Columns

I love a good rainstorm, especially at night.
We sure got some rain last week. The night of the big blow I ended up with over 2 1/2 inches. It thundered and rumbled and lit up the sky and I slept like a baby. In Arizona, I sometimes used a CD of rainstorms to help me fall asleep. Arizona rarely has what we call thunderstorms. It is a desert.

Have you noticed the extra daylight hours that we have now that summer is officially here?
There’s more time for everything. We can still be out mowing at 9 p.m. The extra light makes things grow faster, too, but my favorite part is having a little time to just sit outside and enjoy the view. When the sun goes down the lightening bugs come out, like little fireworks. Better than fireworks though because there are no loud noises to go with it.

Besides the warm weather, do you know what I love most about summer? It’s the most colorful time of the year. Everywhere I look, whether it’s in the wild or around the lawn, beautiful blooms abound.
Here on the farm, I have a bumper crop of hairy vetch and honeysuckle. That beautiful purple spire of the hairy vetch sets off the yellow and cream blooms of the honeysuckle covering the banks. As the heat and humidity rise, the scent of the blooms fill the air. I love summer, and it’s almost here.