Snow or Bubbles

Yesterday afternoon it looked like it was snowing outside or that the neighborhood had bubbles floating all over.  The cottonwoods at the low end of the block (where it's damp and swampy) are in full... fluff.  Look at the birdbath!  I emptied and cleaned it less than an hour before the cottonwood storm.  Look at the grass!  It's humid enough that the fluff gathered in clumps.  And look at the edge of the driveway.  The stuff plays merry hell with Durwood's allergies and it threatens to gum up the fountain pump too.


 










But there are flowers blooming too.  The last iris is standing proud.  The poppies are holding their own.  The spiderwort is blooming despite being this year's favorite bunny food.  And two peony blossoms are peeking out from behind the ferns.

We had the Italian Stuffed Shells with added spinach last night.  It was good but I can't say that it was better than the non-spinach variety but I won't push my plate away the next time it shows up there.

The tepee was a big hit but needs some beefing up in the support department.  A seventeen-month-old toddler sees it as a jungle gym in addition to a place for sitting with a book or peeking out of so the legs kept getting rearranged and it was in danger of falling.  I tucked the problem in a crevice up there and pondered on it most of the night.  I'm thinking I'll encase some poles (more poles! but now I know where to buy them) in leftover binding to tie between the legs when the tepee is set up so that they won't be able to squeeze closer together.  I'll also be making some weight pockets to give it a little stability that way.  It's a cool pattern and an even cooler finished item but it needs some tweaking.

June 15--Don B. Stevenson, Firemen.  In Vera's dream a dozen firemen posed for a portrait in front of a burning house.  They had their backs to the flames and every one of them had a big smile on his face.  The home was fully engulfed.  Flames shot out of the windows.  Vera's dream-self yelled at them, "Fire!  Turn around and fight the fire!"  Their hands held the water-filled hose but no one turned to douse the flames.

And that's when I fell asleep.  Back to work today.  I think I'm glad.  I won't forget my lunch.
--Barbara