Moody Blues

For some reason, I've had a couple of Eleanor Rigby days. No clue why exactly, but when I get in these funks, the only thing that helps me is to escape into a book. Sometimes, if there's a dearth of reading material, or everything I pick up loses me within a chapter or two, it's much harder to hack my way out of the jungle.

I've been very fortunate this past week because every book I have reached for has been a great read. How often does that happen? In fact, I've been on a binge, reading one after another, like potato chips, or Godiva chocolates. I stayed up until the wee hours on Monday to finish one of the funniest books I've read in a very long time. I kept having to stop reading, wipe my eyes and blow my nose. When I'm in Eleanor Mode, laughing is hard to come by, so I treasured every tear and tissue.

I had planned to write the next installment of the serial on Wednesday, but it's eluding me.  I know what I want to write, I just can't look at that blank white page and get the first sentence out.  Still, I hope to do it this week, for sure.




I was out watering last night when this handsome lad came by for an evening dip in the birdbath.  He made a big mess, splashing water everywhere.  He was very thorough--no doubt a hot date later--though he totally looked goofy when he perched in the pine tree to dry off.




 


This is for my sister.  Last month when she and my mother were here, I couldn't for the life of me remember the name of this plant.  It hadn't begun to bloom, nor apparently had my brain.  It wasn't until this luscious neon pink flower appeared that I knew...

To (finally) answer your question:  Salvia

There have been a series of thunderstorms for the past few days.  It's still warm, and very humid, but the rain is welcome.  Just as I was rolling up the hose, the sun began to lower behind the mountains.  The rays of light were beautiful, shooting toward the valley.

Because I adore my telephoto, I couldn't resist this shot, to the far right of the rays.  You can see the forest trees, outlined against the layers of golden light.

After walking the boys this morning, I mowed the lawn, did the laundry and vacuumed, then ran a bunch of errands down the mountain.  I guess that means I'm almost ready to rejoin humanity.  Almost.  I just have one more really good book calling my name, and I'm not capable of resisting the lure of escape...

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Just as I was finishing this post, I saw something move out of the corner of my eye.  I grabbed my camera, but as fast as I was, I barely caught the twins.  They were cavorting and jumping--too fast for a photo--then off they ran to Mama, who was behind the juniper shrubs.  I get cranky when the deer eat my landscape, then forget all about that when the fawns come around.  I blame it on Walt Disney.