July 29 Saturday.

 I woke up to find that we must have had a severe storm during the night.  I heard nothing.  Trees were down in the neighborhood but we seemed to have escaped.  Tree grinders were taking care of some of the mess.  

I saw this on my way to move Larry Curly and Mo, or Winkin, Blinkin and Knod or Shadrach Meshack and Abednego on to Rita and Bob's house for the two weeks we're gone.  It's the three caterpillars if you haven't caught on.  I call them also the diversion three.  We had a great time talking about EVERYTHING.  She loved the yummy tomatoes as well as another flower arrangement.  

Back home it was packing time.  We gathered all the camping stuff in the garage and I climbed in and Doug handed me what I called for.  We were finished in less than two hours stopping at times to gather things that were missing.  The van is full once again.  

          A picture from the rear. Why would two old folks need to drive a big van?  Because those two old                                 folks go tent camping with their Michigan Family this year in August. 

A picture from the side door.  Yes a lot of Campbell's soup but there is also a drawer full of tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers and a cooler with cabbage and lettuse.  We'll eat well again.  

The storm took down once again the tall marigolds so today they got big stakes that I hope will carry them through.  I was working in that spot and the little bunny almost stepped on my shoes running to a safe spot.

.  I scrapped the garden paths today.  I preened the paths in the spring and a few weeds seem to think it's a perfect place to grow.  Scrapping will keep them clean for a while.  

The sun is spilling into this picture near the back of the picture. This first-year rudbeckia is beautiful.  The flowers are huge.  We found this pink granite rock in the front yard a few years ago buried by the ice age. And once again the large piece of wonderful Lake Superior driftwood.  The calendula flowers have all been clipped back. The zinnias are trimmed and in a sense, the garden is on a pause.  I'd like to think they are on vacation for a while. 

This picture is just a mishmash of a little of everything.  There are black-eyed susans, Cleomia and the first pictures of Surprise Lillies.  I've heard them called Naked Ladies as well.  And once again the sun is peaking through. Today the heat moderated.  It was very close to pleasant.  Nothing to complain about just a great temperature to do the last-minute push toward of leaving early tomorrow.  Well, that depends on what one think is early.  There is a difference of opinion under this roof.  So we'll see.  Whatever it is will work. 

I'll be writing again around the middle of August.  It's 15 damping days and two days of travel at the beginning and the end.