Thunderous Thursday

Well, because it is.  This summer we've had a lot of night storms.  I love 'em.  You can see the lightening better.  It is cleared up generally by day and then you have a hot muggy day to enjoy.  Not to mention my beans, peas, and cukes love it.  Better than dragging hoses, right?  There's a thrill to gardening.  I'm glad mine isn't bigger.  It seemed like I would hardly get anything.  And now I'm wondering what I'll ever do with a plentiful supply of cukes.  I like them a lot.  But we can't eat over six/day.  The beans are super-plentiful.  The peas are setting on nicely.  I wish I didn't get up so early.  No matter when I go to bed, I wake up right at 6.  Today I could have slept in.  The kids are away until this afternoon.  But nope!  "Click" and I'm wide awake.  By 3 a nap will sound good and we'll be in the throes of a lot of commotion.  We had some special people here last night that like to come on some of the Wednesdays.  It's amazing how the kitchen is still clean!  They don't call kids 'crumb crunchers' for nothin'.  There was a birthday party this week.  You see I'm a mean mom.  I don't do birthday parties every year.  No sirree.  But this year it was the girls' year.  So they invited five of their little friends for a sleepover party (only one bout of homesickness in the night).  They were good.  All of them.  But what is so fascinating is the divergent personalities.  One thing we've learned with kids is that you work with what you get... people are who they are.  It was evident even with all these lovely, young girls.  They are so forward thinking.  So optimistic about life.  Their future.  But as we sat and ate supper together, they were talking about serious things in life.  It was very sweet.  And touching.  And encouraging to me.  They have good parents telling them good things.  I know.  Speaking of parents.  I've enjoyed watching mothers in nature protect their young.  Lisi was rushing into one of the local ponds here and I wasn't watching.  But heard this horrific screeching and commotion.  I ran to see and a mother mallard was going bananas.  Lisi had swum right next to 9 little baby ducks.  They were too young to know what to do but quack.  But mother was crazed with fear.  Luckily Lisi is trained.  A quick 'leave it' and I told her to swim back to me which luckily she did.  And the babies went off safely with mom.  There's safety in staying close to the one that protects.  And then there are kildeers here.  I kinda like them.  But they can be very noisy.  Was walking this week and all of the sudden a kildeer is chirping and trying to distract the dog and me.  We continue walking and she/he gets closer.  Pretty soon a wing is dragging.  The tail sags.  The noise gets louder and she/he is right next to us.  Then I see it.  A tiny baby kildeer.  Peeping its little heart out.  Needing protection.  Direction.  And its parent was willing to risk life and limb to keep it safe.  The Chairman has been swamped in the office chair lately.  It's good and it's bad.  We're thankful he has work.... but it gets tiring for him to be working so much.  Speaking of which.  I need to start the day.  I see there are 4" in the rain guage from last night.  The grass is 'squishy'.   Summertime!