Sure, we’ve all showered or talked on the phone during thunderstorms, even though “they” have told us not to. It’s one of those ignored warnings during thunderstorms. Because, I mean, really, is lightning going to strike you inside your home?

Apparently it can.

It happened in Topeka Saturday to a 15-year-old girl: Lightning Strike Injures Teen in Shower.

Dave and I were sitting on the porch at lunchtime.

Yellow Cat stopped by for a visit. “Pet me, please. I don’t have the rabies.”

Pouting Tiger.

You!

Huh?

Ooh, a dandelion!

It’s nice when people come together to help out a family in need. This evening at the Messiah Lutheran Church parking lot, hamburger or hot dog meals were sold for $4 each to benefit the family of Caide Timmons, a little guy (2.5 years old) who had surgery for brain tumors and is undergoing radiation treatments.

Marilyn Laird and Jeannie Jenkins take orders and money.

Boy, it smelled good downwind from this cooker!

This is the meal. Hamburger, bbq beans (Fanestil beans, I think), Fritos, a can of pop, and a homemade dessert. (In this case, no-bake chocolate cookies.)

Dan posted additional photos of Picher because of publicity generated by an MSNBC article about the town’s pending demise because of mining pollution.

This weekend, a tornado hit the town of Picher, killing six and causing extensive property damage.

A doomed town.

Some of April’s hypertufa is out at Toad Hollow and is available for sale.

Three years ago (my, the years go fast), April gave a hypertufa demonstration.

Yeowser!

Flyover Friend Max Wendell of Woodbine sent me a photo of a big ol’ fish he caught. Forty-four pounds of catfish!

Oh - I should add Max’s colorful description of the event: this is my first big cat of 2008. he was 44 lbs did not get a measurement. caught him on rod and reel by myself. fought him for 25 min’s when landing him had get on my belly and stick my hand in his mouth. he damaged my thumb boggered my glasses and weted my watch. after pictures he was released in father petellas lake in down town herington and is waiting for a 7 to 10 yr old kid to throw his worm in there. there is lots more to the story but i will discribe the shakeing and heart skiping later. the old fish caller, Max

I stopped by Toad Hollow again this morning. When I arrived, Nina West suggested I smell the spurge, this yellowish-green blooming stuff. No smell. When the breeze blows across this plant, she said, the air smells like honey.

Well, it was too cool, but an hour or so later, the sun had warmed up the plants and oh my, yes, the plant smelled exactly like honey.

Light falls on the columbine.

That dark pink in the foreground is an azalea.

Roger Heineken pets Jane Russell. Jane was a stray that wandered into the West’s yard a number of years ago. “She just came and adopted us,” Nina said.

Jane sits between Gaylord and Nina. Gaylord named her Jane Russell because she looks like a Jack Russell terrier.

Of the dog and the cat (pictured yesterday), Gaylord said, “You can’t get either one of them to pull weeds.”

***

Toad Hollow’s Iris Tour is this afternoon and will continue next weekend. For details on this and other upcoming events at the garden, see information on this post.

In a box of old stuff, I found this card I made for my mom when I was just a little twirp. I re-sent it to my mom this year.

The inside. Note the “open” on the bottom of the page. It opens to this…

There’s a torn napkin - in four pieces - held in to the back page with a twist-tie.

Better than a macaroni necklace.

One evening in January, I was thinking about my mom and other people’s moms and I sent her this e-mail:

Just wanted to say… thanks for all the unconditional love you’ve given me for as long as I can remember.

I think I take that unconditional love for granted and think every kid gets that from her mother - but they don’t.

I’ve been very lucky and very blessed to have you for a mother.

“Thanks” seems pretty inadequate. But, thanks. For everything. For all these years of loving me so fully and completely.

I love you, Mom!

Cheryl

St. Andrew’s Wedding Chapel (Episcopal), Ft. Scott.

Red Zinger

Only a couple dozen of the hundreds of iris are blooming this weekend at the annual Toad Hollow Iris Tour. The calendar is ahead of the blooming - the big burst of flowers will likely appear during the week - and flower lovers are invited back to Toad Hollow next weekend.

Toad Hollow is several miles east of Emporia and is the magnificent creation of Nina and Gaylord West.

Even though the iris are not in their full blooming glory, the garden is still spring-lovely. I dropped by this afternoon and took photos.

That small red tree on the left is a Japanese Maple (I think).

Garden Guru Nina West points out an early-blooming peony to a group of women.

Gaylord West shares a bit of gardening knowledge with a guest.

This iris is called Season Ticket.

In the photo this one looks midnight bluish. Out there, it looked nearly black.

Weathered angel.

Peter Pan

Rocks and shells on a board.

The Toad Hollow cat, Tiger. A sweet and friendly kitty.

A kitty prone to naps.

Even if the iris aren’t in full bloom, we have Gaylord to provide entertainment.

Events at Toad Hollow:

Sat/Sun, May 10 - 11; 10 am - 5 pm - Iris Tour

Sat/Sun, May 17- 18; 10 am - 5 pm - Iris Tour with more iris in bloom

Sat. June 7; 10 am - 4 pm, Sun. June 8; 11 am - 4 pm. Art in the Garden. A city of white tents in a country garden is the setting for Emporia’s third annual Art in the Garden show. Come for the beautiful visuals, wonderful music, fragrant flowers, friendly atmosphere, good food and great original art gifts. A variety of original artworks are for sale, including art glass, copper works, drawings, fiber, hypertufa, hand-carved stone, iron sculpture, jewelry, paintings, photography, pottery, sculpture dolls, stained glass, woodcarvings and more. Toad Hollow, 1534 Rd. 170, 342-6959.

Sat/Sun, June 28 - 29; 10 am - 4 pm - Daylily Tour. Toad Hollow’s summer garden is for the daylily lover. Experience over 500 daylilies close-up and personal. The array of colors is amazing. From almost white to almost black, you will see every shade of yellow, salmon, orange, rust, pink and red, not to mention polychromed and eyed blossoms. Form and habit are also diverse. You will see minis, spider form, seersuckering, ruffles, veining and ribbing. Observe high bud count for a longer blooming cycle. Seeing daylilies in the field gives you a better idea of plant vigor, sturdiness and true color in our climate. Roses, love-in-a-mist, rose campion, larkspur, hollyhocks, bronze fennel, purple cone flowers and lilies are among other seasonal plants in bloom during the daylily season.

Toad Hollow features one of the most complete collections of Brother Charles Reckamp daylilies in the Midwest. A Catholic monk in Illinois, Brother Charles died in 1996, but a number of his hybrid seedlings continue to be introduced. This garden also includes hybrids developed by Kansans including the late Ivan Beyer of Gridley.

Photos from 2007 Art in the Garden. More. More.

And More.

Directions: Toad Hollow is just off Exit 135 on I-35, about three miles east of Emporia. MAP

Take the 135 exit and head south to a T-intersection (about 1/4 mile). Turn left (east) and travel 1/4 mile. Toad Hollow is on the north side of the road. The address is 1534 Rd 170, Emporia. 620-343-8655.

These events are free and open to the public. Donations are often accepted for YMCA Camp Wood (near Elmdale) or for art scholarships.

Iris and daylilies and many other plants are for sale. Customers can make a list of desired iris and daylilies. Plants will be dug at a later date and customers will be called when they are available to be picked up.

I’ve just finished two more books by Ray Randolph (aka Helianthus 43). That makes four of his books I’ve read and have enjoyed each one. He’s a writer who learns as he writes - each book is “tighter” and better composed. It’s fun to read books that friends have written. Haven’t actually met Ray - he lives in Indianapolis - but he’s a friend nonetheless. And a native Kansan

“Unfinished Business” is a sequel to “Nothing Lasts Forever.” Both books cover the adventures of a couple of Indianapolis PD detectives and a FBI agent.

What I’m reading now. Just picked these books up when I was in Lawrence this week.

This morning it was warmer than last Saturday, but not by much. It was about 53 with a light breeze.

Young farmers from the Olpe area. Bought some fresh spinach from these guys.

Jim Wallace (of Heritage Hill Homestead near Lebo) talks with Tracy and Rand Simmons. I bought bacon and eggs from Jim and Marilyn Wallace.

Tracy was one of the hundreds of volunteers who helped build the Peter Pan Park Playground. See her photos and story here.

Basil and aloe. I brought home the basil plant. Oh, what fragrance!

my mom in the ’50s

Several people have requested the text from today’s commentary on Kansas Public Radio. So, here it is:

WHAT MOTHERS DO

By Cheryl Unruh

Chances are that I’ve never met your mother.

It’s a big world after all, and I’m just a quiet and somewhat introverted person.

Nevertheless, I’ll bet that I can name a few things your mother did for you while you were growing up.

In fact, I’ve made a list.

Yeah, well, OK, this list is things my mother did for me. But maybe your mom did similar things.

A mother hauls you and your friends eight miles to the swimming pool. After she runs her errands, she waits in a hot car under the shade of an elm tree to let you swim for “just five more minutes, pleeeease.”

On the way home, she stops at the Dairy Queen and buys treats for you and your shivering friends.

A mother shows you that in order to detangle your hair, you comb gently from the ends and work in toward the knot.

A mother lets you pout when you are 11. And 12. And 25. And 42.

She doesn’t scold you for picking all the grape hyacinths from the front yard.

A mother teaches you countless things: how to play tennis, how far apart to plant lettuce seeds, and how to pull ticks off the dog.

When your cat gets his head stuck in a mayonnaise jar, a mother manages to break the jar without injuring the frightened Kitty.

She buys a piano. And is brave enough to remain in the house while you play. And actually says she enjoys listening.

When you’re in the eighth grade, a mother rushes to the hospital after she learns that you’ve been taken there with a broken arm.

When you enroll in Spanish class, she tells you that she, too, took Spanish in high school. She remembers the first line from her textbook: “Que es el burro?” And now you will never forget that particular line either. It will come up in future conversations.

A mother introduces you to Mexican food and searching for the best Mexican restaurants becomes a lifelong habit.

A mother rushes to the hospital (on her birthday this time) when she gets the call that your face has been accidentally doused with watered-down hydrochloric acid during high school chemistry class.

She teaches you how to sew a dart on a blouse, how to match plaid material, how to put a zipper in a garment. And she shows you how to rip out seams when you sew them incorrectly.

She puts vitamin tablets at your place at the table.

A mother peels oranges for you for breakfast because you won’t get around to eating them if you have to peel them yourself. (She doesn’t call you lazy, although that term could certainly be applied in this situation.)

When you get your wisdom teeth removed, she purees Spanish rice in the blender for you.

A mother lets you experiment with food coloring, even if the cake frosting turns out purplish-gray (repeatedly.)

She insists that you fasten your seatbelt.

A mother remembers the day that you took a green crayon and scrawled your name on the bathroom door.

A mother is the one you don’t call because you know she’ll detect that “something’s wrong” from the sound of your voice.

A mother is the one you DO call because you know she’ll detect that “something’s wrong” in the sound of your voice.

And, if your mother was anything like my mom, she loved you, unconditionally, even when you begged for five more minutes, even when you picked every grape hyacinth, even when you pouted.