Finally! The winter rain has come to our part of the world. It began last night. A steady pitter patter, pitter patter on the roof and a swoosh and splash in the streets. Molly the Cat and I celebrated this morning by wandering around the front yard. Actually, it was more like Molly doing her best to shepherd me back into the house. At one point, Molly sat on the doorstep looking like she was sighing at my silliness of deadheading wet daisies. If she could, I'm sure she would've folded her "arms" over her chest and tapped one paw in a "come on, come inside, get out of the rain" staccato beat. Excuse me now as I imagine Molly's tappingness turning into her tapdancing and splashing in the rain like Gene Kelly. Hmmm, Molly has a voice quite like Debbie Reynolds, "I'm singing in the rain. . . ."

"Hello, Hazel here," said the happy-go-lucky hammerhead shark into her phone. "Winnie! How are you? What's happening?" "Is that Winnie? Is it true about her and Thomas?" called Davey from across the dressing room. She and her brothers Dicky and Danny swam over and hovered closely by. "Hopping high, you say. . .Huh, say that again? The Daffodils are being quite hyper right now. . . "We are not!" said Danny, splashing a bit huffily.   "Shhh," Dicky said to his brother. "Hoooo Hooo Hoooo!" Hazel turned to the triplets. "Winnie and Thomas are getting hitched." "Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!" Hard pounding knocks on the dressing room door hushed the performers. Through the door, they heard "Five minutes to show time!" "Winnie, we are so very happy for you!. . .Can you hear the Daffodils? They're all heedless with joy. . . Honey, the show is about to start. Let me call . . .Really? You w...

What kind of hairy flower is that? Molly the Cat! There's no end to her delightfulness and cuteness and all wonderfulness. It's time for Our World Tuesday . Here's the link for you to check out participants from around the world, and maybe to join up yourself. Thanks, Our World Tuesday hosts!

Never kick a cow chip on a hot day.   ~ Will Rogers Some people have to learn things on their own, no matter how wise or common sense the advice. Nothing wrong with that. They simply need to be ready to clean their shoes. Or, worse, throw them away. I wonder if Will Rogers actually kicked a cow chip on a hot day.

Today is the anniversary of the Daddy's spirit passing into the Heavens. I didn't realize that until I checked the calendar to write the date for a journal entry. Must've been why I didn't feel like getting up this morning. The Husband said, "You were dragging yourself down the hall." The memories are strong. Here are a few moments that I recall about the Daddy: Him handing my five-year-old self a pear that he picked from the orchard where we sat. It was the Daddy's smoke time. No matter where he was in the tomato field, where he kept watch of the water flow in the irrigation canals, far away or near by, he walked back to the car and sat with me until smoke time was over. The Daddy taking me to my first day of school, my first day of first grade, and my first day at my new school. Nothing was ever said between us that I can remember. I scurried beside and a little behind him swinging my lunchbox. He walked up to the teacher or the principal and conf...

The Mexican lavender has popped back in the front yard. Hurrah! When the Daddy and the Mama bought their house a long time ago, it wasn't completely finished so the builders let us choose the colors for the rooms. I chose purple for my bedroom, my own four walls with a door. No more more sharing with the Only and Older Brother. That was a pretty good luxury for an almost 10-year-old and for the parents, too. So I think. In the end, the painters mixed up the Parents' and my choices. They got a muted purple bedroom, while I got a bright yellow one.  Both the Mama and I were bummed, but we sucked it up. C'est la vie. It was just as well that I didn't get my choice. The color yellow, color experts say, is great for nurturing joyfulness and stimulating intelligence and mental somersaults (perfect for growing minds), while the color purple is good for promoting deep thoughts and spirituality. Once I moved into puberty, I became a rather surly, mopey girl too serious fo...

Despite the cold temperatures and lack of rain, the first of the wildflower blooms have appeared in the front yard. This morning, Molly the Cat and I saw a cosmos (upper left corner), lupine (upper right corner), and California poppy (lower right corner). They're all volunteers from last year's plantings. Also presenting itself is the first freesia (lower left corner) of the season. Not sure, but I think they're from bulbs that got planted last fall. These flowers have a light fragrance. Mmmmmmmm.