Hump Day

   

Ain't she a beaut ?  And now, there are light lavender colored bee balm flowers coming up in the midst of this red one too. It's stunning. Tomorrow I will try to remember to get out there and take some more pictures.

 The garden has exploded. The past week has been outrageously high temperatures and humidity...it's like a rainforest out there. Today the heat index hit 105.  2 days ago I was out weeding in the late afternoon and clearing things out a little, and there was still a semblance of rows between the green beans. Now it's a complete ocean of bushes, with no spaces in between. Same with the butternut squash.  Yowsa!  Tonight I went out at almost dark and weeded some flower beds.  I have some Siberian Irises to plant and also some bright yellow daylilies.  But it's been so dang hot I can't do it...15 minutes out there and I'm wringing wet and hot as a firecracker. Sweat running down my face and into my eyes. It's even been already thick at 7 Am...but, I will persevere and try to do a little at a time. Every day. Being especially conscious of how easy it is to get heat stroke in weather like this.

  Tonight I took my pump sprayer out there loaded with white vinegar and sprayed some spots to try to kill the weeds. Hopefully it'll knock some of it down.

  The tomatoes are loaded  and it looks to be a really good crop this year. I planted several Romas  for saucing and dicing, as well as all the regular big tomatoes. Skipped the yellow Brandywines this year...wasn't all that impressed with their performance last year. The edamame are growing great guns. Beautiful healthy big plants.  And the peppers...well, let's just say that I am in awe at the beautiful healthy plants this year. I should have more than enough to get through the winter and eat all summer as well. My mouth is watering at the thought of big red and yellow peppers stuffed with quinoa and chanterelles and garlic chives and chopped fresh parsley, Mmmmmm...

The Irishman went to Wisconsin to visit his family and got back Monday evening. He had a great time and said the weather was wonderful, and never got above 80 the whole time.  WHAT !?!?!?!?!  LOL     I had a pleasant 4 days home alone and spent a lot of it in deep thought.  *snork

  The remaining kitten is doing fine, only 1 out of 4 survived. Not sure what the problem was, but this one I have been feeding kitten replacement milk and the mother is starting to nurse him more. I've named him Jinga.  The Irishman wanted to name him Ralph. I win.  I said that if I am the one feeding him every 3 hours, I get to decide what his name is. (It's the law) The other 3 died abruptly...it was awful. They got listless, lost body heat and were gone within hours of one another. I'm baffled and bereft.

  Been a long day and I'm hoping to hit the hay early tonight.  I baked bread, did laundry, and worked in the yard some. Baked brownies as I was supposed to meet a girl for lunch wand then hit a meeting...Monday was her 5th anniversary and nobody got her a cake, so I thought
I'd surprise her at the mtg w/ a little treat.   She called about 10 and had to cancel.  We had brownies for dessert, after a lovely supper of chicken and black bean burritos with skillet roasted red and green peppers and onion. Coupled with a nice tossed salad. Yum.

  Kinda quiet on the blogging front this week.  Summer???

  Namaste.