Thursday, February 21, 2008

Walking between the downpours

Yesterday we got two inches of rain here in Kingwood. The airport got 3/4 of an inch, and it is just 20 minutes away, but we got under a cell that really packed a punch. Our backyard looked like a pond.

More rain fell this morning around 11, and still more is expected tonight. Bernie is in Pennsylvania, where it was snowing heavily last night, and it is expected to turn into an ice storm there tonight. He is trying to catch an early flight home; I sure hope he makes it.

Laura is driving up to Dallas to visit some of her friends up there over the weekend. I called to see how her three hour drive was going; she says it has been raining the whole way.

With such weather goings on, I decided I should get in a walk during a break in the showers.
Want to come along to see what we can see?

I never get tired of seeing trees in bloom like this.




At first I thought our neighbors had added a ceramic squirrel statue to their front yard.
The squirrel held it's pose for the longest time, and I finally decided it was a real squirrel.
I had time to whip out my camera and get this shot just before it scampered away.

Great. Now we have a cat AND a squirrel around here who are into posing.
What next?


At the edge of the forest is this fenced facility. It think it is a power station, or a pumping station...something....whatever.
My eye was caught by a slight irregularity in the fence as I hiked by.

Do you see it too?
It is at the bend of the concrete crack.
Well hi there Mr. Froggie. So...why are you up on the fence instead of hanging out by the rain puddles?
Do you know something about the rain that I don't know?
Should I be seeking higher ground...now?
The forest floor was totally flooded. I was walking on the raised wooden walkway.

It was very warm and muggy; very little of interest to see, but I did think this patch of clover was cute. Actually it is wood sorrel, but I'm calling it clover.
(Laura has already decorated the house for her favorite holiday: St. Patrick's Day. Guess Mother Nature is in the mood for the holiday too...)
Rain does make greenery look pretty.

The pink flower at the edge lof the clover/sorrel looked pretty tuckered out from the rain too.

Next to the wooden walkway a white flower was in bloom, just like if someone had deliberately planted it there.
After I got the shot, I stepped back up on the walkway and slippped big time. The wood was so wet it was almost slimey; I had been trying to walk carefully to avoid a spill before.
And to think that one of my biggest fears about living where it is cold and icy is the possibility of slipping on ice.
Guess I should be wary of slipping on slick in my own steamy environment, and be careful as I go about my way.
If you had really been with me, you would be wanting to take a shower about now, just to rinse off the sticky humidity that has you warm and damp all over. Your hair would be lank, and as you stepped into the house after you got home you would be happy to find that it is cool inside.
I am so very sorry that I can't package up a box of this muggy warmth and send it to all my friends in the northern climes. Just know that I do think of you as I walk...and I wish you could walk with me as I go about my walks.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I loved going on the walk with you, almost as good as being there wiyh you. Cute frog. The squirrel will be watching for you next time to have his picture taken again, maybe a new pose. Thanks for sharing. Mom S

Anonymous said...

You can keep the warm, icky humidity...we get enough of that around here!

As much as I want to move back closer to home (Kentucky), I do not want to live where ice and snow fall...and the ice fell over most of Kentucky today! My Laura slid her car off the road at the end of her lane, so she bailed out of work for the morning and went home. She drives several miles to the south where it was a mix of ice and rain. Her hubby drives several miles to the north where it was solid ice. He couldn't get very far down the road so he went home, too. Here in Florida, we've had rain off and on today, with a really heavy rain this evening (while I was trying to haul another load of boxes to the storage unit...I didn't do it).

I enjoyed the great photos of your walk. Hope you won't be too sore tomorrow from slipping. Any word on Bernie yet?

Lovella ♥ said...

well for once I'm glad that I live in the northern climate. We have sunny skies again today and not one bit muggy either. It is cool and crisp and perfect for a coffee on the porch.
Interesting that you slipped and fell. . I was dusting my blinds and lost my balance and slipped and fell too.
Hope you don't get any bruises from landing in the swamp.

Thanks for the walk...
I hope your B makes it home tonight and Laura has a safe arrival as well.

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

I just love that little froggie - he looks so comfortable nestled up on that chain link fence, almost like a cat with his feet tucked underneath.

I can remember that muggy warmth from visits to the South...no thanks! I think I'll be happy here in the cold, gray rainy weather we are currently having.

Jane Carlstrom said...

Awww Jill, you are very sweet. It has been a below zero F week here in northern Minnesota, so either huddling in a blanket or working intensely to keep warm. Do some of both ; ) And going on walks vicariously with you is so refreshing. It would be lovely to literally join you on some, but by golly the virtual is awfully nice. Thanks again for sharing the beautiful flora and fauna.