Our Last Day Here for June......

It was about 10:00 this morning when I woke up to the rolling sound of thunder.

Last night before I went to bed I looked at the weather on my iPad  - you know Country Folk are ALWAYS looking at the weather forecast - there was 0% chance of rain.

So this thunder was a big surprise!

Louis Dean was still asleep so I slipped out to the front room and - sure enough - it was raining!

I was so excited!

I turned the coffee pots on - his and hers - and settled down with my first cup right smack in front of the open door so I could watch the rain coming down.

I am easily entertained.

Louis Dean says that I like to have the cow with my coffee because I use so much cream!

I was about to pick up the spoon to stir the dab of coffee into my cup of cream when.......

I noticed this!

A big beautiful wolf spider!

They got its name because they are hunters and do not make webs.

Instead they chase their prey and are pretty fast.

This one came out of nowhere and was not there just a few seconds earlier because I had just looked down to see if I had remembered to bring my spoon out.

The wolf spider is venomous and the bite can be painful - but not nearly as bad as a black widow or a brown recluse. Normally, a wolf spider will not bite you unless he is provoked.

They eat a ton of insects and are one of the 'good' spiders!

I relocated him back outside - the rain had slacked up and I figured he could find some shelter elsewhere!

Then I went in and washed my spoon!

The weather said 100% chance of rain during the morning and it did rain off and on.

The heavy rain didn't last long but we were grateful to get any!

By 1:00 it was all over! But the day was cooler than predicted so I decided to stay here at the ranch instead of going into Waco. I will be back in the city tomorrow.

There's nothing better than reading on a rainy day!

I finished this book and it was a good read!

I would be delighted to pass it on to you if you are interested.

Just let me know and I can drop it in the mail on our way through Mart tomorrow.

Louis Dean and I read aloud every morning and we have plowed our way through many a book over the last dozen years.

He bought this current one we are reading at an antique store in Glenview, Texas when we met up with Roy and Ruth Ann for a county wide antique sale early this spring.

It is quite a collection of works.

The first one was The Split Second by Daphne du Maurier.

This was a weird one - as to be expected by this author -and  Louis Dean had a hard time following it but we pressed on.

It was just 38 pages.

We have read The Theft of the Mona Lisa and The Soldiers Peaches.

A Night to Remember was an extract from the book about the Titanic.

Louis Dean said that was a poor choice since we are going on a cruise in September.

The Witness for the Prosecution by Agatha Christie was great! We kept trying to guess who did it but neither one of us got it right.

Now we are reading the 11th story - The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford and we are certainly enjoying it! 

I love that Louis Dean likes to do this. I developed a love for out loud reading back in the years I homeschooled. After lunch we played a game and then read in our current book. Amber and Benjamin would read aloud while I did needlework or simply rested. We read so many great books and also listened to audio ones when we were in the car.

I get such a thrill when I start a new one.

This time I'm reading Catherine Coulter's FBI thriller Backfire.

Louis Dean took a nap and I made a quick lunch for one and ate it at the table here in the front room with an open book beside me.

My friend, Megan, sent me a link for this tomato/saltine/mayo salad.

It is super easy and super quick and I loved it!

A homegrown tomato would be even more wonderful than the one I had from HEB!

Cut up a tomato, add salt and pepper - and I added a dash or two of HEB's Steak Seasoning - and a spoon of mayo. Coat the tomatoes and add a handful of crumbled up saltines.

This salad doesn't keep so only make what you will eat and eat it as quick as you make it.

It.was.delicious.

Thank you, Megan, for thinking of me!

The rain stopped and the sun came out and dried it all up!

Dean was able to make some good progress on the new duck and geese pen.

It will sit close by the small tank - which is at this moment bone dry even with the recent rains.

Sherry has been using her tractor to dig it deeper.

I asked Dean if this area might perhaps possibly flood IF we ever get a real gully washer of a rain.

He laughed and said, "Well, they are ducks!! It won't matter!"

The arriving here is far more exciting than the leaving. 

Still, I have enjoyed feathering my nest for when we return next month.

I cleaned all the refrigerators and consolidated everything from the two mini fridges to the big one. Clean sheets are on the beds and a big container of hummingbird nectar is cooling and will be ready to fill the feeders in the morning.

Louis Dean has organized some of his tools and cleaned up some of the storage areas.

My art is packed and in the truck.

Tomorrow, after our coffee, Bible and reading, I will pack up a few things from the pantry that would be stale if left for two weeks and load up the ice chest.

We were sitting out on the porch with a celebratory campfire tonight recounting our time here.

Louis Dean has accomplished much this trip.

We did Critter Chores for a weekend!

He finished his utility room, put in the window, roofing felt and tin.

He had to rebuild that window wall!

He insulated and put up the wall in the front room and added two more outlets.

The red chair had its broken leg repaired. The list goes on....

However the main accomplishments every time we come here are the hours spent watching the stars, gazing into the campfire, talking with Dean and Sherry and this time a bonus visit with Crystal.

It's the time spent feeding the goats and the horses and gathering eggs and cooking country meals that are so special to us.

Life is good in the country!

We have listened to the birds and the roosters and heard the coyotes howling at night.

Still, it's time to go home.

I think by going back and forth, we get to enjoy both the city life and the country and neither one gets old.

I think we should stop and pick some sunflowers to take home with us tomorrow!