Friend Carolyn was visiting for a few days and we headed over to Skylands with our cameras to see what was blooming.

Not sure what this is (maybe Mountain Laurel?) but I liked the intricate flowers.

Pretty peonies!

Spiky purple things of which I recognize but don’t know the names of. *duh*

And quite a few iris.

And one iris three ways!

By the way, Rick made it home safely last night. This past six weeks has been pretty hectic. We’ve either been away (both together and separately) or we’ve had company. More company coming for the weekend and then blissfully nothing is planned so I hope to get back to blogging about our trip to France next week. In the meantime, thanks for stopping by and reading!

dad… i know you’re still in China tonight and all and you’ll be home tomorrow night this time, but I just wanted to let you know what’s going on at home ...

Notations from mom: outside temp today: 82 F; pool temp upon opening 59 F

While Rick was in Tiananmen Square in Beijing watching a somewhat “friendly” protest, I was in my backyard viewing the first firefly sighting of the season. Just a few faint ones, but still, there they were. The frogs were also busy singing tonight around dusk. The low pitched altos and the baby sopranos gave a lovely concert. I have never lived anywhere else that I can have both fireflies and frog song. I can’t begin to tell you how happy they both make me. Plus, there was also a bat swooping around eating insects. Granted, there was only one where we used to have at least six or seven, but due to some kind of mold (which I can’t remember what it was exactly) our bat population has died off over the past several years. I hope they are making a comeback.

Speaking of coming back, I will be glad when my husband is home once again!

Mt. Fuji through the haze as seen by Rick two days ago. Photo by Rick.

I am sure you are scratching your heads about my title. Right now Rick is in Japan. His night is my day and vice versa. When he calls me upon rising on his morning, my night is just beginning.  A bit strange. Right now he is already starting my tomorrow. He is eating sashimi and I am eating leftovers.

I should know by now that buying frozen food I am not going to like it. Yet again, while in Trader Joe’s yesterday I bought a frozen chile relleno thinking it sounded good. For 45 minutes my would-be dinner cooked in the oven. Cutting into the chewy, too-old poblano chile, I knew before it reached my mouth that I was not going to like it. Ugh. In the trash it went. I ended up warming up pasta and homemade sauce that I made last night. I hate eating on my own! Maybe it has to do with being super picky about what I eat. But I refuse to eat things that don’t taste good. It’s just not worth it!

The dogs and I went for a walk after dinner tonight. Today was quite warm here, around 80F and sunny. The past few days have been rainy and the dogs have not been able to even get out and do their normal thing. Yesterday while it was raining heavily Bella went to the door and woofed. I opened the door, she peered out and sniffed, then turned to look at me like WTF? Sorry, kiddo. I can’t change the weather. Here are Alex and Hailey chilling out from their walk. I love Alex’s “frog-dog” position.

Anyway, sitting out on the deck while the dogs cooled down from their walk was very pleasant. The cool but humid air and the peepers singing their froggy song from the woods washed over me like a calming balm. So soothing. Puffy clouds scudded by in the sky vying for space with the moon that looks like a pie sliced in half.

My eyes scanned the yard for fireflies, but as yet, none in sight. Since everything else this year is two weeks ahead of schedule I was hoping that they would show up early. Too soon, I guess.

All too soon it was dark and time to come in. Here is the moon just before I came in.

Sometimes it’s hard to imagine my husband nearly half a world away in the daylight.

P.S. More to come on our trip but I am thinking everyone is getting bored by now of more photos ...

The big double-flowered cherry tree in neighbor Teri’s yard at the beginning of our street is now in full glorious bloom. I walked down the other day to get some photos of it.

On the way I found these two blooming trees growing wild in the woods. The white one is dogwood, but not sure what the pink blooming one is. It’s not obvious since it’s in a tangle with other trees.

Here is the tree from a distance. See how green everything is becoming?

I saw this nest tucked into the branches and thought it looked like a lovely place to build a home. Probably a robin.

I love the double flowers, whether lit by the sun or not.