We Had Rain

 

Raindrops on Aeoniums

We've had quite a bit of rain this week.  It rained almost all day on Monday and part of the day on Tuesday.  The garden got a good soaking.  Several roads and intersections in my neighborhood got flooded, but, we were okay.  I was glad that I didn't have to drive anywhere, though.  Wednesday was a sunny day, but, there is more rain in the forecast for Thursday.

Things have been pretty quiet at my home, so far, this week.  I've been taking it easy due to sciatica pains, doing minimal housework when I feel up to it.  My current project is mending an old quilt.

On Monday, daughter had the day off (Presidents Day holiday) and she did some cooking and I cleaned the kitchen a little bit.  In the evening, during a break in the rain, daughter took the trash cans to the curb for pick up in the morning.

I brought the trash cans back in on Tuesday afternoon, when the rain had stopped, and took the above photo of the raindrops on the aeonium plants.  There weren't any raindrops to be seen on the one rose that was in bloom, but, the rain had beaten down on the flower and it had gone from this:

Rose - Before the Rain

To this:

Rose - After the Rain

We had very heavy rain on Tuesday night, but, Wednesday was sunny.  Gardener friend M was here to tidy up the garden a bit and he did some weeding and clearing.  He brought us a slice of his homegrown pineapple he harvested:

M's Homegrown Pineapple

It was delicious.  I served him a bowl of the zuppa Toscana daughter had made and he enjoyed that.  

I baked another loaf of no-knead bread:

Bread

I really need to lower the temperature when I'm baking because my oven tends to get too hot!  

I also baked some sugar cookies:

Sugar Cookies

We had bread and beef curry for our evening meal and cookies for dessert!

Bread and Beef Curry

I am grateful for:

- The rain!
- M's help with the garden
- M sharing some of his pineapple with us
- My new Dutch oven to bake crusty bread
- Making cookies with my daughter

My joyful activities include baking and gardening.

Since Thursday is forecast to be another rainy day, I plan to stay indoors and do a few things around the house.  I have been tidying the linen closet, on and off, recently; maybe I'll finish tidying it on Thursday.  There is just one last shelf to do.  

How is your week so far?  

Rainy Saturday

 

Asparagus Fern Berries

It's been raining on and off all day, today, with the heaviest rain falling during the afternoon.  The rest of the time, it was either drizzly or cloudy and grey.  There was a flood watch during the afternoon, but, there was no flooding in my area.  There is more rain in the forecast for Sunday (1 inch of rain is what the forecast is saying; to put that in context, our average annual rainfall total is just under 15 inches).

I slept in this morning and spent a rather relaxed day as my daughter is still insisting that I rest!  

I checked my blood pressure twice, today; the first time, it was slightly elevated, but, it was better when I checked the second time.  

I put away half my load of laundry that daughter washed and dried for me and I managed to turn the clothes hangers on one side of my closet the other way around before she came to see what I was doing and got upset with me for not resting!  

So, I spent the rest of the day knitting, watching news (lots of news happening!) and videos online, playing some Sudoku online, catching up on blogs, etc.  Later, I called friend R and chatted with her and wished one of my cousins for her birthday.  And still later, daughter helped me to put away the rest of the laundry - I folded the items while seated on the sofa and she put the piles away for me!  LOL.

I cooked uppuma with semolina, adding cashews to it, along with curry leaves and chilie pieces, etc., for brunch.  I had a guava strudel at tea time and had more of my pot roast for dinner.  Daughter had egg salad sandwiches for her dinner and a guava strudel.

Today, I am grateful for:

- Daughter being so caring and concerned about me
- Rain for the garden
- It didn't flood in my area
- Working appliances
- Electricity to run the appliances

Saturday's joyful activities were knitting, chatting with friend R, relaxing, and plenty of "me" time.

Plans for Sunday include more relaxing and taking it easy.  

How was your Saturday?  What are your plans for Sunday?

A Rainy Monday

 

Rain Soaked Roses

We had more rain all day, today, on Monday.  I was humming "Rainy Days and Mondays" by The Carpenters, all day.  So far in November, my area has received over three inches of rain since November 13; some other areas have received over 5 inches.  Which is a lot of rain for us.  One year, our annual rainfall for the year was 5 inches!  There's more rain in the forecast for this week.

It's been a bit cooler, too, and last night, we put the furnace on for the first time this season.  We warmed up the house and turned it off when we went to sleep.  I turned the furnace on, again, this evening, too.  

Daughter had work today and meetings; I kept myself busy doing a few little things, replying to blog comments, visiting a few blogs, and trying to get myself motivated to do some "real housework" (wasn't successful; need to try harder!).

Brunch was toasted onion bagels with butter or cream cheese.  I put out a package of chicken thighs to thaw to cook for dinner, but, they hadn't thawed enough, so, dinner was something quick and easy - instant tonkotsu ramen bowl, followed by parathas cooked with scrambled eggs and lunu miris.  Grapes for dessert.  I will keep the chicken thighs in the fridge to marinate overnight and cook them tomorrow.  I haven't made my meal plan for this week, but there will be chicken curry with rice or parathas!  

Friend R called in the evening and we chatted for a bit, which was nice.  Later, daughter took the trash cans to the curb for me, which was also very nice.  

On this rainy Monday, I am grateful for:

- All the rain we are receiving
- A working furnace
- Quilts and blankets on the beds
- Working appliances
- Having electricity to run the appliances

Today's joyful activity was knitting.

Plans for tomorrow include making a meal plan and cooking the chicken curry.

How was your Monday?  What are your plans for Tuesday?

Rain on Tuesday

Raindrops on Roses

We had rain all Monday night and all morning on Tuesday.  It rained a bit of Tuesday night, too.  Some areas of the county received over 4 inches of rain and there were concerns about mudslides in the burn scar areas where the wild fires were in January.

More Raindrops on Roses

The rain total for my area was about 2.5 inches.  Which is quite a lot of rain from one rain storm considering our annual rainfall is about 15 inches on average.  Some roads and freeways in my area flooded.  As far as I am concerned, though, it rained enough to water the garden, which is a blessing.

Rain-soaked Rose

In the afternoon, when the rain cleared, I went outside to take some pictures of...you guessed it:

Raindrops on Roses

and...

On Ripening Meyer Lemons

and...

Puddles in the Driveway!

I know, most of you are probably wondering what all the fuss is about, but, any rain is a big deal here, in southern California.   

More Puddles

On Tuesday, I was grateful for the rain we received.

Does it rain a lot in your area?  How much rain do you get a year on average?  Do you get as excited as we do when it rains?  

We Had Rain!

 

Raindrops on Roses Oranges

We had light rain showers on Saturday evening and on Sunday.  Such a blessing!

On Lemon Leaves

Other areas might have received more and heavier rain, but, we had less than 0.5 inches of rain in my area.  Which, considering the fact that we've only had about 0.02 inches of rain since the end of May up till now, is not at all bad!

On Peach Twig

More rain is in the forecast for Monday as well and some of the burn areas are under a flash flood alert.

Sunday's daytime high was only 47F, which is very low for us.  But, the air felt fresh when I went outside to check on the garden and to take pictures.

The rain was good for the garden, although this iris looked a bit water logged:

On Irises

This weekend, I am grateful for the much needed rain!