Rain, rain and more rain

I've been trying for the last 2 weeks to get the camper loaded for our first trip of the year, and it has rained, and rained, and rained some more. I run back and forth with a covered tote to get things in the camper without getting wet, but I'm soaked! . . . and forget trying to clean the floor in there! But I'm almost done! Good feeling.

It has rained for almost the last week solid, with a thunderstorm thrown in for good measure. The weather is suppose to lighten up a bit (we'll see) the next 5 days. Hmmm, light rain tomorrow a.m. - chance of thunderstorms in the p.m. - sunny on Friday, rain & t-storms on Sat. - sunny on Sun. and rain on Monday when we have to pack up and come home. And of course, after that sunny and nice for at least 10 days!...... Well, it is Oregon in the Spring!

We are only going about 12 miles from home, but when you live where BLM has lots of open land - you CAMP.

I'm leaving the cats (2) at home with my friend, but I'm taking the neurotic dog. Thunderstorms sends her right up the wall - if no wall handy, you can find her sitting on my head. She wants to hide any where she can. Now picture this - she is a 65 lb. Lab mix - and she wants to hide under my bed; on the bottom shelf of my linen closet; on the shelf under my computer desk..... I think if she could stuff herself into a 12" x 12" x 12" box, she would be very happy. I have tried the thunder tapes, I have tried just playing ANY music loud; but no go. I bought one of those portable kennels to take with me, and hope I can stuff her in there if a t-storm comes up! I have a small truck camper and there isn't much room for anything large! It is a bit small for her size, but I want to confine her so she can't dig her way out or try to squeeze through the grated metal door! It will not be used to house her for any length of time, just when she gets that look in her eyes and starts to pant like a freight train. (You should see her during hunting season - gunshots, PHEW!!!)

I am so looking forward to our camping trip - we had a very, very snowy winter. I live in a very old mobile home, and anything over 18-24" on the roof has to go . . . and I'm it! I weigh the least of every one that lives around here - oh, fun. It is only a 1150 sq. ft. house, and the roof has a very low slope - but it is still a lot of snow!

My Irises are starting to blossom. A few of them were beat to death with the hail last week, but the majority of them haven't bloomed yet. It will be beautiful when they do - I have about 100 of them, and 97 of them are so light blue that they seem white. The other 3 are purple. I just got a bunch from a neighbor that are purple, so we swap. He (his wife) wants about a dozen of mine - great! I have to divide most of mine this year, so that will take care of 2 things at once. I like that!

I have to watch what I plant - the deer seem to love everything! They leave my daffodils alone, and my Irises, but most everything else I plant seems to disappear in the early morning light! Even things that are marked "Deer Proof" gets tried by the little ones...... and since there are little ones every year. I really hate to have every thing hidden behind chicken wire, it just doesn't make for beauty in the garden.

Well, I'm ready for bed so I can start early in the morning finishing up loading the camper. I'll let you know how every thing went - weather, dog - when we get back and dried out.


Wishing you sunny days ahead...