I’ve been enjoying walks along the creek in the pasture.

Not sure anyone else is, but I sure enjoy it.

We’ve been going over and checking on  our heifers. They are in a pasture over there with the other heifers, and Poppy, and I want Ghost to remember that she is tame. No  problems there. I was nearly smashed today because ALL of the heifers, and Poppy, think they are pets.

The creek  bottom is full of poison ivy and the creek is mostly dry. It’s still fun, in our boots and jeans.

There is a really good spring in  the bottom. The moss bright green where the water comes up. The deerflies were plentiful too. The Goblin Child was very confused at first. She said she thought a butterfly just bit her! Why would a butterfly bite her? We stared for a long time at the fish, small minnows and bigger somethings swimming about. The water rippled violently with the shear number of minnows flocking away from our presence.

As we climbed through the sprawling branches of a big willow the children following behind called for me to come back! They thought they had found a lizard!

Going back I found a big? Not caterpillar. Not grub. Something though. With its long body looking somewhat like a lizard sticking out of the cow poop. I had walked right over it but they noticed. We stopped and looked. Poking it gently in curiosity. Then continued on our way.

We had a storm blow through last night.

On the radar it looked like we might get rain, it showed clouds coming.

As the line of clouds got closer we started getting high wind warnings. Then the power went out.

As the clouds came over head my husband called us out to see the dust cloud. It was clearly separate from the storm clouds. A brown fog billowing beneath the grey. We stood watching it in horrified fascination. Until it hit.

We saw the wind hit the trees in front of us and we were pelted by gravel as we dashed for the house. Safely inside we watched the dust cloud envelop the yard. We could barely see across the driveway. Staring out in horror we were transfixed. Until my husband said the gecko was blowing away!It was a gift a few years ago. A well loved pool toy that they had gotten out to play with in our little pool. In getting everything else put away I had forgotten about the pool.

As I ran to look I saw the little green inner-tube fly past. It was gone no hope of saving and cheap to replace. I couldn’t see the Gecko though. My husband nearly knocked me over running to the door. Of course I followed.

Outside the drive was being scoured by wind. Dirt filled the air. The gecko was flying north, carried by the wind. As I dashed across the road after him I saw it hang up for a moment on his parents house. We might actually be able to catch it! Then it was gone again. Through the yard, over the electric fence, and off, into the hay field. Out there there was no wind break. The gecko was gone.

Still he ran after it though!

It hesitated in the lee of the trees, enough of a windbreak that he had time to catch up and grab the treasured toy.

Now all we had to do was fight our way back into the wind, carrying a kite, and keep from being blown away. In the house we scratched at scalps covered in grit, and used the precious remaining water, because there was no electricity, to wash the dirt from our faces and teeth.

There never was any rain with the storm. Only dirt and wind. After the wind died down a bit there was some lightening, no fires that I heard of though. 8 was traumatized by the whole thing. Terrified of the wind.  My husband was awesome though. He had saved our toy instead of staying inside out of the wind and filth. Now that was chivalrous.