The calm after the storm . . . . Yesterday, I washed my cell phone. After one day of being without it, I knew a replacement was necessary when I had to borrow the Diva's phone twice. We, the Diva, Bear and I, were in OKC for dental appointments. Afterward, at 4:30 p.m., we went to a comic book store, and were headed to Bear's indoor batting practice and the T-Mobile phone store in Edmond. It was raining hard, and I was concentrating on keeping my bus in my lane, when I heard a noise. With the rain drumming a staccato on the roof, I cracked a window and asked the Diva if she heard it. A moment later, we realized the wail came from sirens. Tornado sirens. The tornado sirens always surprise us because, out where we live, there aren't any. We watch a lot of the History Channel,...

In the evening, when the light is as soft as a kitten's paw, is the best time to entertain photography adventure. Tonight, no wind to blow the plants, and only mosquitoes to spoil the mood. The children call to me in the garden and often find me lying on my side on the paths or in the dirt. They think me strange, but I just dust myself off, hang my camera around my neck and smile. Cl. 'Old Blush' at left is very happy this spring. I have not fertilized her or anything. I'm afraid she would grow even larger. Won't you come on into the garden and play? 'Zepherine Droughin,' below, waits at the other arbor, her cerise pink petticoats shimmering in the perfect light. She had a little taken off the top and sides this weekend, and I fed her alfalfa pellets. The alfalfa is something new I'm...

Shsssh, the "Red Dirt Rambler" has gone to the garden center, yet again, for more plants. RDR wasn't going to do a hoe post. She was trying to let May 3rd slip by with no talk of hoes. She wasn't even going to visit other blogs having a hoe down, because she doesn't want the world to know how badly we're treated. RDR doesn't know it, but when she brought her laptop out to write, our spies saw May Dreams Garden's Hoe Down. While RDR is away, we're having a "parteah." However, while we're here, we've got a grievance or two that we want to air. It doesn't matter how dirty or tired we feel, we are expected to serve at her pleasure like she's the Queen of England or something. It's hard out here for a hoe. As Rodney Dangerfield would say, "We get no respect." Once she's disposed...

Roses You love the roses - so do I. I wish The sky would rain down roses, as they rain From off the shaken bush. Why will it not? Then all the valley would be pink and white And soft to tread on. They would fall as light As feathers, smelling sweet: and it would be Like sleeping and yet waking, all at once. By: George Eliot (a/k/a Mary Ann Evans) I wonder if George Eliot would have been so famous if allowed to publish under her own name. For more musings, thank our host, Carolyn Gail, at Sweet Home and Garden Chicago.