here again!

It's been a crazy week here in southern Ohio!!  Friday morning, as Ani and I were driving around town, we took a look at the cloud guide that lives in the car, to see what the clouds might tell us about the weather we were getting...alto-cummulous is what we figured we were looking at (high, bumpy, whitish grey).  On the card Ani had written "It is hot? You might be in for a thunderstorm!"  And how. It all started with some dang-hot weather last week which turned stormy in the span of a few minutes Friday evening, with a storm that blew through here at 100 mph, blowing over trees, knocking out power for 85% of the county.  That was us for a little under 24 hours, but there is much of the county, and even the city, that is still without power.  The lines for gas were horrendous for a couple of days as people fill up their extra gas cans for generators, and there is no ice.  Dan was out with a friend having a beer and didn't know the storm had blown in until the power went out, but the girls and I were here having supper when the wind kicked up.  After convincing them that they really probably shouldn't run out into the maelstrom of branches whipping around our street, we settled onto the living rug with a few candles to finish dinner.  It was exciting and worrisome and finally Eliza said, in a little voice, "I wish we had cake."  Brilliant. No cake, but who doesn't want comfort food in a crisis?? One dark chocolate bar and several dried apricots later, we had settled into our evening...when Papa got home there was Phase 10 by candlelight, a few chapters of Harry Potter, and we were all out. (Might have to do this no-electricity thing more often...)

The following morning we still had no power (our water was fine, thankfully), which became a problem when Mama couldn't have her coffee (I know, I know...it's a problem), so though we couldn't call and check in, we went ahead with our plans to drive out to The Woods, bringing a full cooler of food with us to cook on their propane stove. The drive showed us many downed trees and power lines, but we were met with smiles and coffee.  And to make what was a rough day soooo much better, after golf we went out boating in the late afternoon.

the "good little skiff"

It was awesome - the girls rode in the skiff with A and E and Dan and I got to canoe together, and we swam from the boats and saw 5 or 6 real live beavers, which was so very exciting.

I'll save the first thrilling days of July (I tell you - Summer!!! It just doesn't stop for a breath) for another post, and share some photos of the more "normal" days of June...

Some dressing up with friends...

Eliza's playin' the blues...

Measuring, estimating, figuring...

"Mirror" chalk pictures - she explained that it was like the under dimension of her - as if she were sitting on a mirror...and one for Ani too...

Some experimenting with color and water and Queen Anne's Lace...

learning cribbage! a family tradition

three days later - fireworks!!

And there you have it! June! Oh wait, I'm still catching up on June....darn it.  Yes, I have at least one more post on Ithaca coming up, maybe two...