First of all, we are definitely renaming this area, from now on it is officially called Butt-us, Florida, everyone gets rain but us! In Butt-us we watched as a front went over the state Wednesday and while Jacksonville and Daytona had up to 10inches of rain, it hardly came down here, and even the top soil was barely wet. The lake gauge says we got an inch the whole day. Okay, it qualifies for rain, BUT, the Weather Channel would have anyone watching think all Florida was ready to float away. Not here in Butt-us!
Thursday night tornadoes formed to the north of us and riped up areas of Eustus. You could see what looked like heat lightning boomeranging off the clouds that night, FLASH FLASH FLASH, like a camera snapping and snapping pictures in the dark. The sky was moving fast, the wind pushing the treetops, but not one drop fell here.
Last night at 6:30pm, I was going to fish, but looked out and saw a menacing sky. Dark blue and gray thick clouds were crowding over the white clouds higher up. The sky from both the east, south and west contributing to an ominous storm brewing. Some of the dark clouds dangled low, my neighbors and I stood as a mesmerized audience, watching and excited that we would be rained on in any second. We said our goodbyes and I went inside to turn channel 13 on. Sure enough, rain on radar was showing up all over the place. Must I really tell you that a half an hour later I was at the lake fishing and the beautiful moon could be clearly seen through puffs of white clouds? YET, right up the road it had poured, one mile away rain teemed. Once again, everyone, Butt-us! P/S - fishing stunk! But I did see the heron two doors down and snapped it's picture, soon they should be nest building.
This morning woke to overcast skys. rain in the forecast. What a perfect time to garden I thought, my backyard is so neglected. My back is fine, it's cloudy and the urge to dig was within.
I put on my gloves, got the knee pad, shovel, small garden fork and began. I kneeled on my pad and busily pulling the small weeds all around. I really am convinced Florida's native greenery would like to re-take it's land back. So many little weeds.
I felt bites and noticed my right foot was being taken over by the Lilliputians, the toe of my foot had struck an red ant pile and greeters of anger were welcoming me into their domain. So much for kneeling, I got up and brushed off the ants. In the process, a couple sneaky little devils got down in my glove and were needling my hands. Off came the gloves. Smash, wipe, brush, all back to normal.
Ants dead, about 2, ant bites on me, about 8. ]
Got back down near the lantana, bent over and a wasp comes and stings my right arm. I bent down to see a wasp nest about a foot from me under an iris leaf. I get up and take the shovel, deciding to use that instead of being on my knees on the ground. I bend over and remove the weeds from the shovelhead and toss to my weed pile. I worked my way to the roses, they need a good pruning. I reach over to where I had tossed the clippers and get stabbed by beauty, thorns rip open a couple places. Blood slowly works it's way out. I stood and watched for less than a minute, enough time for more ants to bite again. I decided enough already, I need a spotter behind me to say, NO, STOP! ANTS TO THE RIGHT, ROSE THORNS 5 INCHES TO THE RIGHT, BEES BUZZING ABOUT 180DEGREES, GARDNER SNAKE 3 FEET SOUTH!!!
I did trim the roses and was rewarded with a small vase of fragrant, young blooming rosebuds. Ah, what a nostril full! And that beautiful flower on the okra was a picture worth taking.
I take another sniff while I try hard not to itch those bites on my feet and stare at the growing welt on my arm. I guess it's worth it.
