Signs of Summer

12 years ago

90 degree heat is one for sure, and we are having days of this now. Not everyday, but more than not for the last week or so. My resident anoles are out and about, running over the patio and occasionally venturing into the sun room. Pretty little things they are, even if they are little reptiles. They are sporting a gaudy shade of green, more outrageous than new foliage on spring plants. There's a family of possums living in the back hedge. Sadly they are down one kidling, as I have two four legged hunters who take their genetics gifts seriously. Birds, moles, and other wildlife are not safe from the pack. It's the way of the world. The humidity has been creeping up daily and soon it will be sweat city around these parts. That goes with the territory. TVA has raised the pool level of the lakes up to summer levels. The water temperature in the river is fast coming up to comfortable levels. It's still refreshing and one can make do with a shorty wetsuit.

I probably won't have a garden to speak of this year, as the pack rules the back yard. No matter, I have my tropicals in containers and have been wanting to set up a hydroponic garden. Probably will use pvc piping and clay pellets. Saw a movie the other day, "Leaves of Grass." One of the major characters had set up an amazing hydroponic system. My goals are more modest, but one can dream. The movie, by the way, is excellent. It has a great cast. It was written by Tim Blake Nelson. Y'all might remember him from another movie.

One of the anoles just went by the glass door and seem to have lost part of his tail. Hmm, it's a savage world......

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Comments (6)

rob333 (zone 7b)
12 years ago
The pool opened! Hurray! and there was great rejoicing. The cicadas were almost completely decimated in the storm yesterday evening, and our speaker joked about the end of the world coming a few days later what with tornadoes and locust swarms. Feels like summer here! Is it time for flip-flops and waves yet?
jazmynsmom
12 years ago
You know about hydroponic window gardening, don't you, Dorph?

Spring is still in full swing up here: tulips are over, it's "snowing" petals from flowering trees, and my lilacs and peonies are going to open any day. We've reached the point where I no longer fear frost, so my peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, tender herbs, and other veggies are all in, as are most of my annuals. And I moved my lemon tree outside for the season yesterday.

I stocked up on and have begun applying my favorite sunscreen. 100 SPF, liberally, frequently and religiously applied is about the only thing that keeps me from frying as I set aside layers of clothing. I also decided to put in the hammock as soon as the rains of the next few days are over.

It's not yet warm enough for me to hop in a lake, but once it is, I intend to lure Tallulah in after me. She hasn't figured out that she's a water dog yet, and she's left barking in the shallows while Izzy does her daily otter imitation at the dog park and the public hunting grounds we visit regularly. Izzy has been swimming almost daily since the ice broke in March, but I'm not ready to join her just yet.

The biggest seasonal transition we've experienced recently is the reopening of our front patio fire pit. This is a nearly nightly gathering spot for friends and neighbors, and we enjoyed breaking it in hard this weekend.
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west_gardener
12 years ago
Glad to see that there are some signs of summer somewhere. It has been a record cold and wet spring here in Silicon Valley, CA, and summer has not shown it's face at all.
I planted a couple of tomato plants, the blossoms come out but the fruit did not set. They don't like cold weather..

I'm having summer weather envy.
endorphinjunkie
Original Author
12 years ago
I had not heard about the hydroponic window gardening. Might give it a shot.
west_gardener
12 years ago
I'm glad that jazmynsmom mentioned the hydro window garden because that is a very popular subject here in the Bay Area.
DH and I have gone to a couple of "makerfaire" shows where they featured some cool hydros. One can start out with one segment to experiment, and ad to to it, or not. It appeals to me, and I may try it in the future.

Here is a link that might be useful: makerfaire
meldy_nva
12 years ago
Signs of summer? Hmmm, the springtime yellow pollen is mostly gone but the oaks are spitting off their clumps of dead blossoms and then drip,drip,dripping sap over everything. That stuff requires a scrub brush and soapy water to clean the car windows. I guess it's a sign of memory loss, but I don't remember the sap being this bad in the past.

The grass is growing like mad; mowing 6" every three days. I had a spurt of sense last year and bought rubber edging for the flower beds. Yes it works and yes, yes, it's great not to have to trim. Unfortunately it's only 5" wide and the clover keeps trying to leapfrog from lawn to flower bed.

DH & I have spent most of this week going to the local recycle site (not so very local at 15 miles each way) and bringing back large trailer-loads of lovely almost-composted shredded leaves to mulch the garden paths and a few other spots. He's finally admitted that putting down mulch is easier than pulling weeds. The temps have been nearish 90 each day with high humidity -the thunderstorms have been all around us but no rain for a couple weeks. I've had to water the flowers.