Ah, Excuse Me...

...I believe you have my ball. 
Spike continues to have faith that some day he will stare the ball into doing what he wants it to do...I offer his silly antics in memory of Admirer. Thanks to Blipper 59 for hosting this month.

We woke to low clouds and a damp mist. It hasn't cleared today but the damp mist has turned into a persistent drizzle...not conducive to getting much done. We managed a short walk with the dogs, brought in the outdoor pillows and closed the umbrellas, lifting the two yellow ones out of their stands and laying them flat before the wind does it for us. The wind tends not to be very selective about where it launches them. 

The paper said that the amount of moisture we get in this little storm will determine whether there will be another red flag warning when the winds and the temperatures pick up on Monday. It's wet enough to drip off the corner of the roof and make puddles, but I suspect it won't do anything to fill the reservoirs or prevent the vegetation from drying out. It is enough to take the pressure off though...at least for a day or two.

They are wrapping the bases of theGeneral Sherman Tree and in Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks with fire resistant blankets to protect them from an approaching  wildfire. The  General Sherman Tree is said to be the world's largest tree, measuring  275 feet (83 meters) tall and over 36 feet (11meters)  in diameter. Walking through a grove of these giant sequoias and looking up into their crowns is an experience like no other ...one feels dwarfed and insignificant but also in awe of a living presence so old and so enormous. It is like walking through a cathedral. Redwoods are very resistant to fire but firefighters are preparing to protect this ancient grove.

In a project designed by Christo and his wife Jeanne-Claude, the Arc de Triomphe was wrapped in silvery blue fabric and will be on view for 16 days. I'm not really sure why, but Christo's projects have had the ability to inspire awe as well...probably just because of their sheer size and scale.