It Came with a Storm!

Fe, Fi, Fo, Fum....I just heard the words ring repeatedly as the lighting and thunder shook our house with the footprints still echoing as the storm passed over our city.  Behind the giant's foot-printed storm, our drought-parched lakes filled and we entered a wet spring break.

We didn't complain while we stepped outside at any sign of sun...making lemonaid out of lemons....

• Benjamin had his first ever sleep-over... We went to see "Lorax" and we had indoor S'mores!

• Daughter and I went the next rainy night to see a chick-flick - The Vow

• Indoor projects were finished - yes, the dreaded "clean out the garage" - I installed 2x4's and peg boards to get things in order
• I installed a much needed ceiling fan in Benjamin's room - electrical help via phone from older son and later. teen-age son helped when my arms collapsed....and yes, there was a shocking event, but I will save that for another day, live and learn!
• Painted the upstairs hall, part of Benjamin's room and a wall in game room - boring, but oh how much cleaner those dirty walls look with new paint...well worth the work

•  Glimpses of sunlight gave me a  chance to put a bird bath together - the painted pots were from my husband's 40th Birthday party, now 18 years ago...time to re-purpose, and I did! I also put in my daisy seeds from Leslie at Farm Fresh Fun, around the bird bath/feeder.  I made an herb tree with the remaining pots... re-purposed!

Just as the sun began to really shows it's wonderful light, we all got hit with a vicious virus that put us all to bed for several days.

• Teen son recovered enough to go out on a boat to an island on the lake...now an island because of the rain...with the Men of Elysium...and saw the world premier of Hunger Games at midnight
• Benjamin competed in his first Awana Grand Prix Race...Sissy took him since Mother hadn't recovered from the "bug".  He won 3rd place out of all the Sparkies. Serious winner here!

I enjoyed the spring breeze through my sunlit windows, while recovering in the comfort of my lounge chair, knowing this too shall pass and we will be off running the regular schedules tomorrow.  Older son has state tests and baseball games, while Benjamin has a cook-out at school in celebration of Texas History month.  There truly is a season for everything.

In celebration of Texas History month...here are the Bluebonnets we found and information on our State Flower.

The five state flowers of Texas are:

1. Lupinus subcarnosus, the original champion and still co-holder of the title, grows naturally in deep sandy loams from Leon County southwest to LaSalle County and down to the northern part of Hidalgo County in the Valley. It is often referred to as the sandy land bluebonnet. The plant's leaflets are blunt, sometimes notched with silky undersides. This species, which reaches peak bloom in late March, is not easy to maintain in clay soils.
2. Lupinus texensis, the favorite of tourists and artists, provides the blue spring carpet of Central Texas. It is widely known as THE Texas bluebonnet. It has pointed leaflets, the flowering stalk is tipped with white (like a bunny's tail) and hits its peak bloom in late March and early April. It is the easiest of all the species to grow.
3. Lupinus Havardii, also known as the Big Bend or Chisos Bluebonnet, is the most majestic of the Texas bluebonnet tribe with flowering spikes up to three feet. It is found on the flats of the Big Bend country in early spring, usually has seven leaflets and is difficult to cultivate outside its natural habitat.
4. Lupinus concinnus is an inconspicuous little lupine, from 2 to 7 inches, with flowers which combine elements of white, rosy purple and lavender. Commonly known as the annual lupine, it is found sparingly in the Trans-Pecos region, blooming in early spring.
5. Lupinus plattensis sneaks down from the north into the Texas Panhandle's sandy dunes. It is the only perennial species in the state and grows to about two feet tall. It normally blooms in mid to late spring and is also known as the dune bluebonnet, the plains bluebonnet and the Nebraska Lupine.

information via google search

Happy Spring!  May you stay well!