The other evening we had a gorgeous sunset, look at the way the sun, behind the clouds, is barely lining the edge of the clouds - it was just beautiful:
Tuesday night we had a really strong storm, lightening all around us, constant thunder, and then the hail started. It was so loud inside The Palms. Katie and I were in bed in our over-the-cab bunk and after a few minutes, Katie came up from the foot of the bed and crawled under the covers close to me. She doesn't shake or show fear when it storms, but this one got to her.
I woke up before it started and saw flashing lights outside the dinette window. I thought something with the Rangers or Police was going on near me, so I climbed down and opened the shade to see what was happening and it was lightening on the northern horizon. Constant, flashing lights from end to end of the northern horizon.
I went back to bed and looked out the upper bunk windows from time to time. Clear view to the lightening on the horizon. Suddenly the rain and hail started and I pulled the curtains over again, and there was absolutely no visibility - total solid rain and hail. It was really something. After a bit I started wondering if I was going to be stuck in mud, my site was so large it wasn't graveled all over and my front wheels were at the edge of the site. I climbed down and started the engine and moved The Palms back, into the site more, just in case. I also took a photo out the front window, it looked like it was snowing:
In the morning I went outside, and our tires were fine, still on solid ground, and look at the hail that was still on the ground:
See The Palms below - in the distance?
I walked over to the electric loop to check on Jeanne and especially Annie - this was her first storm in Bliss, her new rig, and I wondered if she and Jake and the kitties made it through all the rain without any leaks. Luckily we all made it though without any damage or leaks. (I had some tiny holes punched through some trim pieces - eight holes - but I filled them with Goop).
As I was walking over I stopped to talk to the man in the site next to Jeanne's, and he mentioned he was leaving that morning. I was anxious to get into that campground area, so after checking on the girls, I went back and packed up and drove over to Jeanne's site and parked with her, facing the neighbor's site. When he pulled out, we pulled in. (I've been keeping my eye on the sites here and hit pay dirt.)
(Although I liked the site I was in and felt lucky to get it, there were two more thunderstorms predicted and I wasn't crazy about the possibility of getting stuck there. Also, it 's such a large site and within the site is a "day use" area with a picnic table. With the 4th of July coming, I was a little worried about a crowd coming in. I would have welcomed them - and usually these large family groups are really good neighbors - but I'd rather be alone and have it a bit quieter.)
I love the site I'm in now, it has wonderful views and so far it's great. It looks really pretty in this photo, but it's actually kind of plain. Here at Storrie Lake the sites have water and garbage cans in each site, and that's very convenient. These sites are also pretty level.
I have a couple of photos of me and the dogs, the first one Annie took for me with my camera, while I was sitting in the shelter holding Katie, and Jake and Riley were close enough to get all three dogs in one photo. As you can see, they are all looking in different directions and ignoring each other, which is what usually happens. They all get along, but don't interact much or play with each other.
This next photo, I've been wanting to get for a while. Lately when I'm busy at the dinette, eating or on the computer, Katie will come up on the bench seat and force her nose under my arm and rest her head on me, wanting to snuggle. I actually took this picture of the computer screen in front of us, acting like a mirror. She will close her eyes and go to sleep if I don't make her move. She's such a little baby sometimes. :) I was eating an English muffin when she snuck that little nose through (notice my cool locket?).
Tomorrow is the 4th of July and we're having a bar-b-que pot luck. Should be fun! We've had huge black clouds coming our way all afternoon and the storm just started - I can hear thunder and see lightning, and hear occasional hail. I'm hoping we won't get a lot - they are predicting penny-sized hail and that could really do some damage, the last storm had pea-sized hail. :(
From me and Katie, have a safe and fun 4th of July, everybody! :)
