Rain

 

I celebrated by checking
the weather many, many times.

Rain, about eight inches! Indoor recess, cold water in the pool (no complaints from me), and

time inside with the baby.

There was also time outside with the baby.

It is hard to capture, but here is an attempt.

There was twice as much water earlier, but I like this photo because if you look carefully you can see the 1928 stamp in the concrete in the center of the picture.

There are different types of mushrooms in the yard.

The plants look great,

but the weeds are growing, too.

As the sun rose on Wednesday I could see the mountains. I went home to get a camera and to snap a few pictures before it got cloudy again.

D joined me and took this beautiful picture.

Our rain barrels,

watering cans, and buckets are all full. I remembered to take off the lids off the compost bins so those are well watered, too. 

Sunshine is in the forecast so we'll need water sooner or later.

Lucky us!

We are having a lot more rain than last year so the rain barrels are full (I emptied it a bit so there was no water above the screen after I took this picture, but they will be overflowing again soon).

There are also all sorts of mushrooms growing in our yard, which is a good sign since it means the moisture is being held in.

I see a lot of these.

I think I have seen this before.

I have never seen these!

It will never rain again...

...Because we finally replaced the garage roof.

D. moved bikes and covered other things.

Part of our collection.

Off with the old

On with the new.

Looks good, but we'll know for sure after it rains.

Lucky me!

I am lucky to be married to D. for so many reasons.

Today he took A. to the hardware store to buy a drawer pull, which is also perfect for a miniature skate park.  Then he took A. to the lab to make into more than a drawer pull.

They used the laser cutter as an engraver.
A. chose a Ferrari LaFerrari for the base.

Yesterday I said I was going to go pick up our rain barrels from the water company, which was giving them away.  D. offered to do it for me.  How kind!

Today he set them up so one feeds into the other.

It looks like it was used to ship olive oil from Greece.

Of course this post could go on and on (going up on the roof with the roofer to discuss options, shagging balls that rolled down the hill at the odd soccer field, etc., etc.).  What a great guy!

Un-American activity

Off to visit a castle!

Good thing there were signs because my original plan had
been to follow the hoards of other tourists.

No hoards of tourists here! 

I got castle fatigue, but I do love the ceilings.

Along with a special show of Bob Dylan paintings,
there was an exhibit about the war that changed Denmark 150 years ago. 

The baroque gardens may be beautiful, but the pouring rain kept me inside.

Just like last year it was hard to pull myself away from the familiar and force myself to take an adventure.  And just like last year I am glad I went.

Precipitation

Sometimes I write about about how hot it is, but I don't usually write about the weather in the winter because I figure you know it is warm here while it is cold elsewhere.  But this weekend we have had more rain than all of the previous weather year (which is different from the calendar year or the academic year), which begins on July 1.

Our neighbor's liquid amber (sweet gum) tree lost a major branch,

bringing some wires with it.

Because it is L.A. I feel the need to show some random palm tree debris.

There are no sprinklers in the front and I don't water much
so I am glad it is getting a good soaking.