It is hot and steamy here... If snow did not come with tornadoes in summer, I would not mind very much if we got some snow... I have been trying to keep up with mowing, and weeding in my garden, plus church work, and trying to keep my house clean. Three acres or so of mowed yard is a lot to mow with a push mower (my rider is still down). Then I am way behind on weeding my veggie garden, and flower beds. I think I have 40+ flower beds plus containers. That is why you have not seen me here very much. Currently, I have the following blooming: liatris, Rose of Sharon bushes, black eyed Susans, zinnias, marigolds, pink vinca, blue ageratums, a few Johnny-jump-ups are left, some cock's combs, an occasional rose, day lilies in assorted colors, and maybe a few I forgot? My tiger lilies will be blooming soon. The mimosa trees are in full bloom, and pink poufs are all over the place. My elderberry bushes are blooming, but they are inaccessible to me. Birds and deer do not have a problem reaching them, and always beat me to it. I did get as far as planting tomatoes, onions, radishes, potatoes, and spinach, and corn. The corn did not sprout. The spinach is spindly... Lettuce doesn't like the heat either. I planted parsley, but it is not growing either? Previously, it has done very well here. The black raspberry did nicely. My new raspberries are growing, but not bearing. Those are the ones I bought from a friend. The ones I bought from Aldi's are dead. I am getting a few blueberries from the "dwarf" bush that is bigger than I am. The new blueberry bushes are putzing along.... Guess I need to go and get some manure for them? (I could have a boatload of rabbit manure if I had a way to haul it...) I have a bumper crop of many weeds.... That is about how my garden is doing so far.
I'm having a real problem with weeds too this year. After a really hard winter we're now having temperatures in the high twenties and the weeds seem to love it. Thankfully I don't have three acres to contend with. I hope you can find a little time to yourself to just relax.
I love the flowers... I am counting the days until fall. Summer landed like a ton of bricks here on the 1st of May, and it has been quite hot ever since. We did get a few cool days in early June, but it is still almost 12 weeks until fall.
Nightowl, I sympathize! Summer heat hit early and with a vengeance. Three acres with a push mower? Is there no one you can hire to mow that acreage? When our riding mower was down I mowed the orchard (two acres) with the push mower and thought I was going to die. I didn't, but we sure got the riding mower fixed before the next mowing! Remember, plants can be replaced, gardeners can't. Take care of yourself, don't over do, and the weeds are just "green mulch"!
The person who is/was going to fix it has not been able to get here. Getting someone else is rather costly (hauling plus a fee just to look at it and then hourly and parts...), as is hiring someone to mow my yard. I did hire someone once, and they really did a botched job. He charged me more than I earned in a day's wages, hurried right through, and it was very sloppy. He didn't even do the trim work, I had to get out behind him and do it over. I will never call him again, nor recommend that person. Hiring someone for every week or two would be very costly, if I did get someone else. I do take frequent rest breaks, and it takes me 3 days to do the mowing.. I go indoors and get cooled off, and plenty of water or lemonade or iced tea to drink. I will never get ahead of the weeds here anyway... I have a tool with 4 bent tines to check for snakes before I put my hands in there. It looks like a rake/hoe combo. I will be careful. I skipped it this week, as the heat is terrible, and everyone is heat sick, even animals.
