April Showers

We had a monumental storm yesterday that was so wretched and wonderful, I could hardly stand it.  Honestly, one of my favorite ways to spend a great Sunday is crap weather, a good book, some delicious treats and a chilled bottle of vino.

Took the boys down the mountain for a nice, quiet walk at the VA and had barely gotten back to the car when the sky just imploded with strong winds, lashing rain, chaos and mayhem.  It was totally cool, though the dogs didn't think so.

Once we got home, I made a nice cuppa and was just ready to snuggle in and start my new book when I glanced out one of the windows that overlooks the driveway...and scowled at the unruly and overgrown hedge.  Another thing to add to the legion of other outside chores.  But I smile.  Because those chores won't be happening today.  

Then I spot an odd thing through the rain at the far edge of the valley.  What is that white..clump...in the distance?

I get the camera, zoom in...  Where did those trees come from?

More zooming...and I realize it's an orchard of some kind, though the trees look too close together.  Maybe I haven't noticed this before because, until they bloomed, they blended?  Huh.  I think at some point this week I'm going to drive out the valley and try to find the road that might take me by this place...

The spectacularly bad weather continues into today.  Fine with me, though the back lawn is growing so fast you can almost see the stalks rising like bamboo.

I don't have the manly tools necessary to trim the hedge, so called the guys who did the landscaping two years ago.  Really nice guys who have been more than helpful over the last few years.  This afternoon they arrived just as the next deluge began.  I brought the dogs inside, then took this shot out the window, though it isn't really apparent how hard it's raining, except for the blurred glass...

 
This looks much better.  And though I'm not usually all neat and tidy with shrubbery, this hedge/shrub/whatever was getting too out of hand.  Hopefully now it won't have to be done again for another two years...

 
They helped with a couple of heavy duty chores too, so I'm feeling some progress is being made on the yard work, even if it's not me doing it.  (And wow, that works for me).  As the guys drove away, the skies got really dark and ominous.  I took this last shot, then ran for cover...

 
It's truly amazing that even on a dreary, miserable day, there is still a glimmer of beauty and color...