Cool Mornings

The dew is heavy this morning, and we have one of the first cool starts to the day in quite some time.  It has been such a hot, dry summer.  When the rains started everything greened up; I cannot keep the grass mowed, but I will have to attempt getting to it this weekend.

It is a pretty morning, and my work schedule means I have a few minutes to enjoy it with coffee.  The hummingbirds are particularly active (and mean to each other, I might add).

Here's to the end of another work week and a coming weekend!

Labor Day at Stillwater RV Resort

This has been the summer of the lazy river.  Jellystone Burleson and Jamaica Beach both have lazy rivers that called out names.  Wanting to wrap up the summer with one last hurrah, we booked at a brand new park (only opened this spring) that had a lazy river and swim up bar in the adult pool.

This park is big, with approximately 160 sites.  We enjoyed our stay greatly, and the ability to float the pool in the evenings was nice, although some unsupervised kids made us wonder where their parents were.  Probably listening to the live Country band.

The clubhouse is nice with food and a small store.  An arcade and fitness room in the back, to me, meant that there was something for everyone. We didn't try the Wibbit course, but those that did seemed to have a lot of fun.

Winona is about half way between Tyler and Kilgore, and about 2 hours away from home.  Since is is a nice park and very convenient for a weekend outing, we will certainly be back again.

Morning Sunrises

Mornings, since the return of rains and an easing of the drought have been cooler and humid, but it has made for some pretty sunrises...

August 31

August 31

September 1

Fall around the corner?

It is a cool morning, and the crickets and frogs are noisy; the air is cool and there is thunder nearby.  A line of storms to the south has brought the welcoming scent of rain!

A few days ago we got the first real rain here since April, and the 100+ temps seem to have broken.   74 degrees this morning with a slight breeze isn't bad at all!

From our backyard the rising sun over the low clouds made it look like the sun had decided to rise in the south for a change.  Pretty cool!

Next week rain is predicted all week long.  Let it come!

Sailing

So I did something new today.

For years we have wanted to go to the British Virgin Islands, but time, money and knowledge have not been there.

(Still not there...)

But today we took Brandon's new sailing dinghy out to Navarro Mills lake.  

The lake was low and the wind just over 5 knots, but we had a good time for the hour or so we stayed out.  

Maybe this is the first step to knowledge acquisition that will eventually get us to the islands!

Rain at Last!

It wasn't a long rain, but it was rain.  About 30 minutes worth and a total of about 1/2 inch.  

It came with a wind that blew some collected boxes around that were waiting for trash collection, but at this time nothing to complain about.  It had not rain any appreciable amount since April.  

The tanks remain low and undoubtably it will take more to start the grass to growing out of dormancy.  But NOAA is predicting a wetter than normal two weeks.  The Dome of Doom, high pressure ridge that prevented rain and turned us into a 3 digit degree pressure cooker has broken.

This morning the moisture generated a fog and cool temps.  For the first time I have been hearing happy crickets in the years making their sounds.  Hopefully this is the first of more precip to come!

Summertime Blues.

With our summer vacation done we have settled into the last few weeks before the new school year begins.  And it is hot!

Our county is now under extreme drought conditions and fire warnings are high today.  It has been necessary to water trees.  There has been no appreciable rainfall since April.

Fortunately our stock tanks are , at this point, holding up.  

Pray for rain, y'all!