Thunderstorms and other things....

As I was driving home yesterday from town, a thunderstorm was brewing.  The temp had hit 98 degrees and since the humidity  has been good and high lately, it was perfect weather for thunderstorms to pop up in the evening.  I felt like one of those storm chasers who drives madly, seeking The Big One, watching storms materialize right before his eyes.  This one kept gaining in strength and width as I drove along.  I just happened to have my camera in my purse so I stopped alongside the rode a few times to try to capture the immense beauty and intensity that prairie thunderstorms hold.

As I was driving along, I remembered the old homestead that has long been abandoned and I snapped a shot of it from the road.  I've always wanted a picture of it, but never seemed to have a camera handy when I thought about it.  This photo looks like someone painted it due to the distance I was away from it and because of the dark skies above me.

I was told by Velma, a good ten years ago before she passed on, that back in the day, this house was once a road house which often took in travelers passing through.  It was a family ranch, but because of the size of the home and the distance between small towns, this was always a good stopping place.  Perhaps the lady of the house was a good cook too?  Word does get around, you know.

I was so excited to have caught the lightning striking at just the right moment.  There was quite a lot of it, but it's really just good, old-fashioned luck if you happen to capture it on the camera. 

After taking these, I decided that I really needed to try to drive ahead of the storm and get my fanny back home where I would be safe.  I could see to the east that there was sunshine and just a few clouds where our ranch was located from here.  The storm might miss us.  But as I drove on, I came to some farm ground where the farmers had cultivated, and when the wind suddenly hit the field, it was crazy!  Dirt was flying and there were deer running across the road, trying to escape the harsh winds and debris flying everywhere.  It was nearly like being in a blizzard except it was dirt that was blowing instead of snow.  I later learned that there were 60 mph winds in that storm and I believe it. 

As I drove in at home, I noticed that my thoughtful sons had brought in the laundry from the clothesline and were busy driving the pick-up trucks and cars into the sheds and garages.  They were preparing for hail.  We never had any hail or bad weather out of this cloud.  It tracked due north, but later on at about 10:00 pm we had a lightning storm that knocked out our power.  There was one good crack of lightning near our homes and my son A, next door, said that he was quite sure it hit the generator that was plugged into their house.  He saw orange light arcing from a outlet inside his house.  This morning he found that his computer was having "repair issues" and his modem had quit.  So far, nothing else, but our electrician friend said that often appliances will gradually fail and peter out over 9 months after a lightning strike. 

We did wind up with a generous 3/4 inch of rain out of the last storm and a fireworks show like you've never seen on the Fourth of July!  Today temperatures are reaching into the upper 90's again so I have clothes drying on the line while Hubs is out in the hayfield turning the hay with the rake.  He's hoping to bale it yet this evening before the next expected thunderstorm hits.

The work clothes hang on the line today --work shirts and jeans hang along with some socks in he background.  I really do love hanging out my family's laundry.  It makes me thankful that they are here and still a part of my everyday life.

I wanted to throw this picture in the mix just because I think its cool.  I was looking for my sprinkler a couple of days ago and couldn't find it.  But here, in the crook of the willow tree, it sat, waiting for me to remember where I put it.  Do you ever put things in places so you can "find them" and then realize you can't remember where you put them?  Ugh.

 Now for my afternoon treat, iced coffee.  I love afternoon coffee, either hot or cold, but when it's in the 90's, give it to me cold, over ice, with a tipple of half 'n' half please!  I remember Grandpa Schumacher drinking iced coffee on hot summer afternoons.  Back then I thought it sounded disgusting, but now I love it and anticipate drinking it every day.  Lil Hazel Peach is sitting on my lap right now, slugging down my iced coffee with me.  She's got good taste.  Grandpa wold have been proud!