Ramblings on rain, critters in the garden and a bowl of oatmeal

It’s hard to type and eat oatmeal at the same time. I love oatmeal, but it has to have very definite additions. Milk must be part of the liquid and you must mix the oats and liquids before beginning to cook for a creamier taste; there must be dried fruit in it- raisins are always good, but dried blueberries and cranberries are better, and they also must go in before it cooks so they plump and soften during the process. And lastly, it has to have ground flaxseed in it. It provides a nuttier taste, plus the Omega-3 is a very good thing.

It’s just black and dreary outside, as we are getting a much needed and welcomed rainstorm. Thankfully I didn’t waste time watering our lawn last night, or at least what is left of it after the past month of hot, dry weather. We haven’t had any grass to cut in our front yard, and crossing it to the mailbox sounds like your crushing crackers under your feet. Some of it is still green, under the tree. Most of it is the color of straw, and has that pleasant, dry grassy smell. While coming back from the mailbox yesterday, I yelled at someone passing in a car who threw a cigarette butt out the window. Talk about asking for an inflagration! What a fool! There are parched lawns all up and down the street, and our local highways have numerous spots that are black and charred from one of those fools and their dumb cigs. No offense to smokers, but put your butts in your ashtray.

Creatures vs. Garden, part 2. Yesterdays silly little act was chasing off a rabbit trying to dig under my newly installed fence around my vegetable garden. (see my post about the woodchuck and the green tomatoes). I watched it while it hopped around and around the fence, obviously looking for a way in, and when I noticed it begin to dig at the ground, I ran outside shouting and waving my arms and chased it across the lawns to get it good and scared, yelling and making myself out to be quite comical. I am sure my neighbors think I am certifiable, I chase off the squirrels who hang on my bird feeders too. Maybe they just see me and sigh “There goes Kate again.” Now I realized that I moved into the critters world, but some manner of respect both ways should be in order. They respect my fence and smelly stuff to keep them away, and I will respect them……. a little.

I love the smell of rain!