Hot As Hell Week

First sunflower of the year: a volunteer. None of the seeds I planted germinated! Deb Marshall photo

The birds are flown, and I missed it. Nuts! I really wanted to watch the fledging. There was one day when the little angry birds were angrier than usual and chased me further around the garden, so that might have been the start of the fledging days, except I saw the parents still bringing food to the birdhouse, so I decided maybe not. But it’s definitely empty now, and I should probably be cleaning it out so another bird can use it this summer. However, I’ve decided to take the opportunity to do some garden work below and in front of the birdhouse, so I’m putting off the clean-out until I get the work finished.

Today was some stupid temperature and humid, besides; the old Barkie Boy isn’t doing well in the heat, so we’ve got the air conditioning running full-time and a box fan, besides, and he lies with his snoot aimed at the fan and then seems reasonably comfortable, enough to manage an evening stroll farther than I want to walk in this weather. 

The birdbath surrounded by CA poppy volunteers and a wildflower - wild chamomile, I think. Deb Marshall photo

In spite of the stupid temperatures, the warnings about staying out of the heat that played all morning on the radio, and me being sort of the humidity canary, I went out into the garden Saturday and continued humping cement pavers and bricks around, continuing the path I started that’s going in front of the back fence bed. I’ve moved more than 200 pavers so far this summer, and just ordered another 100; the Husband is beginning to wonder whether I’m totally out of my mind.  I won’t be able to be quite as stupid in the heat again until the next pallet gets delivered, because now I’m down to 3 bags of cedar mulch to move and spread and that’s it.

Beebalm just opening. Deb Marshall photo

 

I’ve thinned beets twice now, and finished thinning carrots Saturday, and also got some weeding done. Almost all the plants are finally germinated, and some are standing up nicely and looking like they might actually produce something worthwhile. The rain we just had wasn’t enough – the ground is still startlingly dry below the surface – but it encouraged most of the plants to have courage and put out a growth spurt. Watering takes forever in my raised-bed garden, but I manage to soak myself in the process, which makes it a little more bearable in this heat.

CA Poppies! Deb Marshall photo

Some of the tomatoes are in blossom, as well as the peas, fava beans and peppers; some of the beans are starting to make flower buds. I’ve had to chop down the marjoram before it could bloom and spread itself even further, and the catnip too – an operation Catman watched carefully to make sure I didn’t overdo it. I didn’t tell Catman this, but most of the trimmings were brought to Lou, the big white cat who reigns over his human subjects at the local vet’s office. Catman and Lou have an interesting – uh, relationship – and I don’t think the Big Furry would have been pleased to know that his catnip was going to entertain the other Big Boy. (Lou blogs and you can access his blogs from the Pleasant Lake Veterinary Clinic home page.)

Egyptian Onions doing their twisty thing. Deb Marshall photo

Sunday I intended to stay inside, do paperwork, and read the Sunday papers through in a leisurely way, first time in months. Then, on Monday, I started to be an idiot again and went back outside to tackle as much of the advancing cedar path in the wasteland part of my garden as 3 bags would take me, and at the same time pound edgers down along the fence and try to prepare a garden bed in that area. I gave up after an hour; it’s just too hot. If I’m lucky, the giant truck with the crane and my pallet stacked high with pavers, bricks, bags of pebbles and more bags of cedar will arrive on Thursday and it’ll be cooler this weekend.  If one or the other doesn’t happen, all bets are off.

Foxgloves, Lamb's Ears. Deb Marshall photo

I did make a valiant attempt on Sunday to sit out in the screen tent on the wart; I managed for a couple of hours before the heat and humidity gave me a headache, upset my tummy, and did nasty things to the elimination track. So much for relaxing on the weekend.

Calendula: also volunteers, this year. Deb Marshall photo

Whenever I shut my eyes, all I see is weeds or cement pavers. I’m looking forward to the day that no longer happens and I’m seeing, oh, maybe the lake, or something else soothing and cool – ice cream, anyone?

For the blog alone, 3 July 2018.

Bird's footprints on snow - just a few months ago; Deb Marshall photo