Gray. Dark. Damp. Soggy. Dreary. Wet. Rainy.

All these words describe our current weather situation. It’s been this way for weeks. Maybe one day out of the week the sun will come out for a while just to prove it’s still there ... somewhere. I actually love rainy days, I really do, but this is bordering on ridiculous. It’s not warm. Temperatures are mostly in the 60’s with very high humidity, which on the east coast means downright damp. uck! The dogs lay around the house in a funk and so do I. Why bother cleaning when I can’t see the dirt? That’s my excuse anyway.

So far this month we’ve only had two days that our weather station didn’t register any rain. We’ve had over five inches of rain since the start of June. One inch of that came within 30 minutes during a thunderstorm on Monday. Just since midnight we’ve had over 1/2 inch. Enough already! Let summer begin! Sadly, when the calendar registers the start of summer on Sunday I don’t think the weather gods will take much note. We’re stuck in a rut.

And the pool? Please! Don’t let’s talk about it. All it’s good for right now is collecting water.

This much rain makes things grow. Or rot. Let’s look on the brighter side for now and take a look at some of the things that are managing to grow in this weather. Yesterday’s weather offered a clear window with a little bit of sun so I took my camera out to see what I could find before I mowed the grass.

These tiny, tiny purple flowers growing in the grass.

Clover against the white fence.

A silvery white moth hanging on a blade of grass.

An assortment of flowers.

And inevitably with this much moisture: mushrooms!

One left behind on top of a rock like a discarded, half-nibbled apple core.

An ugly one with a face. (Can you see the face? Kind of a like moaning ghost wearing a sombrero.)

A gelatinous cup with the sun shining through it.

More gelatinous style fungi. They have the texture of rubber.

A puffball. My book says these are edible, but any mushroom that goes poof! in a big ball of brown powder when you step on it after it dries I just can’t make myself eat.

I liked how the dew was still clinging to the stem of this one.

I do have a few tomatoes that have set but we need the sun!

Some of my flowers in pots around the pool that don’t have drainage are rotting away. Literally. I kid you not! I know I shouldn’t be complaining. At least I don’t need to water them by hand every day. Our well is certainly replenished. Everything is green. Oh wait ...  maybe it’s just mold.

I’ve been doing some of this:

more on the tea towels coming in another post ...

and this ...

an out of print book that I bought at a local church book sale.

I made this: (Blueberries and Cream Pie)

And Rick started some homemade limoncello to fortify us.

We’ll get through this damp patch, I know we will. Remind me later in the summer, will you, when I’m complaining about the hot & humid weather and having to run the air conditioning night and day? Today that seems like a pipe dream as I look out into the murky depths of the yard and watch the rain falling down.

how much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

What place could be more fitting for a woodchuck than in our stack of wood? Remember meeting Chuck last year? I guess Chuck was really Chuckette.This baby woodchuck found a safe place away from the dogs—thank goodness. But if it weren’t for the dogs I would never have known it was even around.

Yesterday Hailey was acting crazy, going from window to window panting and in a state of extreme agitation. She jumped up on the love seat that doubles as a dog bed here in the office and whined and stared out the window. I had a feeling I knew what it was because we went through the same routine last week. Sure enough when I looked out the window I saw a baby woodchuck ambling around the back yard near our firewood stack. Forget about it, I told her, no way am I letting you outside!

You see, last week the same thing happened, only in the front of the house. Hailey and Bella kept going to the window and looking down into the hedges at the front windows. I kept looking out the window and saw nothing. Finally they convinced me that something was there that was very interesting, so out the front door I went. I started down the steps and this little head popped out of the marigolds.

So cute! I did not let the dogs out because I knew they would chase it down like they do with the squirrels and chipmunks. I waited a while but finally had to let the dogs out. I went out first and found it still walking around in the back yard. I scared it under the deck and figured it was safe. I fed the dogs and let them outside. After about ten minutes my brain registered that they had been out longer than usual without wanting to come inside and I went outside to see what they were up to. Well ... I’m afraid that adorable baby woodchuck met its demise that day. I cried buckets of tears and felt so badly for it. But, really, what can you do? They are dogs after all and prey drive runs in their veins. I have no idea exactly who was involved in the woodchuck’s demise and I don’t want to know.

So ... I don’t know whether to be thrilled that there is another baby chuck or worried that it may meet the same fate as the other one. When it grows up and is eating all my flowers, ask me again!

I think it has the cutest ears!

Outside temperature: 79
Pool temperature: 70-ish
First swim of the year! At first we were just going to go in the pool just to see if we could entice Bella back in. I am still kicking myself for not pushing the right button to record when Bella jumped in and swam to Rick on Saturday. Darn it anyway! We were not successful in getting her back in with us. We bobbed around a while on our new cushy lounges while the sun went in and out of clouds. It couldn’t seem to make up its mind. I got out and Rick decided he was going to try to really get wet and swim. He was standing at what I call the “brink of no return” (where the shallow end of our pool starts dropping off gradually from 3 feet to 9 feet). He was stuck there. Trust me, it’s hard to make that decision to dunk yourself in that cold water! So, I asked him if it would help if I got in too. I walked in to meet him and my right foot went a little too far—right off the brink of no return. kerplunk. I was in the icy water. Oh well, might as well swim since I’m in! Rick was annoyed with me because he wanted to be the one who got wet first this year. Trust me, I didn’t plan it. He said the expression on my face was priceless. We swam five laps or so and that was enough. Actually it felt kind of refreshing once you got used to it.

The water so far this year is crystal clear. Last year we struggled so with algae. I hope we don’t have that problem this year. It was a real pain. We have these little bugs this time of year that we are always finding floating in the pool. They look just like a fly Rick used in Colorado for fly fishing: a wooly bugger. I was never sure about the spelling. Maybe it’s a wooly booger. They are always dry, never wet. Anyway, this is what they look like:

I have tons of foxglove that is on the verge of blooming. They must reseed themselves pretty readily because I used to only have two or three and now I have at least ten different plants coming up everywhere. I like them though so I let them go. The bees like them too.

I don’t know what this is. Something in the pea family, but exactly what I don’t know. It’s a pretty tall plant; about 3.5 feet.

The day lilies are getting ready to make their debut poolside soon. I love it when they’re blooming. So cheery and bright.

It wasn’t all sitting idle by the pool this weekend. We also trimmed the forsythia hedge into some semblance of order and the burning bushes in front of our windows have now been taken down a notch. If we let it go we would not be able to see out the windows. After living in Colorado for so long and coaxing things to grow, New Jersey sometimes feels like a jungle. I am always pulling baby trees up and the ferns are taking over the day lilies!

We had a nighttime visitor on Saturday. We had just gone to bed when Hailey and Alex started barking like crazy from the office downstairs. Rick went to investigate (Bella and I stayed in bed) and turned on the front outside light. He saw a big black shape over in the area where we feed the birds. Ho-hum, just a bear. Back to bed. He did think, however, to check to make sure we had closed the sliding doors in the sun room—we had not. Good thing he checked. But the next day while we were eating our breakfast of strawberries and fresh melon down by the pool I glanced up to see the door to the basement standing wide open. Uh oh. (It’s our habit to leave the door open when we are outside with the dogs in summer. They get hot and go in to the basement to keep cool and out of the sun.) Bravely I went in to check it out. No bear. whew. But how stupid to leave the door open all night! I’m sure the bear would enjoy cozying up in there without our knowledge! I think we need to do a full door check before going to bed from now on.

Bella says:
hey mom, you and dad can go in that big water bowl as much as you want but I think i’ll stay on the sides and look cute. don’t the new flowers make a lovely backdrop for my head?

This morning I saved two toads from drowning. It’s true. I did. I love toads. Last year I didn’t see any. When I went out to skim the pool this morning I found a toad floating face down in the water. Oh no! I thought it was dead but when I touched him with the skimmer he moved, albeit feebly. I fished him out and put him somewhere safe. Here he is.

It took him awhile to gather his strength back again, but he finally managed to hop off. I think it’s the same kind of toad that we had the summer before last. The Golden Toad, as I called him.

As I worked my way around the pool I filled my skimmer with caterpillars and lots of spiders. When I got to the opposite side I found another toad, this time a different color. He too was doing the dead man’s float and I thought for sure he was a goner. I scooped him up gently and he moved! Again, I placed him where I thought he was safe from Bella and he too eventually hopped off into the yard.

So, two toads saved. Do you think I’m strange for liking (and sometimes kissing) toads?

Oh yes. Did I mention the pool is open? Yesterday was the first day. Bella did not jump in (thank goodness) but did have some cute encounters with it. She is working on her own blog entry to come soon complete with pics and video. It might be open but we won’t be swimming for awhile. The temperature stands at 60 chilly degrees. brrrrrr!!!!! Hopefully we’ll get some sun next week and the solar cover will help to keep in whatever warmth we might get out of it. We’ll be patiently waiting ...

Why is it that I could not pick up my embroidery without humming that song that Willie Nelson sang ...

South of the border down Mexico way
That’s where I fell in love when stars above came out to play
Now as I wander my thoughts ever stray
South of the border down Mexico way

Gee, maybe it was because this was the name of the pattern for them! The tea towels are finished! Here is the last one.

And as requested by a reader, all three tea towels together. I’m not sure which one is my favorite. Maybe the last one with the guitar.

My hands feel idle now. I certainly enjoyed doing them and now can’t wait to get started on some towels of my own, but that will have to wait until our return. I hope Rick’s mom likes them! I have a feeling she won’t use them, but if she just gets enjoyment out of looking at them hanging on a hook that will be enough for me.

On the Mexican vacation front ...
We talked to Rick’s mom last night as she wanted to see what we were thinking in regard to our trip to visit with all the swine flu hype. She told us that there are no reported cases in the entire state of Guanajuato in which San Miguel lies. We are not flying into Mexico City (thank goodness!) but into a smaller, closer airport. Schools are closed there but life is going on as usual with added care taken to sanitize hands. She told us to bring plenty of wipes since they are no longer to be found there.

We are armed with Tamiflu pills, immune boosters from the health food store, masks, hand sanitizing products and our own good health. In a way I feel like I’m in one of those science fiction end-of-the-world-style movies with my arsenal of “stay healthy” products.  I’m sure we’ll be fine. Please don’t worry about us!

Things may be a bit more quiet in San Miguel than normal but we have been assured both by Rick’s mom and his cousin that a good time is still to be had. So, we are going. I get very strange looks from people when I tell them we are headed off to Mexico. Incredulous looks. Are you sitting there reading this and shaking your head in agreement with all those people too?

I don’t think I’ll be blogging at all while down there. Our only internet access will be from Rick’s cousin’s house and we might go once or twice to check our email but not sure how much time I will have to post anything. I will try to at least post a photo with a quick update.

The kids here at home will be looked after by our dear friend Carolyn who is going to house-sit for us. I’m sure she’ll have them better trained in no time. Either that or they will train her just as they have trained us over the years to bend to their every whim. I feel great going on vacation knowing she is in charge.

eBay reading the San Miguel guidebook

Now I just have to decide which clothes to pack ...