This is the result of the storm last Sunday night. Earlier that day I mowed in the 'far east' (we nicknamed sections of the yard because it's big) and had made a pass around the edge of the 'north 40' (because it's behind a set of bushes and we can't see it from the house) but the grass wasn't overly-long, so I didn't finish there, and I know the tree wasn't split and down then.

We had almost 2 inches of rain that night, and combined with the rain we had the previous Thursday, we STILL have puddles in the yard today. I tried to mow this evening around the puddles, and when I got back near that part of the yard, I couldn't figure out what was on the ground blocking my path (it's been dreary and foggy here ALL DAY). A couple of those thunder-booms sounded like they were in my yard that night, and apparently, one of them might have been!

Michelle's graduation party!

It was time for Michelle Zimmerman's H.S. grad party yesterday at her mom's in Des Moines. It was muggy in the morning, but turned out to be a gorgeous day; warm with just a slight breeze by late afternoon.

In the other picture are part of the family at the party, Samantha, John (holding Izaac and trying to get him to eat something other than a G.Grandma breadstick and fruit), Uncle Charlie, and Joe (who had his party last weekend, but we didn't go because we had our belated Mother's Day fest for John's mom/aunt and sister).

Poppy Q's long-lost twin?

We think this cousin-kitty of ours looks like our friend, Poppy Q! This is Nellie, and she lives in the same house as Izaac, his mom, Amanda, Izaac's aunt Michelle at Grandma Shirley's in Des Moines.

Nellie LOVES everybody. Nellie has two older siblings; Sami, who is REALLY old (16?), and Rascal (10?).