its been awhile...

the hydrangea are blooming and we did get a spot of rain yesterday...

just about enough to wet the leaves and that's all...

Saturday was a very bad day...

and the rest of the week wasn't much better...

but I am doing better now...

and we were able to get out of here for a few hours yesterday morning...

the storms went through, all around us...

and each one just missing us by a mile or two...

but we have another chance today and the rest of the week could produce 5" or more...

not really needing that much at once, but 2-3 wouldn't hurt a thing...

I was busy, too, doing things that must be done...

photos shoots of babies and adoptions to complete..

I was so happy with all of them, but this one is extra special...

a couple, who cannot have children, took all three of these...

the gray one she named Sasha, the orange tabby is now Oliver...

and mama Annie got to go with her babies...

at least 2 of her 5...

and they were so happy there, right out of the pet taxi...

I knew this was the best thing for Annie...

she was one of my cuddlers, and the sweetest thing...

but we are getting too many and she would have been lost without her babies here...

she is such a good mom...

and I can go see them anytime I want to...

and Brandi- her new mom, friended me on facebook, so I get to see them as the babies grow...

but we had one adoption fall through...

and my son, Doug, wanted this one...

so guess who is going to be my furever grandbaby?

part of Annie will forever be in our family...

and that's a great thing...

we lost one of the new babies last night around midnight, Craig buried him this morning...

not sure what was wrong, just a failure to thrive...

the rest are fat and sassy...

I tried bottle feeding and all that, but nothing helped...

he crashed fast and hard last night and died in my hands...

out on the deck, under the stars...

and its ok, because God takes back the ones who can't make it in this world...

and Clyde's adoption failed...

the girls room mate went to the landlord and complained...

so the landlord said he had to go...

the girl was heart broken- she had already bonded...

she brought him back to Craig when he got off of work last night...

took him 45 minutes to get to the truck...

;0)

we have 2 girls who work at Walmart with him, room mates even...

who want to adopt him and his sister...

so when they go there, if they pass the screening...

(and I am so hoping for this)

they will go together...

both were lost without the other one and the reunion last night as hilarious...

they romped and played...

totally exhausted, they curled up together for the night...

so, they will be leaving in a few days...

letting him settle down from the past days' trauma of being moved around...

and we should be done with adoptions for about 2 months, when these other 5...

(mama has a home waiting)

and the 4 babies will be leaving us...

THEN-

the kitchen make over will continue...

we so need to get this done before fall...

;0)

yesterday was a photo shoot kind of a day...

Craig had the day off and we took a bit of a drive after we tied up the tomatoes and got the mower back from the neighbor...

it wouldn't idle down for me, so he fixed it...

we left with camera in hand to get some shots...

I have started a group on facebook for our town and my photos...

so I can share what I see with others...

especially those who were born and raised here, but now live somewhere else...

I shoot the town and the surrounding area...

when we go on our drives and the photos have just been piling up...

and the town and area are always changing...

from storms, fire and just tearing things down to make way for new things...

the response has been awesome and people have been really nice about it...

so, I have another venue to share my images...

after lunch, we grabbed armfuls of furr and headed out on the deck...

5 little babies looking for new homes...

it took longer to do the photo shoot and editing than it did to find homes...

seriously, in less than 5 minutes they were spoken for...

just by posting them on facebook...

and I found homes for 2 more here...

and some of the newest babies are spoken for, too...

I was so busy answering PMs and making arrangements to get them to where they need to go...

Craig grabbed the pet taxi and 2 were out the door heading for Charleston before I could get the photos pulled off of the sites...

many more were interested, too...

and I either knew these people who knew someone who did, so checking them out was not a big thing at all...

good homes for all of them...

and I didn't ask for a fee, they were free to the right homes...

that's only a good idea if you know the people...

so I think from now on I will post a rehoming fee, a small one, like $20 or so...

so only those who are serious about adopting and caring for a baby will respond...

the shelters are charging a fee of at least $65 now for cats...

that's why they are full to the brim...

I do tell the new parents that they have to vet them...

and no one has a problem with that, they have their own vets and like to take them in anyway when they get a new one...

so it was a win/win day for the babies...

didn't get much else done around here, but that's ok...

have good days!

we got rain!

we are so blessed to have gotten the rain and none of the damage that came with Sunday night's storms...

there was ton of lightening and strong winds...

up to 60-70 mph...

8 miles south- their tornado sirens went off and sent people scrambling for cover...

trees down, damage here and there...

everyone is safe...

;0)

the corn is growing faster now...

and 8 miles north, where DH works...

there were trees down...

sirens went off...

they had one on the ground and headed their way...

the new part of the island flower bed in the back...

people were posted damage reports and power outages...

but not here...

we lost power for a tiny bit between midnight and 4am...

but nothing like all the towns around us...

flooding north of here, too...

mulberries are coming on...

so last evening, I hoped on the mower to go check this out...

we have known about this nest for awhile and just left it alone...

but I had to see if there were babies or not...

I searched the ground first and found nothing...

no broken eggs and no babies...

so I gently pulled the branch down, and stuck my arm up as far as I could reach and got this and saw that they were alright...

then I got out of there so mama could come back to the nest...

3 beautiful robin eggs...

still safe...

blessings in the storm...

and then DH got to work yesterday morning...

trees down all over town up there...

and the roof was off of the office...

and the rain poured inside and ruined the computer that they use to weigh the trucks in and out...

so, they will have to replace that very soon...

but right here...

there was a solid red line of thunderstorms with hooks in them coming right at us...

but right before it got to us, that line broke...

red just north of town...

red just south of town...

and it went through here in the yellow...

and the red joined together again just as soon as it passed us...

and right here we were safe...

and the guys said this keeps happening...

and I smile and say yes it does...

because mama prays...

for us to be safe...

our property to safe...

our town to be safe...

;0)

it has happened several times now that I am paying attention...

and more aware...

there has to be many of us praying the same prayer...

;0)

I hope you got what you needed out of the storms if you were in the path and nothing more...

Happy Sunday!

This is one area I worked on yesterday...

we are expanding the beds so it won't get a pain to mow with the rider and less trimming...

we got a line of bad storms heading this way...

got a watch out until 8pm...

hoping to get the 1-2 inches of rain, but praying the nasty passes us by...

DH helped me add more soil in here and I got it weeded as we went...

I cut the lavender back pretty far this spring...

it looks healthier now...

will take a bit to fill out again...

I am so much better today...

and the babies are doing just fine...

she is a good mama...

not a great photo- but that's the best I can do with squirmy babies...

there are 2 who nurse on their sides and face each other...

and fight the whole time...

paws flying everywhere...

it might be a sign of not so good things to come...

;0)

hope you are well and not getting the nasty storms...

roses, knock out roses...

I worked on the island this morning...

and around the deck and shed...

had to stop and nap, but got up so sick...

doing better, but heading back for bed soon...

we have new babies...

came after 3 1/2 hours sleep this morning...

5 new beautiful babies...

and these are very tiny...

pics later when mama is rested more and the babies are full...

;0)