Friday, July 11, 2008

And it rained, and it poured.........

There's something majestic about the sky this morning. It may be the remnants of last night's thunderstorm clouds, or maybe the way the sun is struggling to peek through which causes that amazing ray of light. I don't know but looking at the sky makes me smile.
That up there is a photo of the sky as I see it from my kitchen window.

We're in the middle of Monsoon Season here in Arizona, which I guess is my favorite. I'm a rain kinda gal, I love the smell of it, I love the sound of it and I love using it as an excuse to sit around the house relaxing, maybe sitting on the couch with a blanket and a bowl of popcorn while watching some soppy girl flick.

So yesterday around 5pm the skies started turning this dark purple color and within 30 minutes we were getting Severe Thunderstorm Warnings. Now it's happened before where we get the warnings but not the rain, this time was different though because we not only got rain but such strong winds that they knocked over my huge recycle bin.


You all know how much I love sky photos and it's been a long time since I've shared them with you, so I'm glad I'm getting back into that habit again, if there's one thing that the Arizona skies can provide, is a beautiful array of colors.

I have a few things going on this morning, starting with stripping the beds of all linens and washing everything, if there is no more rain I may be able to hang them out to dry outside, otherwise it's into the dryer they go.


Then I have to bake some bread, I'm going to use Kelli's recipe for the Amish White Bread, it's the one I always use and I prefer to stick to what I know.

In the meantime I need to get my dinner going, I'm making 1-2-3-4 Chili in the Slow Cooker, I think it's the perfect day for it. I'll make some cornbread to go with it later and for dessert we still have that wonderful Orange Cake. While you're there you may want to check out the new recipe I posted for Honey Mustard Chicken Pasta, it was a huge hit with the family.


The kids have been begging to play outside this week, but I haven't allowed them and not because I'm mean, no, it's just that last weekend they were in the pool and both ended up getting burned. I don't know what they did with the sunscreen but apparently it wasn't on their body. They have sensitive skin and they burn easily. So I kept them in this week but they're fine now and I had said they could go play for a bit but then the rain kicked in. Poor kids.

We'll probably end up doing some sort of craft, or watching a movie or reading or something, not sure yet.

I want to set aside some time as well so I can finish this project, it's a prim stitchery that I want to hang in my bedroom. The finished project will say:

Curtis ♥ Sandra
Two lives, Two hearts
Joined together by love
United in Marriage
August 12th, 1998

Problem is I ran out of the color I was using for the text, so I'm considering leaving the Curtis and Sandra as is and doing the date at the bottom the same color, removing the Two Lives, Two Hearts part and redoing it and the rest of the text in a different color? What to do, what to do?

I'll figure it out eventually, but for now I do need to start my day. Help yourselves to some Orange Cake and there's some hot coffee in the kitchen too, please stay as long as you like.

19 comments:

Cheri said...

I like rain too- just not storms.
Your dinner tonight sounds yummy.
I'm making your orange cake next week.

Kirstin said...

I love the sky too. I took some about a month or so ago of some funky clouds we had. I would have sworn that were we in any other part of the states, we would have tornado warnings at any moment.

Your bread looks yummy too!

I gave my hubby a hard time yesterday. About a month ago he was in arizona for a conference with a friend. And yesterday lo and behold I got something in the mail from arizona...the nice police there were kind enough to send us a "ticket" from one of those video radars and there was my hubby's handsome face right there on the paper...I always wondered how those gadgets worked...now I know.

Barbara said...

Love rain... the smell is amazing and the pitter patter on the windows is so soothing.

And homemade bread... Now I have a craving for it, I guess I know what I'm doing this afternoon ;)

threesidesofcrazy said...

That bread looks amazing and we're almost out. I think I'll have to make some too!

Mari said...

I love the rain too - and your sky pictures! That stitchery you are doing looks great - almost 10 years for you two!

Mike Golch said...

I donot mind some rain whewn it is comming down in buckets well I wondering if I should built an ark!

the food and bread looks great,I think I will have a cup of cofee and a slice of bread and butter, Please.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it! Hugs and Blessings.

Anonymous said...

Is that on post housing? It looks really nice! I love the tile roof!
Toni

Jen said...

Your Orange Cake sounds really good. And thunderstorms are awesome...we had one the other day. I just love watching the sky. I hate it that the kids got sun burned..that does stink but I think its best they stay inside too. Have a great weekend.

Andrea@Sgt and Mrs Hub said...

We LOVE the sky here also. Must be the Southwest :)

Enjoy the peace that the rain brings.

My goodness that food looks GOOD! Bet your house smells awesome!

-Andrea

Jillina said...

you post the best sky pictures. :)

that food looks yummy, you always send my tummy into fits of rumbling!! :)

hugs

Michelle said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Michelle said...

What amazing pictures of the sky as always & I must make the pasta dish.thanks for the blog visit.have a great weekend..

Lavinia said...

Sandra its raining here too. We don't have those big wide open Arizona skies...but what we do have is a dishwater grey sky....more rain.....it rained yesterday too.

That bread looks so good, I want to tear into it, with a good slab of butter handy beside me for spreading.

Your new photo is beautiful, I really like it!

Laura said...

Oh my word, that chicken recipe is going on my menu plan next week for sure!

Lulu said...

the bread looks delich Sandra..
wow, arent you crafty..:) Looks pretty, cant wait to see it finished..
your food always looks so yummy..
have a great weekend..

Unknown said...

Wow! That is some sky!

So let me get this straight. It's July in AZ and you bake?! I don't turn on my oven if I can help it. Do you have a secret to keep your kitchen cool?

That embroidery will be fab!

Linds said...

There is nothing to beat the smell of home-made bread baking! I must try your recipe.

I love the changing skies too, and we have so much rain here that I am losing my sense of humour. Summer is but a dream. I would actually like to be able to SEE the sky!

Have a great weekend! And I love the stitching - I think going with a different colour in the middle sounds just fine.

Elizabeth said...

That is just beautiful! And that bread looks delicious! I miss bread. Thankfully, we're starting to believe our son's sensitivity is with casein, not gluten... If that's the case, I'll bake bread everyday for a month! Thanks for stopping by. It's nice to "meet" you :)

Sheila said...

Oh, Sandra, your bread and pasta look divine!

I love cooking for my family, and giving them good things to eat. The only problem is I love a lot of other things, too, and I have the attention span of a cocker spaniel. Look, a ball!

Anyway, I shall take inspiration from this...

Visit To Love, Honor and Vacuum today!