Mosquitos, Night Visitors, And A Cloudy Day

We have had quite a bit of rain this summer and the

mosquitoes have been HORRIBLE!

Even out here in the countyside. And I was searching everywhere for something that was still holding water. In the article I linked above, it said even a bottle cap has enough water for mosquitoes to breed in. I knew there was a culvert down the road a ways with water still in it, but the mosquitoes just seemed SO THICK.

THEN... 

one day I was walking down the path to the shed and saw...

GREEN scum growing out the pipe my clothes washer drains from.

The recent flooding had put a lot of dirt and rocks around it and it obviously wasn't draining.

I got a stick and pulled those rocks out and a ton of putrid water came out.

GACK.

Then I got a shovel and dug out a trough for the water to go.

Then I got the water hose, put it down the washer drain and flushed it out well.

And it was like my very own little water feature!

As I was watching it, I envisioned some stones and waterfalls with some pretty plants and flowers along it.....

But...

I had to shut the hose off and abandon the dream....

I mean, WHAT WOULD BILL HAVE SAID????

I did this a couple of weeks ago  and it seems to have worked! In the same article it also said that they are mostly 'floodwater mosquitoes' from all the torrential rains we've had this summer. 

A couple of recent nighttime visitors.....

A tarantula....

And a baby rattler....

WHY WASN'T HE HOME IN BED?

I'm SO done with snakes this year....

It seems every other week- or even every week,

It rains.

Now they were predicting MORE for yesterday.

The clouds....

SO DREARY.

So glad to have these bright cheerful flowers to look at!

And there is my spiffy new rain gauge just waiting....

I decided while we waited....

To make Grandmother Bread.

This is my absolute favorite easy bread recipe. It has a tender crust for making toast and sandwiches. I prefer a bread that is not too sweet, or rich with milk, eggs, or oils. Hands down my favorite everyday bread!
And the rain did come. :)
With more today.
At least if it's cloudy, it better rain.
Makes the dreary clouds worthwhile.
And a slice of fresh warm bread with butter helps too!