RAIN, RAIN, GO AWAY

Perhaps the RAIN is coming to and end. It has been "a long haul." I was painting my back porch the other day in between damp days, and saw the cloudy heavens racing toward me from the west. I continued to paint, thinking I could get inside when the drops began to fall. Instead, the heavens opened and it poured. I got wet, as did my paint tray.

Yesterday my bathroom had a bit of a flood with the washing machine water backing up. I am told I need a plumber. Many people have flooded basements, cars, streets, etc.,--some deaths, so I should be thankful.

A few weeks ago, the sun had finally peeked out. I was bringing in a number of HOUSE PLANTS. I had hosed them down and sprayed them for SPIDERS, when I made a startling discovery. I was cheking a KALANCHOE, (a succulent), before taking it in. It did well in the summer, growing large, shiny leaves. I was wiping the leaves when I saw a TINY LIME-GREEN TREE FROG covering a leaf. The TREE FROG was one and one half inches in length, and just fit the leaf. It reminded me of the CATERPILLAR in ALICE IN WONDERLAND, sitting on the toadstool. The little frog and I eyed each other. I decided one of us must move, so I gently slipped him into the garden.

A day or so later, I was pouring vinegar onto weeds coming up through the flagstones in my driveway, when I came eye to eye with an eighteen inch GARTER SNAKE. It was a sunny day, and no doubt he was sunning himself on the warm stones. I "toed" him into moving to the next driveway. He slithered up onto that lawn and disappeared into the grass. I did not tell my neighbor, fearing her reaction.

With all of this RAIN, my two little friends are "holed up" somewhere, trying to keep dry like the rest of us. Perhaps the RAIN has gone away--for a little while at least.