Finally

Today is turning out to be a pretty nice day. Not necessarily sunny, but at least, so far, dry. My lawn guy showed up today and so things are looking pretty good. I have some work to do outside in some of the flower beds. If the threat of rain holds off again tomorrow I want to get out there before it gets too warm. This next week is supposed to be in the 90's all week! Summer, I guess, has finally arrived.

I have lots of new frogs to put up, so maybe if we can finally get some nice sunny days so I can get some decent pictures I can get them all listed.

It's a holiday weekend! Enjoy and if you're out on the road - safe travels. We'll see you here again on Tuesday!

And Still More Storms

I spent much of yesterday afternoon and evening in the basement with Gertie. I wasn't worried when the thunder and lightning started. I didn't even flinch when the hail started falling. But when the wind started and the trees looked like they were all laying on the ground, and the tornado warning sirens started blaring, I thought it best to get to my safe room in the basement. Which, by the way, I really need to stock with some water and snacks. It gets a bit boring waiting for things to be over.

No real damage around the house - I seem to have weathered it pretty well. There were several tornadoes that touched down here so I'm afraid to see the newspaper and what damage has been wrought on our little community. The tornadoes have been especially dangerous this year - the reason I headed to the basement.

Today more storms are forecast - but thankfully just rain. It's too cold today to foment anything more dangerous. More storms tomorrow too. Now there are flash flood warning up from all the rain. We just can't catch a break!

Still more storms

Things got bad here last evening. The power went out for much of the evening. A large tree branch came down and pulled down the power lines and blocked the street. The crews were here while the thunder and lightning was still flashing to clean up and work on getting the electric back on.

The weather is still unsettled and now the news of what is going on in Oklahoma is heading this way. It's going to be a long night to be sure. And tomorrow is not looking much better.

Still Here

I didn't get blown away last night - thank goodness. Just had to put up with the power flickering on and off for most of the night and this morning. Things seem to be stable now - just in time for another storm moving in on us. The damage in Missouri was horrific and the death toll stands at 90. The debris from the hospital was found as far away as St. Louis - the other side of the state!

In the storms today, St. Louis has seen some significant damage. Warnings are already up for here and things will get worse as the day goes along. It's been a bad spring here in the mid-west and the summer doesn't seem to be shaping up to be any better.

Tornado

There has been a devastating tornado that touched down in Joplin, Missouri tonight. A number of people have been killed and the town destroyed. It won't be until the morning hours before they know the total damage that has been wrought upon that community. Keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

The storms are moving east - we've lost power off and on here all evening. We're under a tornado watch until 4 a.m. Night-time tornadoes are the worst. You can't see them coming and the warnings happen seconds before they hit. We do have a great warning system here and of course the weather radio is on and beeping loudly every few minutes. I'm afraid the post-rapture party had to end early!

After Rapture Party

Last night at 6 p.m. the rapture took place - or so that one preacher said it was supposed to happen. I figure that it probably did and there are still 6 billion of us left. So it's time for an all out post rapture planet party! lol

Gertie has been glued to me for the last two days. She went out yesterday morning and decided to tangle with a bee. She found out that some of the things she's insistent on chasing, just might fight back. She hasn't wanted to go outside since. Today she was a little better about it until she saw another bee. She came running towards me at full throttle, jumped in my arms and shivered and shook like there was no tomorrow. It took all I had not to laugh and to just calmly set her down and shoo her back out into the lawn. I don't want to harbor fear of going outside in her. That would be very bad indeed.

Frog of the Day

Celadon Frog Vase, a photo by KenCalvino on Flickr.

It's been a busy week here at Frog Central. Cold - alright, downright freezing - but busy. Gertie has been panicked because her new friend is no longer around. The cat apparently took off for greener pastures (i.e. someone that would feed it!). I've been extra busy with the genealogy project. I've been moving right along and hope to print out a new copy of the book soon.

This frog collectible is labeled Celadon Frog Vase. It is made in Indonesia. I like these little frog items from Indonesia. Especially when you realize that the little village where they are made are dependent upon the factories that make these items. Frogs are indeed lucky! I received this for Christmas 2010.

More Rain, More Rain, More Rain

I'm beginning to feel a little like a fish - in water. It has been raining with thunder and lightning almost all week. When it hasn't been raining, it is still dreary and so dark it feels like it's time to go to bed! I'm so glad I don't live near a river at the moment. They are all out of their banks. Of course the Mississippi is the worst. I heard a report that said the water was rushing so fast that it could fill up the New Orleans Super Dome in 30 seconds. I've been inside that place - it's huge. I couldn't imagine that much water. A boat captain who works in one of the rivers leading into the Mississippi River said that the water was rushing so hard and strong that the river he was working in - the water was moving backwards!

It's been a rough spring here in the mid-west to be sure. Watching television will drive you crazy because they break into programming every 5 minutes with weather updates. We have tornado warning sirens here that have gone off several times over the last few days. In the meantime, Gertie and I are waiting for a little sunshine.

In between the thunder and lightning

It's been a really hot and humid day here in southern Illinois. The temps hit 90 degrees today. And all day the thunder has been rolling overhead. I've had the computer off most all day. The thunder has finally stopped, but it's only a very short reprieve. Thunderstorms are forecast for the next 3 to 4 days.

My left foot, which I sliced open, is healing nicely. I sliced it open when my sciatica was at its worse and my left leg and foot were totally numb. I didn't even realize it had happened until the medicine kicked in and I started getting feeling back in my foot. Of course, by then, it had become so bad I couldn't walk on it. Thankfully, a couple weeks of careful and meticulous care and all seems to be well again.

I've been deciding what I want to do for my 50th birthday coming up later this year. A friend of mine wants me to go to Europe to visit him. The problem is I don't really like to fly. If I decided to go, I would probably take the QE2. It about the same price as a plane ticket - just a 14 day travel as opposed to 2. And because of the boat schedule I would have to stay for 6 weeks to await a return trip - that a total of 8 weeks away. Without Gertie! Now if I could just afford it all! LOL I imagine I'll be right here, having a t.v. dinner and watching whatever show happens to be on that evening. I might even splurge and have a glass of kool-aid! And when I sit back in my chair, my little puppy dog will jump into my lap and curl up and quickly fall fast asleep. That's contentment. That's happiness. And who could ask for a better birthday present than that.

Gertie's New Friend

Gertie's New Friend, a photo by KenCalvino on Flickr.

This last week I've spent letting Gertie out about a hundred times a day. She takes two steps down the ramp and the just stands and stares. The first day I just blew it off, figuring she was watching the neighbors. But then she kept leaning over the edge of the ramp as far as she could without falling off. So I investigated and found this cat.

And no, it's not coming inside! It spends all day curled up sleeping outside and is quite content there. When it rains it moves under one of my bushes - which is also under the cover of my porch.

Gertie has now taken to talking to the cat when she goes out. She stands on the edge of the ramp, all leaned over the edge and starts with a low whine and keeps it up for a couple minutes before moving into the other side of the yard.

The funny thing is, she is so afraid to get off that side of the ramp, but she turns around and jumps off the other side from exactly the same height.

So until the animal control officer gets here and removes the cat, Gertie has a new friend.

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King Size Advertisement, a photo by KenCalvino on Flickr.

I got an e-mail for the particular big man's catalog that I buy clothes from. This picture was the advertisement photo. Does this guy look like he needs fat clothes?

Frog of the Day

Hope Hops Here, a photo by KenCalvino on Flickr.

Things have been going alright here for a change. I've hurt my left heel and am limping around, but it's manageable for the moment. This afternoon the son-in-law of my new neighbor is supposed to show up to start cleaning out my basement. He doesn't know it yet but when it's cleaned, I've got boxes galore to store down there....

This frog collectible is from The Hamilton Collection's Hope Hops Here Art Glass Collection and is called Hope Hops Here. Most of these frog collections have four in the set. Each is a numbered, limited edition piece. The number on this piece is 1710. The thing I like is that a portion of the purchase price of each piece goes to breast cancer research. As my friend Brian would say - "Help save the boobies!" LOL

Save A Frog Day

I'm a couple days behind. April 29th was Save A Frog Day. I urge everyone to go the NRDC website and sign the petition they have there for Save A Frog Day. It looks to ban certain pesticides that are getting from farmers' fields and into the waterways. Deformed frogs are showing up at an alarming rate. Frogs are the canary in the coal mine for our habitat - and they are dying. We need to listen and act.

While I collect frog figurines and not real frogs, I would not like to see the day when all we can show our children is our collectibles because real frogs no longer exist. Please take action.