I said, "Pretty wind chimes, but YOU'LL never hear 'em." :)  I can't help but laugh at how my responses continue to reduce in size with each repeat. If we kept going I guess I'd just finally just drag them out of the bag and say "Chimes! See?" He may be getting older (as am I), but he is still the man of my dreams and brings such delight into my life! I love that man with all of my heart!!! I work with his hearing loss and he puts up with all the stuff I say that wasn't worth saying even once... let alone 4-5 times.  Seriously, if you ever wondered if what you were saying was worthy of saying... just repeat it 3 or 4 times, a little louder each time, and see how important you think it is then! LOL!

As for the chimes, they are very pretty and have a lovely tone. Wind chimes are a great gift... each time you hear them it reminds you of the person who thought enough of you to buy them for you. It's kind of like a little subliminal hug from a special person.  Keep them in mind next time you're considering a gift for a person who loves to putter around in the garden. That is, unless they're like my husband... and then I might suggest something along the lines of a foghorn!

Remember you can click on any photo for a larger view.

Sweet Autumn Clematis

We had a wonderful storm come through our area around six o'clock this morning gracing us with 1-1/4 inches of rain and enticing the Sweet Autumn Clematis to burst into bloom.  She's still far from reaching her full potential... but still worthy of sharing.

(Click on the photo to see an enlarged view)

Climbing along the fence.

A closer view

I wish you could enjoy the scent... wonderful!

Notice the pink tip on the unopened bud.



Millions of buds waiting to open!


I don't have many words to share today... but I still wanted to share a few photos.  I hope that you have a week filled with all the things that bring you peace and happiness.  I hope to see you in the garden soon!

Be On The Look-Out (BOLO) Alert!

That’s right!  We have been victimized!  I was blinded by his good looks and cocky air of confidence.  He would be best described as the strong, silent type.  He was last seen on August 18^th, headed west, towards the lake. 

DESCRIPTION:

• Approximately 5 ft. tall
• medium build
• sandy blonde hair
• brown eyes
• thin lips
• and breath, which comes in quick bursts and smells suspiciously of Impatiens! 

Be on your toes folks!  He could be headed for his next victim… or perhaps just a nap, while his meal of eleven of my twelve impatient plants settles a bit!  The least he could have done was finish off that last one… just to keep things tidy.  LOL!

What can I say?  The deer have thus far offered more beauty and entertainment than they have frustration… so I can’t really complain much.  Besides, those were some of the most pitiful impatiens I have ever grown!  I hope he enjoyed them!

Oh well... looks like I'll have to start planning a deer resistant flower garden for the front flower bed next year!  Y'all have a good weekend... and keep your eyes open!

Familiar Hints of Autumn

Although we're finally getting a break from the dangerously high temperatures we've experienced of late, I find that there is little news to share from my garden.  Between my mother being sick, my husband's recent back troubles and my own basic lack of motivation; there's just not much going on around here.  The lovely rose bush and Lantana I received for my birthday late in July remain on the patio, in full bloom, yet still in their pots.  I have managed to keep up with the watering, so they will live to thrive in the garden some day soon.  If I were smart I'd chalk it up to "planning"... you know, wanting to really be sure of where it will do best before I actually sock it in the ground.  But I suppose I am more honest than I am smart... because I haven't even given its placement much thought!

I can report that the morning air has that familiar crispness about it that we readily recognize as a taste of Autumn.  It instantly takes me back to my childhood and the anxiousness of the school year's beginning.  Even though I was far too nervous to ever really enjoy the actual task of going to school... the shopping and planning was always a thrill!  I still love to shop for pens, pencils, notebooks, etc.  And the organizing!  Oh Lord do I love to organize things in little draws and compartments!  Remember how you'd work for hours on your notebooks, zipper pouches and boxes?  That usually lasted about a week and then it was anyone's guess where you could find a pencil!  Today a friend/co-worker gifted me some galvanized metal boxes he picked up at a yard sale recently.  I can't wait to find a good use for them around the house!  Ooooh, it feels like 1st grade all over again! 

See the wilting plant and the watering can? That gives me a great idea! :) DUH!

(Again... smart vs. honest, need I say more?)

On a serious note... my mother goes back to the doctor tomorrow for a follow-up visit from her recent hospital stay.  I ask you to say a prayer for her that she'll soon be back to her old self bringing light into her surroundings.  It's not easy to see her moving in slow motion and lacking energy. 

While my Sweet Autumn Clematis is gathering her strength to put on a spectacular show... she's not quite there yet.  I promise to share her with you, in all her blooming glory at the appropriate time!

I had better sign off for now.  I hope to see you in the garden soon.  Bring a shovel... we need to get some work done! :)

Whew! Happy Saturday!

Life seems to have gotten in the way a bit over the last week or so.  As you know, my mother has been in the hospital and that pretty much consumed my mind most of my waking hours.  She is doing much better and just trying to regain some strength before returning to work.  My sweet husband injured his back a few weeks ago and since it rained here last Saturday and Sunday, I started off each day this week by threatening to end his life if I came home to find that he had done any of the yard work! 

Last Sunday, as I started cleaning the swimming pool he looked at me, completely disgusted with himself, and said, "Am I just supposed to stand her and watch you clean the pool?"  I said, "Just go inside and find something to watch on the television... always works for me!" :)  He failed to find the humor.   So I sent him in to organize the kitchen pantry.  Job well done!

It wasn't easy to convince him to let me take over these tasks for a couple weeks while he allows his back time to heal - but I finally won him over. 

Monday night I came home from work and mowed the lawn while he did a little light trimming around the pool.  For some reason pushing the mower doesn't seem to do any harm to his back, but jarring around on the riding mower is a definite NO! 

Today after a brief lesson he set me free with the weed-eater in hand.  He's always complained about this weed-eater not being comfortable to use.  I have to admit, I thought it was just him... but after being unable to master a clean line with it, I'm thinking he may be right!  Thank goodness grass is like hair... the only difference in a good cut and a bad cut is about a week!

I hope to see you in the garden soon!  Take care!

Rains...glorious rains!

We were blessed to receive rains on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  The rains were such a welcome sight!  I know that they were long overdue and it will soon be evident in the lushness of all things green and growing in and around our neighborhood. 

My mother has been in the hospital this past week and Friday she, my sister and I watched the rain from her hospital room before I headed home.  There’s just something renewing and cleansing about a good rain, isn’t it?  But as I drove home in the rain I thought about how, had she not been stronger, had she waited longer before getting to the hospital, the rains might feel completely different.  Rather than a cleansing/renewal of hope, would I feel as if it was adding to the sadness washing over me?  Like most things in life, it depends upon the situation or how you look at things. 

Today, Mom was released from the hospital with plans for a complete recovery.  My older sister did the honors of pick-up and delivery.  Mom has been our beacon of light in every storm we have ever weathered.  In our darkest hour, she was there to calm our fears and give us direction – and usually show us the humor in the situation; but most importantly – she was always there.  We have always known in the back of our minds that we wouldn’t have her forever; but for us, this was really the closest we’d ever come to having an inkling of how that might actually feel…   It is worse than I ever imagined. 

Today, I am thankful for those who took such good care of my mother during her stay in the hospital, for those who visited, those who called, those who cared and those who prayed. 

Gift from the Gods!

I've been searching my mind for something to write about.  It's not that I have this overwhelming need to write something just for the sake of writing... its more that something needs to be written to bump that last blog entry down on the list!  Who would want to read a blog that they've accidentally stumbled upon if it started with an entry about a snake?  Not me! 

So, I'll jump directly from one of the least favorite things that come with summer to one of the most beloved... TOMATOES!  I know that for most of you, especially you southerners, juicy, homegrown tomatoes make these near 100 degree dog days of summer almost bearable.  For me... the joy comes in seeing y'all enjoy them so hardily!  As you may remember from a previous post, tomatoes aren't at the top of my list of likes.  For me the best thing that I can say about tomatoes is that usually where you find ripe tomatoes you're apt to also find BACON! 

Today, one of my best friends stopped by the office with a bag of tomatoes for my sweet hubby.  Here in Tennessee there's not a much truer test of friendship than sharing one's tomatoes!  Oh there's always organ donation, becoming a surrogate mother, or sharing your lottery winnings; but seriously... if given the choice between an organ, a child, cash or tomatoes... you know you'd go for the tomatoes!  Shared tomatoes really let you know where you rate on the friendship scale!  I especially love it when they hand you the bag of tomatoes, with a proud look on their face, but then they don't seem to really want to let it go! 

I also know what you're probably thinking... "those aren't sliced right for a sandwich" (or SAM-wich as we say here in the south).  You're exactly right... but just like there's more than one way to skin a cat... there's also more than one way to eat a tomato... as long as you have enough salt!

I won't keep you.  I'm sure you're probably headed off to the kitchen to make sure you've got enough bread, lettuce, mayo and bacon for your own BLT.  If not, you'd better start makin' that list!  

I hope that if tomatoes are high on your wish list you have more than you can give away!  Besides, it's a great way to make new friends! 

For you other non-tomato folks out there... hang in there... and have some fried corn!

I'll see you in the garden shortly!

SNAAAAAAKE!!!

This morning I did some trimming on the two wisteria vines that have grown wild and wooly in the heat of summer when most things are just barely surviving.  After that I moved on to deadhead the blooms on the two butterfly bushes and managed to come up with quite a few clippings.  As I made my first trip to the back of the yard to pour out my bag of clippings I was thinking about how hot and dry everything was and fully aware that it seemed like a good time to see a snake. 

On my second trip to the back of the yard, with my husband weed eating nearby, I was still cautious about where I stepped and keeping an eye out for any passing critters.  After emptying my bag of clippings and starting back I suddenly realized that somewhere in my field of vision I had spied a snake.  I stopped immediately and scanned the grass until I saw him again.  He was watching me too, with his head lifted for a better view.  He was directly in front of me in the grass... about four feet from where I stood.  As I stood there frozen in my tracks I realized that standing still with my arms at my side I could feel the pulse in the back of my head, where the base of my skull meets my neck.  I felt chills run down my spine. 

I waved my arms as my husband looked up and pointed at the ground and mouthed the word "SSSSNNNNAAAKKE" slowly and deliberately.  He started walking towards me saying, "What"?  Thinking that I was pointing into the bag where I collect my clippings.  Finally I realized he wasn't getting it and just put both hands up, palms towards him and said, "STOP".  He did... then cut off the weed eater and said, what is it?  I said, A snake right there... it's tail approximately a foot and a half from where he stood. 

I think it was probably a rat snake.  Because it looked a lot like a much larger one we saw a few years back that was correctly identified by a coworker's sister who works at our local zoo. 



Rat Snake - A very old, very happy Rat Snake... so they tell me!





Approximately 6 ft. in length





Baby snake in our pool skimmer - YIKES!


I didn't get a photo of the one today... but to me... a snake, is a snake, is a snake!  Sweet hubby used the weed eater to encourage the snake back toward the woods at the back of our yard.  At one point it became intimidated, coiled and struck back at the weed eater.  Even though I'm sure it wasn't poisonous... it was quite intimidating!  He kept encouraging it to go away and it finally did... until it got to a tree, where it promptly and effortlessly climbed the tree.  How is that even possible?  It seemed as easy as slithering across the ground.  Amazing!  Hubby put down the weed eater, grabbed a long, straight limb that he uses for other purposes in the yard and got it out of the tree and walked it to the woods.

No matter how many snakes I see.  No matter of their lenght or girth.  No matter whether they're poisonous or harmless.  They still freak me out!  As you can imagine... my gardening for the day was done.  It's too darn hot to do much anyway!  Are you buying that excuse? It's good enough for me!

Stay cool and hydrated... and I hope to see you in the garden... unless you're a snake!

Birthday Blessings

Among other treasures I got the two things I wished for most... sun-loving plants and meal worms! 

One of my friends gave me a Lantana and an Apricot Drift (meimirrote').  Now all I have to do is decide where to plant them.  The Apricot Drift is a groundcover rose that reaches 2 1/2' wide x 1 1/2' tall.  It is really pretty, with a beautiful apricot colored bloom that fades throughout the day and smells absolutely fabulous!

(Lantana)

(Apricot Drift Rose)

(sorry that this one is a little blurry)

We don't really do birthday's up big around here.  I just never really cared for the fuss, don't like surprises and don't enjoy being the center of attention.  My mother didn't ask what I wanted, so I guess she read it on the blog.  Since they didn't know much about it, she and my nephew didn't really know where to begin their search for freeze-dried meal worms... but being the troopers they are, they finally managed to find some in a pet store.  My nephew asked, "Does she have a frog?"  Mom says, "No, I don't think so".  "Why does she want meal worms?"  Mom says, "I dont' know".  Mom's like me, she doesn't ask questions.  She just "does".  So I suppose that she was relieved today to know that I wanted them for the bluebirds... and not another crazy diet I read about on the Internet! :)  Seriously, does a meal worm diet sound that much worse than the cabbage soup diet?  Answer:  Not if you've ever been on it for more than a week! :)

My favorite gifts today?  LOVE and FRIENDSHIP... those are the things that I cherish most!  Love you all, and thank you for always being there!

They're finally blooming...

Yippee!  My Crape Myrtles are finally blooming!  They are absolutely beautiful!  I suppose they aren't in the perfect situation to bloom as early as others in the neighborhood... but they still put on a show! 

(Click on each photo to see a larger view)

Sometimes I look at them and think... "I thought they'd have grown more by now"... but then when I look back at photos from when they were originally planted... and suddenly I am ecstatic with their growth!  We planted them in May of 2007... after the neighbors had planted the hedge row of Privet (Ligustrum vulgare) in the fall of  2006 to replace other shrubs that had been removed due to some type of disease.  When they bloomed for the first time they looked more like a bouquet of flowers than any type of shrub or tree.  The photo below is basically the same view as the photo above... only 4 years earlier.  What a difference!

They are our nearest neighbors... but now that the hedge of Privet has grown in we barely know that they are there.  They're great neighbors... but we all appreciate a little privacy.  I know for a fact that when I'm out there bobbing around in the pool that they are really glad that it's there too! :)

Enough for now.  Y'all stay cool and hydrated and I'll see you in the garden soon.

Fairies graced my garden...

Yesterday we were fortunate enough to be visited by a Zebra Swallowtail... the first one that I have ever seen.  She was beautiful, perfect, whole and intact - and that is a rarety in my garden. 

Remember you can click on each picture for a larger view...

Today our temperatures soared high to around 96 degrees, but our neighborhood was one of those blessed with a good solid rain... a nice surprise, since they forecasted only a 20% chance for rain, at best. 

It's been raining for about three hours now and our rain gauge, so far, indicates that we've collected 1 1/2 inches of glorious rain!  What a blessing!  How is it that the simple task of chasing a butterfly or watching a steady rain can fool you into thinking that everything is right with the world...even if only for a few moments?