Between the remnants of the tropical storm that blew through Maryland last Friday and storms most every day this week we have had an abundance of rain. The results have been beautiful flowers, lovely lawns and mosquitos that can almost pick you up and carry you away. The mosquitos have been ferocious and unrelenting. I went outside tonight to check out the space station and after swatting so many mosquitos away I came back inside after only about a minute. Back on the plus side I have enjoyed watching the turtles and frogs that have exploded since the rains.

I took the top picture about a month ago after a storm and the sun was coming back out. I just liked the way it looked coming through the clouds. It was just lovely and I sat outside watching it for quite a while.

I’m exited, happy and content to be home again, this time for a couple of weeks. I was a bit out of sorts as earlier this week the one day I had to get everything straightened in the apartment I ended up having to fill in for a coworker and worked until midnight. I usually like my place to be neat and tidy so when I come back from a long pet sitting job I can crash. Well today when I got home I did crash and sleep for two hours. Then visited my step dad for an early Father’s Day. My Mom, step dad and I visited for about three hours. I came back home and tidied up-did dishes, put books away, recycled and putting clothes away. One thing I hope to do tomorrow is to put my houseplants outside finally for the summer. Those are about half my houseplants in the second picture. Most of them have traveled with me for the past eight years and survived the apartment fire two apartments ago.

The bottom picture is of one my sidewalk pictures. I sat outside drawing prior to all the rains and the neighbor’s cat joined me. She is very sweet but doesn’t like to be petted. She just wants to hang out and be close.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. There really is no place like home. Glinda the good witch in the Wizard of Oz had it right. I walk into my home and feel myself relax. I can be myself. Sit in comfortable chairs, sleep in my own bed, use my own shower and be around my things. I know all the trees outside and the birds. I feel like I know the ospreys personally. I haven’t heard the owls in a while but I haven’t been home either. One way I stay connected with my home even when I am away is looking up at the stars at night. For some crazy reason if I can identify the stars where I am and recognize them I feel connected to my home even though I am not there. I have not been away from home this long in almost three years and I forgot how hard it can be. Most people assume it is easy pet sitting and house sitting while for the most part it is relatively easy it can be stressful in ways many people never think of. So for tomorrow I am looking forward to placing my plants outside, finishing a brief tidy of my place and doing some birdwatching, skywatching and reading.

Many thanks to all who sent in book and author suggestions. I am eager to check them out.

And a heartfelt thanks to everyone who reads my blog. It means more to me than you will ever know.