Today, at Fort Doberdale, the skies opened up and watered my vegetable garden good. It was an amazing thing. But then the winds started to blow and when I opened the back door, got soaked. Usually, we all can stand there and watch the rains. Not today. I had to change clothes twice trying to get pictures of the dove hanging on for dear life in the dead grapefruit tree. She stood her ground for the entire storm, while a blue jay came and went in seconds.

After the storm, the dove was hungry from using all that energy to hang on. There was some residual bird seed on the ground, but I threw down a couple more scoops for her to fill up on for the next emergency that would come her way.

Look at all the water that came down! This bucket was empty before the storm. It’s the ever useful “poop bucket,” which always has a plastic bag inside when a poop is plopped within. I’m glad I tossed the bag out before this storm. I don’t know about you, but having to clean out a water logged bag of poop is not my way of spending free time.

Raven has sniffed out the planter near the house, which has a lake in it now. It’s under an awning, and is usually safe from rains. That shows how strong those winds were. Now if Raven will kindly move her snoot, I can tip that planter to the side to drain the lake. Raven? Raven! RAVEN!

I had a lot of free time going into this afternoon, and I was going to put it to better use than cleaning up after an impromptu mini hurricane. This was a brutal, sudden patch of weather that flew by. It knocked over the Verawood tree, aka the Luigi tree, and took a big piece of the pine tree down with it. At least the pine limb fell near the trash receptacles.

Here is plant consciousness at work. The Verawood tree closes its “eyes” at night when it goes to sleep, but lookie here! It shut its leaves during the cataclysmic storm. And after I put it upright, cleaned the rest of the yard, showered and came back outside, it had opened up again!

Baby saw this lovely mess first. “What the hey?” It’s a huge vine that had covered a huge weed tree on the other side of the fence.

I had to get up on a ladder to reach the trunk of the overgrown weed tree to clip it down. But look at the wild peppers growing in all that mess!

I was hot, sweaty and soaked from working amongst the saturated foliage. I did get that big viny weed tree cut down, and the red boys, Bouchard and Regis, were there to help.

These kinds of skies always suggest colder weather to me, but not in South Florida. It’s balmy and hot! Eeek!

Among other things, little cucumbers fell from the sky. I have no idea where they came from, but not from my garden. I’d like some, though.

Obviously, one of the dogs thought it was worth a taste, but the immature cuke was not tasty enough to finish.

I love these woodpeckers. They are beautiful and humorous. This morning there was a pair of them at this very spot chasing a squirrel away. This leads me to believe that they have a nest atop this post.

Before it was all said and done, and we got back to the rest of our usual routine this Sunday afternoon, Ollie had to lie in the mud. He had to. I sometimes think that boy is part oink oink oink.

All Taylor could say was she was glad the storm passed. She is not a fan of thunder!

Helen