We're coming up on the final days of June and the overnight lows are hanging in the 80's. It's part of what I've always disliked about the place I've always lived. I've never been a summer person. But, then again, I've never hated it enough to leave. When this time…
Let's just come to an agreement right here, right now, that unless I comment to the contrary, it's just hot and humid. It's summer south of Houston, Texas after all. At least, there's a decent breeze making the wind chimes sing. That's also keeping our new crop of mosquitoes off…
Another weekend in a pandemic hotspot. We need to make a grocery store run... we will be masked. I have noticed that our HEB has someone assigned to sanitizing the shopping carts, Kroger just has a spray and hand sanitizer station where you can do it yourself... and most people…
I've been out on the front porch for almost an hour now reading and listening... to both birds and YouTube videos. Between "everything is broken", questions about Confederate statues from Virginia, and a double celebration of the armadillo it's been a morning. Throw in some Dylan covers and a Jerry…
Warm and Humid. Before walking out this morning I could tell by the condensation on the windows it would be oppressive. I was right. The temperature was already 80º and it feels like 96º with a relative humidity of 86%. The cool front that was just north of Houston all…
Thunder rumbles and lite rain pitter patters. My last couple of hours in bed weren't very restful. The thunderstorms the prognosticators promised in their foretelling yesterday moved over my house. At least, this time, the rainfall amount wasn't oppressive. Other than the patter of the falling rain, I'm hearing a…
After the coolness of yesterday afternoon, today's return to warm and muggy leaves me wanting. Even the birds aren't singing much this morning. Only the cicadas are in song. The few clouds I can see are high and wispy, not the thunder bloomers of yesterday. There were times yesterday when…
It's officially cooler after lunch than it was at the start of the day...
Walking out this morning I almost turned around and went back in. Warm and way too humid. It was a like a slap in the face. The temperature was 81º and the humidity was 84%. We have a 60% chance of more rain in the forecast. Looking thru the gaps…
After a day of on again off again rain storms, the light at day's end does wonderful thing to the eastern sky.
Father's Day. It's been about a quarter century since my Dad passed... sometimes it doesn't seem that long ago, sometimes it seems like forever. I think about him every now and again and wish I could tell him I loved him. For myself, I had a #1 Grandpa mug and…
As I fought the call of day this morning, rumblings of thunder rolled my dreams. Once I gave up the fight I found rain falling steadily. I wasn't anticipating this type of weather before tomorrow or the next day. I just checked the radar. And it looks like this rain…
I'm enjoying the almost, but not quite, coolness of the front porch again. I have my native American flute playlist playing in the background... and strange as it may seem, the birds have moved in close to join the band. A chickadee sits above my head. Some fledgling woodpeckers, downeys…
Another repeat visit to the front porch. Another almost cool morning. Another quiet traffic day. This morning I watched as a lone whistling duck flew three times around the front yard trees... almost as if he was calling for someone. Just now two crows flew thru the open sky above…
I decided to reprise my yesterday, stepping out once again on the front porch. After doing so I was somewhat surprised by the coolness of the air. I really wasn't expecting it to be below seventy, especially by this much. Trust me, as we rush towards July, I won't complain…
I'm on the front porch again, and while it's warmer and the humidity is up, it's not uncomfortable sitting here this morning. I doubt I could say that if the fan wasn't blowing. I can hear a lawnmower doing it's thing somewhere close by. The regular birdsong has been joined…
It's not as cool, not as comfortable as the past few days. I doubt I'll be hanging out here on the back porch for much longer than it takes to record my morning muses. There's a raft of clouds building to the east. The humidity is up. And the cicadas…
Another almost springlike morning as we rush towards full blown summer. As nice as these last few mornings are, I don't walk out expecting them. So each one comes as a surprise gift... like being a kid again and having one birthday after another. Even the birds are happier out…
Another bright morning on the back porch. The ceiling fans are turning even though the temperature is mild. The cardinals are making their presence known with their song. Along with the mourning doves, that's about the only sounds on this weekend morning. A lite breeze is rustling the leaves. Low…
The shaded front yard calls me today. A place where the crickets and the cicadas harmonize. Neither of whom are overly loud this morning. Traffic seems lighter this end of week morning. It's also moving at a more sedate and legal pace. I'm not sure when the summertime song of…
Ahhhhhh, spring for the moment. Following my normal routine, I filled my coffee cup and headed out the back door after turning on the outside ceiling fans... after only a couple of minutes in the rocker I had to get up and turn off the ceiling fans. Walking out into…
I walked out to get the mail after mowing earlier. Walking back to the house I thought I'd give you the reverse look from the morning coffee muses... Catch you in the morning...
I decided to try the front porch this morning. Since it's almost 80 out before 7am, the floor fan is on. Though, the almost steady breeze has a cooling effect of it's own. The dryness of the concrete lets me know even without checking the radar, that we missed whatever…
The air is heavy with moisture from the rains yesterday afternoon. Looking to the east, a haze obscures the clouds on the horizon. The air is so oppressive even the dragonflies are patrolling at treetop levels. At least there's a nice breeze blowing. Otherwise, I don't think even the ceiling…
I thought I'd try the front porch this morning. Yesterday I moved the spare floor fan around so these morning muses wouldn't be to uncomfortable as the sun rises. Looking mostly north. I am joined again by a cattle egret wandering through the yard looking for breakfast. A Carolina wren…
One of the best investments I made in designing this house was the ceiling fans on the back porch. While, one of the missed opportunities was not adding them to the front porch. That 20/20 hindsight will bite you in the buttocks every time. The breeze is out of the…
It's quiet out on the back porch this morning. Ceiling fans and cicadas, cardinals and finches. A breath of a breeze rustling the red oak leaves. June has settled upon the land rather lightly so far. My blog buddy Linda, posted that today is National Prairie Day. We once walked…
Coffee muses on the back porch again. It's more peaceful out here. Traffic noise from the road out front almost never rises above the white noise of the ceiling fans. As the trees fill out, even the bypass sounds are muted for another season. Looking east. You know summer is…
In my oversized rocking chair under the ceiling fans on the back porch once again. The morning is cool enough, though, not really cool at all. It was quiet as well... then I was joined by my chatterbox of a granddaughter. My two resident tree ducks just flew over headed…
Once again I'm sitting on the back porch listening to the birds and a distant train whistle. It's 74 out already, but the ceiling fans make it just right. There's enough moisture in the air to make it hazy in the distance. The birds today are very active. I guess…
