Returning to a Near Tragedy

About two weeks ago I went out of town to visit family for the weekend. Nice short trip. While I was gone we had another very crazy rainstorm according to everyone at home.  Mom even told me she had brought some plants inside because they were getting drenched. Even though the weather was warm and perfect where I was, I was kind of envious not to be around for the rain.

When we arrived home last Monday almost the first thing I did was fawn over how well my recent transplants in the front had done -

calendula Zeolights and a mystery larkspur from trade

yarrow along the front strip, and a nasturtium that came up out of nowhere

the yarrow are already sending up new shoots!

Then I went to the backyard to check on my Green Babies and the water level in the rain gauge - 

over two inches!

(in our area that's how much we might get in an entire year)

Then in my ridiculously happy state I turned around and nearly fell over when I saw the babies - 

 NOOOOOOOoooooooooooooo!!!

I was not prepared for that. See, the youngest seedlings are all on a recently completed craft shelf under an east facing overhang. It's the perfect spot to get all the sun they need, stay out of the worst heat of the day, and stay protected from weather and overnight chill. Well, apparently not so perfect if it's raining with an easterly wind :/ The next thirty minutes were spent draining all the trays and checking on every baby.

When I was a bit calmer mom came and reminded me about the plants she had moved inside. I had totally forgotten about that and rushed in -

 Felis catus "Lead the Way" insisted on showing me the miracle

It was very relieving to find the rest on my Green Children safe and sound. And very surprised. See, mom likes all the different flower varieties I've gotten growing in the front yard after decades of only rose bushes, Shasta daisies and cosmos. But she finds it annoying that I start so many seeds indoors and spend so much time fussing over the Green Babies that we can't possibly have enough room for. It is a freaking miracle, a momentary grace of the garden spirits if you will, that she noticed, cared enough, and went to the trouble of bringing them inside. If she hadn't I would have had to restart all those weeks old plants, some nearly ready to go to the rental, our front yard, and my container garden.

In fact despite the crazy weather there was only one loss -

 my desert bluebell, the wind stripped all the flowers and nearly all the foliage

All the other container plantings were doing great, especially my successful black pansy -