Rainy Day

 

Nothing gladdens the heart in the middle of a drought like a good rainstorm. Our totally fake ponds, not spring-fed, were looking very low. In fact, it’s been so dry this year that one of them has grassed over and will need mowing before long.

  

        A perfect day to jump up and crank out some bread (whole wheat cinnamon-raisin with walnuts) to take to a friend we’re visiting tomorrow. It had to be baked early since I had a haircut appointment for 3:30, and what with mixing, first rise, then second rise, then baking, this was not something to do at the last minute.

 

So, there I was, kneading at 9 a.m., and thought how lovely.

 The rain was lashing down, the light was dim, and cool air was wafting in.

Dough safely in its bowl for the first rise, I took my breakfast out to the lanai to listen to the book on my phone and watch it rain. The downpour was really heavy, sometimes blowing through the screen. It pounded down on the water, the wind blew the palms, and all the wildlife was hunkered down.

Except for that ripple in the water. I watched it, thinking, Turtle? Large fish?

Something gray and smooth rose and then descended – once, a pause, then further away a second time. And then a big sleek otter emerged, zipping up the bank out of view. 

Very, very cool.

Babies, scooter, snakes, and rainbow

 

You would think that walking the around our complex would be tedious. I mean, it’s just a circle. About the only variety you can achieve is in which way you take it. Admittedly, I’m always listening to a book on my phone since I always feel like a hamster on her wheel by the time I’m in the second loop to gain some steps.

Day Trip

           So, just to get up and out, we took a drive to Matlacha, Florida, only a little over an hour away from us. Against all logic, it’s pronounced “mat-lah-SHAY.”

Limping and Blinking

There I was, on my way to bash that pickleball, when my sneaker hit the ground at an angle, my ankle did an unpleasant turn, and my knee was suddenly unhappy.

For Peg

   What with food prices on their alpine climb, I’m determined to eat down whatever we already have before the next trip. I’m one of the probably select few who doesn’t mind a trip to the grocery store, it combining two of my favorite things – shopping and food.

Clear-conscience shopping

          For the rest of the year, I live in a small town in Massachusetts that while lovely, isn’t close to much of anything. We have a couple of nearby good restaurants, but eating out usually means a drive of 45 minutes or an hour.

First came the goats . . .

 

I’d played pickleball for two hours in the morning, but then spent the afternoon just sitting, so it was time for a walk around the complex.