Shocker!

Awoke at 5:40 to the ping-ting…of rain hitting the downspout! Then it really started to come down. The dog is curious about this sky-water stuff, and annoyed at all the noise on the deck canopies. I put my rubber boots and raincoat on – and my Stetson – and we went for a sniff around the field. It does smell weird and a bit “tangy.” It’s been a long couple-three weeks of in the upper 90’s and 100’s temperatures, so this cool morning is unexpectedly welcome!

Unsettled Weather

78-degrees at noon is unusual after a week of consistently high 90’s, but we’ll take it! It was a low of 67 at 7:15AM, then barely climbing – and when the sun broke through the cloud layer it jumped up to 83 by 1:30PM…

71-Degrees at 6:30AM

Last week ranged in the 100’s except for a stray 98 on Thursday, and this week’s forecast is more of the same. The main thing is it doesn’t cool off at night very much, and we’re not getting much “Delta Breeze” from the ocean coming up the river. So yardwork is curtailed and the main focus is keeping the dog cool – and where to go walking in the early part of the day.

Fortunately the dog has discovered the refreshing joy of playing in the lawn sprinklers, and has attuned herself to when they go on in the afternoon – and thusly eliminated my need to wash her or add more block-ice to the dog pool.

UPDATE: 81-degrees by 9:00AM

Good Morning and Happy Birthday America!

We have been enjoying a brief interlude of mild and cool-morning weather, instead of the usual July inferno. The first wildfire of the season, up in Bridgeport where I used to go dual-sport riding, is 45% contained and not growing any further. Yay for that!

Yesterday was in fact cool and overcast most of the day, allowing us to complete weeding on the Embankment, and use-up all of the remaining “gorilla hair” (shredded bark) we had. I still need to get another yard-and-a-half to complete the area under the birch trees, but so far so good.

No festivities or travel is planned for today, just relaxation, so have a Happy 4th of July!

Abby Normal

This is plain weird, to get rain up here in June – even early June – but it’s happening. Got to accept the blessings as they come, and a dump-run of yardwaste had to go, so a bit of light rain helps damp-down the fetid scents at the “Material Recovery Facility,” where inflation also rears its ugly head as prices climb…

Sunday Drizzles

This is a wonderful but unexpected beginning to June, even if only 0.08″ of rain, it’s cool and quiet.

Work on The Embankment has proceeded with the semi-dismemberment of a couple thickly intertwined oleander bushes up by the fence, along with removal of The Jungle of overgrown weeds and vines and baby butterfly plants among the quince. I need to do something about the rotted-out “privacy” screening, a roll of reed fencing that is nearly transparent after seven years – has it really been that long?

Sprinkles?

Good thing I set-up the canopy, because we needed protection from…the rain? Unusual end of May this year. I was expecting more sun and higher temperatures, but I’ll take this mild weather! The dog likes it too, and chasing rabbits across the field. Also weeding cleanup on the sun-facing Embankment is much more bearable.

First Canopy

I’m calling it a week early, Springtime is over.

The temperatures have risen into the mid 90’s for the last few days, and any yardwork is over by 8:30 AM, especially on The Embankment (where much progress has been made). I moved the big 9-foot umbrella onto the Tanbark, over the birdbath. The dog has nearly finished shedding, but not entirely.