Sunday, June 1, 2008

queen of the indoors

This is my new title. I am Queen of the Indoors. You may feel free to spread the news of my fame to every land you visit. I proudly wear this crown after a very interesting Saturday here in North Carolina. It was a day to remember. Why?

First, I weeded. Yes, I took pity on my poor husband and went outside to help him clear out the weeds and leaves under our Magnolia tree. Did you know that their leaves fall in the summer? I do now. Well, he was out there blowing the leaves out from under the tree and he got almost all the way around the tree. Then he ran out of gas for the blower, when he was about 3/4 way through. So, being the faithful wife I am, I went out and got the rake and pulled most of the rest of the leaves up, taking care not to pull the pine needles from underneath.

"That's as good as it's gonna get." I said when most were up.

"You're not gonna get them all?" He asks.

"I'd have to crawl around and pick them up by hand!" He is CRAZY to think I am going to do this, but he looks at me like this is EXACTLY what he expects.

"Fine...you'd better take a picture, cause this is the first and last time I will be doing this."

He got the camera. Smart man.

We worked for about an hour. I sweated. I hate to sweat. I pricked my fingers and got hot. But it looked nice. I even sprayed Roundup...points for me right?

Then in the afternoon, here comes the rain.
Not just rain, HAIL. In North Carolina. Where it was 85 degrees when I was pulling those darn weeds.
Here is it pooled up in my umbrella. Sorry the pics not so great, but hey, I am Queen of the INDOORS. Pay Attention.
The hail shooting of the roof.
And collecting on the back patio.Five minutes later.


I took a close up for you. This time I actually did open the door and use the ZOOM.
I must mention that it is thundering and lightning and I am cooking during this and taking pictures. All because I think this will make a great post.
This from the front yard. When I walk to the back...
"Honey?" I say.
"Yeah?" I hear.
"The patio umbrella's gone!" I shout.
Um, yeah. It flew over the house and ended up in the neighbor's front yard. From our BACK yard to their FRONT yard. Past our two cars and driveway and hits their tree.The rain stopped and everyone came outside. This is my neighbor Janet's front walk.
Our neighbors Mike and April have an L shaped house and the hail piled up in front of their steps.
See how deep? I stuck my foot in, and then I had hail in my shoe. Cold! If you notice, I am wearing my apron. I told you I was cooking.
Hail in my hand. See how big!?
Then the sun came out.
Everything started steaming up. The street was covered with shredded leaves and our bags of leaves that we collected in the morning had washed down to the corner.
Our umbrella on the curb for trash pick-up. Bye bye, Pier One Umbrella. You were good for two summers.
Our peaceful front yard after the storm. All quiet and pretty. So I finished cooking my dinner and we watched a movie. All hail, the Queen of the Indoors. Inside is best.

69 comments:

Melissa Stover said...

great pictures. the last one is awesome.

Heather said...

Those were amazing pictures!! That was alot of hail. I bet it was REALLY loud. I'm so sorry that your umbrella got trashed. It looked like a really cute umbrella.

Keys to the Magic Travel said...

Isn't summer in the south fun? We had hail last week. And that rain that makes it hotter than it was before. I hate humidity. And I'll be your lady in waiting for the indoors :-)

Hunny Bee said...

That last pic is really pretty. I've never seen hail like that. We get it up this way (Chicago) from time to time, but I've never had the misfortune of having my house pummelled by it. Lucky you! All hail Queen of the Indoors!!!

Tracey said...

I just read your comment at Debbie's blog. Even though she is my friend in real life (we go to the same church)I am a secret blogger too! My husband and a few of my friends read but I haven't bothered giving the address to my other family.

That was some crazy hail girlfriend!

Karin @ 6ByHisDesign said...

OK, first off, the man has a car and can go buy (albeit pricy) a bit of gas, right? So, TOTAL points for you. I would not have done that.

Second. Good Gracious that was one crazy storm. I, too, have begun to look at life through Blogger glasses.

Fascinating pictures!
~Karin

Caroline said...

I never would have known there were storms like that half an hour north. Here (Asheboro) we got JACK SQUAT! Not even a drop of rain. How unfortunate.

Marc Cauthon said...

Welcome to the land of hail. We've had it every night for the past week. They say that Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are our next shots at it.

I can't wait.

It's fun having kids run into your bed at three in the morning....ok, not so fun.

Lula! said...

What I'm wondering is...did the hail damage your precious magnolia? 'Cause that would tear me all to pieces, being a southern magnolia-lover and all. I'm sorry about that adorable umbrella, but the losing a majestic magnolia would be far worse, in my book.

Great pics, by the way...the final one is just too gorgeous.

Rebekah said...

Wow! Great pictures. You should always hold this card in your back pocket and present it when asked to do yard work. Remember the last time I helped you....

Sarah said...

What a storm! We watched it from your east on Saturday, wondering if it would make it to the northwest side of the county, but we were not graced with the hail (thank goodness!) Indoors sounds great to me!

Sissy, thanks so much for the prayers and encouragement you left on my blog. I am glad you stopped by, read, and wrote. Thank you so much.

Enjoy these last 7 days of school!

Unknown said...

I'm with chickadee...I love the last one!
I LOVE thunderstorms! Love lightning, Love thunder, the works! Wish I woulda been there!

Debbie said...

WOW. Those pictures are spectacular! You really caught the essence of the whole thing. What a terrific post!

Tiffany said...

Oh MY! That is some serious hail!

Kimba said...

Those are some great pictures! I love a good storm. Especially if it involves hail. I've been known to go outside and sit on the porch all wrapped up in a blanket when it really gets going.

Jennifer P. said...

I would so stay inside for all that as well! Very exciting!--and yet pretty at the same time! I'm sure someone will come along and think your broken umbrella is a treasure :)!

Putting the FUN in DysFUNctional said...

We haven't had hail here in years. I thought your pics were pretty cool. lol
When TS Fay was threatening us, the first thing I did was took my patio umbrella down! I didn't want to lose that thing.
Congrats on your SITS feature!

EmmaP said...

quite the pics, quite the storm, and quite the story! reminds me of tornado weather back home in Indiana! So...will you be passing on that crown soon? I think my rose bushes over here in Utah have nominated me as our state's Queen of the Outdoors. Darn those thorns! hate 'em!

Buttons and Dots Photography said...

Gorgeous pictures! I am in Virginia and we are expecting Fay today. Guess I better take my umbrella down!

wendy said...

Great pix - love the end where the world seems to be vaporizing!!

Creative Junkie said...

I love that bottom photo!

We're used to that kind of weather in NY but my parents live in NC and they tell me that that weather would be enough to shut down their town for a week!

Belle (from Life of a...) said...

You're not even kidding...Indoors ROCKS! Congratulations on your SITS day.

Lori said...

I am SO with you on cherishing the comfort of Indoors! Next time your hubby suggests you do yardwork, remind him what happened this time. Mother Nature obviously does not approve of you picking up leaves.

Karol said...

All Hail the Queen of Indoors!!

I feel ya on the yard work, ugh! Those pictures are AWESOME!! *Happy SITS Day!

(RIP lovely Pier One umbrella)

Anonymous said...

I love that last picture and the one of your foot in the hail!
Congratz on being today's SITS featurette!

What A Card said...

Happy SITS day! What a storm that must have been, and such lovely pictures!

Unknown said...

Happy SITS day...

I like the steam pictures!! Very cool!

Sisterly Love Card Co said...

You got some great pictures! So sad about the umbrella.

Debbie Y. said...

I love to take pictures of things happening all around. The steam/fog pictures are the best and the one with the hail bouncing off the roof.

Happy SITS day!

EmBee said...

I am an 'Indoor' woman myself. If there's any chance I might break into a sweat I will cling to the air conditioner with a fierce grasp.

Now, a moment of silence for the umbrella...........................

And that was one heck of a storm! But how thrilling it (you know scary-fun) it must've been to witness and the pictures are beautiful!

Tracy P. said...

Beautifully documented. We must have had the same hail storm while it was on it's way to you. When that wind comes in it's like the great neighborhood yard toy and furniture swap.

Oh my gosh. My word verification here is ylurki. Get it? Y lurki? In other words, leave a comment! Did you rig that somehow? You ARE smart!

Tracy P. said...

Ooops, that would be its. On its way. Not it's.

nikkicrumpet said...

wonderful pictures.....may your umbrella rest in piece.

Ronnica said...

And it's raining again today (but hopefully no hail). I'm in NC, too.

You sure got a lot of hail! Being from Kansas I've seen a lot, but never quite that much all at once!

Rhea said...

Holy cow, that was a lot of hail! What a crazy day!! I can't believe how far the umbrella made it. lol

thotlady said...

A story with pictures...I love it!

Jamy said...

That sucks! Of course the weather comes to mess up the nice job you did! All that hard work! I agree. Let's just all stay inside. I love the pictures! You are quite talented! I must admit, it looks very pretty with all the mist.

Bramblemoon Farm said...

Wow, amazing pics of the hail! I didn't even know this could happen when it was that hot out. Sorry about the leaves after all your work. I hate when that happens. I think this is a lesson to be learned: you should not be the one to gather magnolia leaves-- it brings hail. I think it's your husband's job now:)

Melissa Lester said...

Those were great pictures. I'm not big on yard work, so the storms we have experienced this week and the debris they have left behind have me wanting to stay inside too!

Aubrey said...

Funny what husbands expect isn't it? I bet it felt so good to have it all cleaned out though right?

Jen said...

oh my what a storm. that is kinda crazy.

♥ Becky ♥ said...

WOW, that was quite a storm. Great pictures though. I loved the steam rising from the ground.

Happy SITS Day!!!

Jenni said...

So, how many new leaves are under your magnolia tree NOW?! That looked like it left a bit of a mess. But it bet it was fun to watch.

Unknown said...

What beautiful photos. It is hard to believe how that hail piled up in the neighbors yard! Congratulations on your SITS day!

Anonymous said...

That last picture is beautiful. After all that hard work, how many leaves had fallen again after the hail storm?

I'm not much of an outdoor person either. I did mow the lawn for the very first time in my life this spring. The second time I mowed, I mowed my name into the grass. And, of course, I blogged about it all.

Michelle said...

Wow, now THAT is a hailstorm. I don't believe I've seen that much collect before (now watch us have the hailstorm to end all hailstorms today). I do love the steam coming up. That was awfully pretty. And cool.

At least you got two summers out of your umbrella. We got only one. And we're still without.

Enjoy your view from your kingdom!

Party of 5 said...

That sounds like here. Couple of years ago there was a 3 wks period where EVERYDAY it would hail at 5pm on.the.dot. Strangest thing.

It was the end of May.

Congrats on your feature.

Anonymous said...

That is some crazy weather!!! Great pics!!!

Tinabean said...

I love this post it is fun & gives us all a little taste of your experience.

Tabitha Blue said...

I have the same umbrella! Aww, sorry my umbrella sista. What a storm. Great pics though!

TheMama said...

I'm sorry you lost your umbrella... what strange weather we've all been having!

The pictures are amazig, though. I love the steam rising from the ground after the storm.

Mama Dawg said...

Those are awesome pictures!

mrsmouthy said...

That's some emo weather! My husband and I have similar weed-picking conversations. If you want, you can feel like you're not alone by reading this post: http://mrsmouthy.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!C48DB47FC79C0C2C!137.entry

Laural Out Loud said...

I love the photos at the end that show the steam rising from the ground- how cool is that! Thanks for capturing such crazy weather, your telling of it was fun to read!

Summer said...

How funny! I just finished reading the chapter in "The First Four Years" by Laura Ingalls Wilder where a hail storm takes out their entire year's farming crop. They watched their neighbor step outside to grab a stone, and get knocked unconscious by one!
But they use the stones to make icecream, so there's something.

And here, you've lived a similar experience. Lose a patio umbrella- get some awesome photos. So there's something. Maybe you can sell the photos and get money for a new umbrella...

Random ramblings- I think I need some icecream.

sassy stephanie said...

Man, that is some serious hail!

Alison said...

I'd rather be indoors too. That last picture is super cool.

Andie said...

great pictures!!!

Mom24 said...

I would almost always rather be indoors. I have a soft spot for hail though, it got us a new roof and siding. lol.

Shannon said...

I am so an indoor gal, too. Don't care to be outdoors and I hate hate hate to sweat. Thankfully my husband takes care of all the yardwork. Every last bit of it :)


Those last few pics, with the steam... I think those are kinda pretty!

Melanie Dickens said...

Indoors is the only way to go. I love the last few pictures, so motion picture worthy.

Kelly said...

Indoors is definitely best with a messed up weather day like that one was. I'm glad the umbrella was the only casuality!
Congrats on your SITS day; bask in your comment love!!

Amy said...

Visiting from SITS. A day late, but I made it. Wow! Those are some awesome photos.

Anonymous said...

Here a day late from SITS. Congrats btw.

That's one heck of a storm. I've never seen that much hail! We had hail here in Miami about a month back and I just about had a stroke. They'd land in the grass and bounce up. Pretty cool. But inside is best.

Live.Love.Eat said...

Sorry I'm a day late. Congrats on being featured. I remember reading your profile awhile ago and loved it!!! Great pics.

Rachelle Lynne said...

A day late, but...I am waiting for the day MY umbrella takes flight during one of the many windstorms of Virgin-i-a!

WheresMyAngels said...

I love it, that was aLOT of hail, I thought we had alot last year but you out beat us I think (will have to go back and look at our pictures.

I would of been so mad if I would of picked them leaves all up and then that happened.

Rela Pantaleon said...

Very nice!...But hailin' in June (and snow in Jersey i heard recently) - is that normal? I don't know because I'm not familiar with the US weather patterns.

Anyway...I am another queen of indoors in the making. I could stay at home for a week and work on my computer. Not that I don't like outdoors (I actually love it) but I am prioritizing stuff indoors!

Maybe call me princess of the indoors... :)

Heather said...

omgosh! That is crazy stuff!! Fantastic pictures!!!