Blue Sky Day.

6-30-23 VERMONT: It stopped raining yesterday after successive daily totals of 1.0, 1.75, 1.75 for a total of 5.75 inches for the week. The upper pond is full and a torrent off water is coming down over the waterfall. Today is sunny and things are drying out. There are still large puddles everywhere. 

In between storms I have been doing garden chores. The peonies were soaked by the rain and washed to the ground. I cut off about a hundred, but was able to salvage a handful. Other plants have needed staking or supporting. 

Today is the beginning of the long Fourth Weekend. We will have a houseful, starting today with Lily, Danna and a few friends with more coming later.  

The phoebe babies are out of the nest. Turtles are back in the sun today. I have had to pull the boat out of the pond every day to empty it.

Last summer was very dry and was a La Niña year, but this year is an El Niño year and is very wet, so far.

New blooms: rosebay rhododendron, swamp valerian, water lily, lychnis, catalpa.

This is the biggest waterload I have ever seen here.

The phoebe chicks. Three are obvious, the fourth is lower and in front of the others, facing left. Today is nest is empty.

One of the last to open, I like the single flowers better than the usual doubles.

White Admiral butterfly, first one fo the season.

The rain stopped.