misc summer happenings

All summer, I’ve been snapping photos of miscellaneous happenings around the house. I thought I’d share a few of them with you today. Nothing major, just silly little things that make me make me , say “wow”, a bit disgusted, or just plain happy.

The first is Arizona summer monsoons. Although they can bring awful dust storms, they also produce the most beautiful clouds, as in the photo above, taken with my iPhone on July 23rd, while in my car. Don’t fret, I was stopped at a red light. 🙂

Image

And when they result in a monstrous booming thunderstorm, well that’s the best of all!

Another simple joy in life is cleaning out the kitchen junk drawer. Exactly why it’s so satisfying, I don’t really know. Especially with the knowledge that it’ll be a mess again all too soon. I failed to take a before picture, but rest assured, the rubber bands in the left corner were spread from end to end! As were the stamps. Have you ever noticed how many envelopes are delivered with uncancelled stamps?  I always cut them off and use them again.

So many! About $15 dollars worth! No wonder the USPS has financial troubles.

Next up, is disgusting… I’ve previously told you that we have a roof-rat problem in the Valley of the Sun. I have traps all over my yard, but that doesn’t keep the vermin from passing through.

I glanced out my kitchen window one Friday morning and saw a lethargic rat on my cool deck! After letting out a little shriek, I ran into the garage to get a box and crate. With my heart doing some serious palpitations, I got as close as I dared and tried to drop the box over the creature. He jumped! I screamed, scooped up the box, and dropped it over him again, successfully this time! Then I grabbed the crate, put it on top, and weighted it down with some pots. Then I jumped around and pretty much freaked out for a minute or two before running into the house. Seriously, they make my stomach turn.

Thankfully, it was a Friday, the day that my landscapers come to do the yard. As soon as they arrived, I ran out and asked Tony if he would dispose of the rat for me. Tony is my hero! He not only does this dirty work for me, he also quietly scoops out bloated bunnies, lizards, and birds from my pool when they drown in there. And he and his crew help me move furniture up and down the stairs whenever I ask. He and his guys are the best!

OK, I know that this is a small baby roof rat and maybe I shouldn’t have been such a big sissy about it. But know that this little one, if it had lived, would have gotten to be 18 inches long, including its tail. In fact, roof rats are distinguished from other rats by that nasty long tail. Eewww!

I can not end this post on that awful note and image. Here is the pretty site I usually see when I look out my kitchen window.

Beautiful hummingbirds! I love these little guys. On this day, these two spent all day landing across from one another on this hanger and then fighting over the feeder that is just a few feet away. Too bad they don’t use their awesome spunk and tenacity to chase off the roof rats!