When it rains, it pours, and pours, and pours, and pours....

The sun is just attempting to poke out after several days of heavy, heavy rain and thunderstorms.  My goodness!  The pool actually came close to overflowing!  We now understand the need for all the drainage around here, in the form of trenches along the roads and dams to create overflow ponds.  In all the rain excitement we noticed a new friend has come to dwell in our outdoor eating area.  I put up some hanging plants and she thought it would make a perfect home!  At first I didn't get that it was a bird causing the problem.  I kept clearing out the pine needles from the center of the plant, thinking "How on earth did those blow in there?"  Poor bird.  Stubborn though.  She kept replacing them.  Now we are careful when we look, but have counted two eggs, and think she is in the process of laying a third today!  A beautiful, hard working Carolina Wren!  Fiona has named her Carolina.  Her mate stands by singing very loud with pride.  I hope that we will be able to take some pictures of the babies in a few weeks.

Isn't it perfect?

This was the sight of the lizard daycare.

Actual backyard...not murky pond.

Fuse-beads count for math?  Right?

One of the more satisfying reasons I homeschool is I can make the kids healthy lunches that they actually consume.

Here is the perfectly inconspicuous nest location.

Ethan's team hats came in!  Milwaukee Brewers!

Lucky number 13.

My tomato plants are growing like they are on crack. Peppers too.