I just thought the place was greening up! This last wonderful rain storm has made everything grow FAST and BIG! The trees are fuller than they have been in at least ten years. Drought makes things just survive despite my best watering efforts. 

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The honeysuckle are just starting to bloom and they are oh so pretty. I took a few pictures but it will be a day or two before they really start opening. The aroma drives my sinuses crazy but they don't last a long time and it is well worth the suffering.

The periwinkle has continued to bloom their cute little blue flowers. I thought I was doing something terrible wrong but now, they bloom in great profusion. They are still sending out runners trying to take over the pathway and driveway as well. 

The nut grass growing in the backyard is a lush beautiful lawn. Oh yes, Ha! I know where it came from and it's just another reason not to buy the cheap bags of compost and manure they offer every spring at the grocery store. It spreads like crazy and makes few real nuts but I don't think we'll ever be needing to eat them. I know they are edible but blah, yuck! 

Randy had clipped the very top of the trumpet vine about a month ago and now, it is putting out lots of greenery. We've not yet had any blooms but sure hope this will be the first year. It is near the hummingbird feeder so I hope to get lots of great photos of the hummers at the blooms. Randy mentioned how it was much prettier a sight when the birds were at a bloom and not a feeder. I must agree. 

The desert willow trees are fully leafed out and with all this rain, the blooms should be appearing soon. It will survive little rain and bloom only in the fall but with lots of watering or rain, they bloom from spring all the way through to the fall and freezing. What a beautiful flower to look forward to. I've seen the hummingbirds checking out the trees to see if there are any blooms yet.

Butterflies and more butterflies all over the place. Even the big black and bright yellow ones. Lots of monarch and even more of a small black and orange one. The extra rain on all this sand makes them just as happy as well, little butterflies.

I am so proud of all the great information on goats coming from our new writers Jack and Kathy. They have lots of tips on how to do things right and why. They have so many recipes and have even been answering questions coming in from interested readers. I find myself jotting down questions getting ready to ask some more soon. 

Just came back in from making my rounds and noticed a clump of elm new growth and the leaves had all been stripped. Probably a caterpillar.  They can move through in the middle of the night and strip down an entire plant.