It’s still storming each day. Praying for no more tornadoes. This has been a terrible tornado season so far. (The photo is raindrops on a table, but I can assure you that there is rain everywhere.)
We are working on skeining up the 72 different colors of Colinette Jitterbug that arrived this morning. Watch for it in next Monday’s Update.
The 13 year cicadas are hatching and leaving all of these old bodies around on trees and shrubs and decks:
… and debuting their new look. Want to know what my neighborhood sounds like right now? This. Multiplied by about 1000. (And I think it would serve that photographer right if the cicada flew right into his face.) Only the male cicadas make that noise. These bugs are harmless – they don’t bite or sting and they don’t damage most trees. But still. Ick.
I’m drinking a new brand of coffee. Knitting Daughter worked on a marketing project for this company (through one of her spring semester classes) and it turns out that it’s now one of her favorite coffees, so she brought me some. She has developed quite the coffee palate since her early years of working as a Starbucks barista, so I always pay attention when a certain coffee catches her eye and her taste buds. I agree with her on this one – very delicious.
Anything new in your neck of the woods?
Sheri wholikesthecicadasoundsbutnotthelooksofthem.
I don’t like the cicada sound ’cause it always goes with very hot weather here. I DO like the sound of crickets. Wishing I could have this Monday off to go to a local parade but I always have to work – but only till 3 pm. Do the 13 yr cicadas really come around every 13 yrs. Wonder who documented that the first time 🙂
In our neck of the woods I am waiting for the current round of storms to finish.
I have not unpacked from a recent trip, opting instead to make a cake which will turn into British trifle with some of the mass quantities of strawberries I picked yesterday.
Figuring out what to do with mass quantities of strawberries.
I have 2 bantam hens and their 4 chicks in a 26 inch square box in my dining room. They are extremely soothing as they cluck and chirp and whick-whick softly. When they all settle in for a nap it is the softest silence…
Hope your neck of the woods stays peaceful.
Sending good vibes for no more storms…
Beautiful photos.
In our neck of the woods, the only thing new is the sun…which we got to see for a whole 1/2 day today!
All I can hear is Jitterbug echoing in my head! “Jitterbug….jitterbug….jitterbug….buy me….buy me….buy me.”
Goodness, I was watching The Weather Channel at lunch and they were watching a tornado in KC! It seems relentless. I’ve never experienced one, but they sound quite frightful. Makes a blizzard seem tame by comparison.
I love the sounds of the peepers at night. Sometimes at dusk if I am in my garden weeding I can hear the hermit thrushes in the woods which is so soothing, like a flute concert!
In North county of St. Louis and the storms are supposed to hit around 3 pm – right when my daughter gets out of school. It could be interesting this afternoon.
I love the sound of cicadas and the pure enjoyment of watching the cats chase them around on the screens.
Fire got too close for comfort. Husband came home early yesterday and I asked why, he said had to. I again asked why, he said fire. They evacuated his building, the president of UTBP came out and told everyone to leave and do it quickly. The smoke was very bad and he said the flames were just whipped up by the fierce winds we had yesterday. Send the rain down here to West Texas, please.
I hope to make it up to the store next week as my Dad passed away and the memorial is next weekend with burial at JB. Any change of hours or anything?
You have to skein up yarn yourself? I always thought the dyers did it. That creepy *thing* looks like our 17-year cicada. blech
The cicaidas are starting up here too. They get really loud with the heat of summer. I always associate their sound with heat, humidity and as a cry for rain.
No cicadas yet, but we’re waiting for the current round of storms to leave us and head your way – sorry ’bout that! As much time as I’ve spent in the basement the last few days you’d think I’d have gotten more knitting done….
We have no storms here in the desert southwest. It is endlessly dry with blowing sand. My heart breaks for all those who were hit with tornadoes.
rain, and temps that barely if even reach the 60’s. Garden in ground, puppy to go to groomers for first time today.. he will not speak to me later i am sure! Finished a knit goodie last night (churchmouses linen scarf) and cast on a new shawl. Other than that figuring out the meal plan for this weekend camping, we actually glamp so the food and drink are yummy! Made the rhubarb simple syrup for margaritas and cocktails yesterday!
Overland Park, KS – Just came up from the basement where I had my weather radio, flashlight, 2 dogs, 1 cat, 1 grandson (2 yrs.) and my laptop. The storms are now heading towards St. Louis, so be safe.
…and stepping on all those cicada husks is like the crunch of dried leaves underfoot.
No tornadoes here in MT, but LOTS of rain. We have 4 rural roads in the county closed due to flooding. The Musselshell river is overflowing the banks and our local fairgrounds is completely underwater. Makes me glad that I live in the hills southwest of town. Still lots of snow in the mountains so we still have that runoff to contend with when the time comes.I would love to see the sun right about now.
Huge thunderstorm came through night before last. I love being home during a storm. I turned the TV off and just knitted away on my sweater. About 20 minutes into the storm I realized that little kitty, Pearl and big sister kitty, Sadie were both on the back of the big purple chair, packed together tightly and as close to me as they could get. Not afraid but just not sure what was going on. It was very cute. Last night I grabbed the one brief break in the rain and planted my vegetable garden. Can’t hardly walk today but it will be worth it. Hopefully the weekend will be nice for a day or two here in Central Ohio.
Have to say I’m confused as well–I thought Colinette did their own skeining.
It was so dark and gray here that the street lights didn’t turn off until nearly 11 a.m. I am firmly of the belief that this late in the year I shouldn’t be up before the street lights go off, so somebody owes me a 4 hour nap!
We’re having some beautiful weather here in Atlanta- sunny and warm. I’m working on a sock made out of Frog Tree Pediboo- you can check out my progress on my blog. I would love to see what other people are working on, too- so leave a comment. Thanks
https://littlepebble.wordpress.com/
Thanks- and happy knitting-
Robin C
Yes, it is raining here in Michigan. Thankfully, no tornadoes in our area yet that is. I just HAD to mention the Ferris Coffee, though. That is a local business here in Grand Rapids! Great to see a local product mentioned on another website! 🙂
Whenever Joplin, MO is mentioned, I think of all those poor people that have lost everything accept their lives. Our prayers certainly are with them as they go through all this in their lives. Praying as they literally get back on their feet again.
Thanks for your posts, Sheri. I always enjoy reading them! 🙂
Yay! I’ve been waiting SO LONG for more Jitterbug. I’m soooo excited now. All you Missouri residents are in my thoughts now with the recent tragic events. I grew up 30 miles from Joplin in Mt. Vernon, and attended college for one year at Joplin. I pray that this severe weather comes to an end soon.
In my neck of the woods there is an office move afoot. Of course that means that there is a gap in internet and phone service afoot too. Frustration abounds. Furniture and files are at new office…phones and internet are at the old (since Monday, hopefully all will be at the new office tomorrow as I am effectively out of business. Packing up the last of the stuff tonight (I hope….that is after all what we said yesterday before we ran out of boxes).This is my “study break”
Another Michigander here & we love Ferris as well. We get there monthly & stock up. I will definitely try your blend. 🙂
My mother was just telling me about the incredible number of cicada “shells?” that are lying around. I guess I’d already left home when the last round went through, because I don’t remember it.
I don’t mind them so much, in small quantities 🙂
Could it be the cute hats on the front of the bag that “makes” you love the coffee? Just wondering…
Your fellow Missourians are in all of our thoughts and prayers.
I live down the street from Ferris Nut!! While I am not a coffee drinker, it sure does smell nice when they are brewing 🙂
Well nothing new but something old, we had beautiful weather here yesterday and it was like 70 and then today it decided to snow on us, and hail on us and rain all day long… So more like hoping for something new.
Ooh, we went through that cicada stuff out here in PA several years ago. It was horrible. I actually drove to Michigan and spent time there with my brother and family until the cicadas died out. As to the tornadoes, our prayers are with all of you in harm’s way. Praying that this is the end of the terrible storms and that there is no more loss of life. Stay safe!
Hi Sheri. When I first experienced that cicada event in Chesterfield, I thought I would die. I had just stretched out in our hammock with a good book, turned to my right to look at the tree trunk and didn’t see that trunk. All I could see were the abandoned shells from the cicadas! Would have much rather seen the baby squirrels sunning their chins on the edge of their hole in the white oak tree.
This is the only thing don’t miss about St. Louis. Everthing else, I miss dearly, including the concretes at Ted Drewes.
BTW, we had terrrible storms the other night and I think we sent you those awful storms. Sorry about that. Hope summer comes quickly leaving the spring storms behind.
I actually like the sound of the cicada in the summer. It won’t be too long before they begin here. I think they kinda sound like we should be in the Twilight Zone. Right now it is the frogs at night that are amusing me. It sounds like a jungle out there after dark. Stay safe.
The cicadas are so bad here the kids can’t go out & play cause they land on them! My husband SHOVELED the crispy ones off the sidewalks & had to sweep them away from the front door & off the jams so we could get into the house. DISGUSTING!!!!!!!!!!!!! You want to see something funny you should watch my d-i-l sprint from her car to our front door so they don’t land on her!
I love cicadas. In France, they’re considered good luck, and I have a sterling silver cicada necklace bought by my grandmother in France the the 1930s. As a kid, my brothers and I would line up the shells on the side of our porch . . . Good memories for me 🙂
Here in CO, we’ve had spells of bad weather, but nothing like you’ve been having in the midwest. Also, no cicadas here 🙁
Take care.
Sarah
I’m from El Reno, Oklahoma. A tornado that killed several people in Calumet, El Reno, Piedmont, and Guthrie missed my parents’ farm by about 1.5 miles.
I guess technology is good and bad, because while I was able to watch the live stream of KWTV in Oklahoma City, the information was almost too terrifying to hear. I almost closed my browser because I just couldn’t take it – I knew exactly what was at those intersections Gary England was calling out, but then one of their storm trackers would talk about a different intersection and road that completely contradicted the others. And, of course, I couldn’t get anybody in El Reno on the phone. Was that because they were in the shelter? Did the cell tower a quarter-mile away go down in the storm? Would _somebody_ please tell me what’s happening before I get in the car and drive down there?!?
After 20 minutes of pacing and screaming, I decided to try different technology: Twitter. So I launched TweetDeck, and there it was – a tweet, less than one minute old, from my brother, giving the ‘all clear’ for my family.
I’ve heard from some childhood friends that their farms and homes and families are safe, but another high school classmate’s home was completely destroyed. I found out about it looking at the photos on the Web site of one of the OKC TV stations. It’s a weird feeling after a tornado – always is, because if you aren’t affected, sometimes you don’t really know what to say to those who were. We’ve dealt with tornado damage before at the farm – three times in my lifetime, several old pecan trees knocked down, barns destroyed, glass in the house blown out – but not total wipeout. This time, the wreckage 1.5 miles down the hill and the highway is different.
No cicadas here yet, though. Maybe the storms scared ’em off. 😉
Gotta watch your step with the cicadas! I remember when that happened up in MI. I was bopping along on my tippy toes trying to keep my shoes from getting it. Gross.
I hope the tornadoes stay away from MO too. So sad.
What a beautiful photo of the raindrops on the tabletop! It looks like a work of abstract art. Sure do hope that the Midwest weather calms down soon! It’s been a long time since there was a tornado season like this one.
Hey! I’ve been to Ferris–they are from GR.
13 year cicadas are clicking away in the woods and making a racket. Fireflies/lightening bugs are blinking at night at the candles on the porch. There is a heat index of 105 degrees F! I am hidding out in the house except early hours of the morning….It is still May FPS!!!!!